In the 1970s, Ottawa (CYOW) to Saskatoon (CYXE) in a DC9!

 

JJ

The Sud Caravelle would have been awesome to fly on. I bet there was heeps off leg room unlike today!

I think it was in 1959, when I was a high school air cadet in Edinburgh, Scotland, I was at a summer camp at RAF College Cranwell and I developed a rash. As the doctor wasn't sure if it was contagious, I was flown home in a DeHavilland Vampire.

 

At one point, the pilot asked if I'd like to take the controls but, because I didn't feel so good, I said no thanks. I've been kicking myself ever since. Towards the end of the flight to Edinburgh Turnhouse, we lost radio contact and so we flew along the main runway, banking left right left, to let the control tower know.

Thanksgiving weekend, November 1968, KJFK to KMIA on an Eastern DC-8 for a family trip to the Everglades.  I don't know what variant - I think it might have been a -61 given the volume on the route but I can't be sure.  My first flight of any kind.  I remember the takeoff roll, then a glimpse of a parking lot as we shot off the runway up into a low overcast.  Then the cloud tops.  Then a pitch black night the rest of the way, and I felt a little bored.  Had a slightly better time on the return trip - an Eastern Boeing 720.  Can still see the lights of Miami at dusk on takeoff, then all the lights in New York during landing.  But the first time I really enjoyed flying was a couple of years later - KJFK to KORD, first class on a Northwest Orient 747-100, the first year it was in service.  After that I ws completely hooked, and have stayed that way ever since.  

Circa 63, PAN AM, MAR-PTY, Boeing 707.

 

Cheers, 

Can't remember the year, but I was about 12 years old (about 1990 I suppose). Delta Airlines 727-200, service from Calgary AB Canada to Los Angeles, with a stop in Salt Lake City. Visited the flight deck in Salt Lake on both trips, and was fortunate enough to sit in the Captains seat, on the ground for one of the stops. I've been hooked on aviation ever since. Sure do miss the old 727 aircraft.

1979 Delta DC-9, Atl to D.C.

 

 

Having already been flying in Cessna's and Grumman's, it was quit the shock on the smoothness of the flight. I admit to being disappointed with the DC-9... I was hoping for the 747. When your a kid, your only interested in the cool factor... in 1979, a plane as large as the 747 was just the most magical thing ever. To this day, the 747 has eluded me... and I fear in her sunset years, I may miss the chance.

 

Edit; Heck I almost forgot. My brother was working for a bizjet company that flew Lear-jets then.. so my first jet flight was in the Lear. Truly, I didn't think anything could go that fast on the runway on take off.

A United 727 on a trip from Norfolk, Virginia to San Diego, California with  a stop in Pittsburg and a change to a little Embreir at LAX.

 

I was initially disappointed that the cabin windows were obscured by morning dew. During the takeoff roll there was a sudden sound of rushing water while the cabin windows simultaneously cleared.

 

As it was an overcast morning the aircraft quickly climbed into the clouds. There must have been some mist above the denser body of the clouds, as the aircraft's shadow was surrounded by a circular rainbow,

 

It felt a bit intimidating in the little Embreir surrounded by all the 747s and DC10s at LAX. Boarding was through an actual gate in a fence. At San Diego we were directed through a gate outside one end of the terminal to 'baggage claim" on the sidewalk in front of the terminal!

My first trip in a jet airliner was in 1977 in an Air Bahama DC-8 heading from Luxemburg to Nassau (Bahamas). I was 6 years old. My first ever flight as a pilot in a jet airliner was in April 1999. It was a Canadair Regional Jet 100.

Air Canada DC 8 - Montreal to Toronto 1961 or '62.

As I recall, the Economy seating size & config was about the same as today's First Class!! 

A huge improvement over the Vickers Vanguard. The DC8 allowed me to fly Toronto- Calgary for a business meeting & return same day. That was progress!

In that era, you had a good chance that there would be no seatmate - so flip up the armrest and curl up for a nap on the wide double seat!

But for luxury- hard to beat the company Cessna Citation zipping around British Columbia in the early 70's.

january 

1979 in a DC-8 with CP Air. From Toronto - Prestwick return. Back then you could sit in the cockpit....

September 1965; a BOAC Boeing 707 from Singapore to Darwin, and then on to Sydney.

I believe my first jet flight was about when I was 10 in the mid-90s and it was in a Southwest 737-200,  The closest I have come so far to flying a jet is a Level-D simulator, and the closest real airplane is a King Air 200 thus far.

For me, 1966--a 727--I believe the airline was PSA but I was only five at the time, so my memory is fuzzy--my first flight ever was same year, Lockheed Electra.  I was in love with flying from that point onward.....

 

John

yes i remember. i was 6 that time and we took a philippine airlines flight to cebu ( 1 hour flight) then philippine AIR uses its 747-200 i was amaze on the size of 747. then the first time i heard the takeoff sound i was like ( WOAH!!) the roar sound of the 747 200 was AMAZING