First of all, if you're not a native of Germany, neither am I, "Wir lieben Fliegen" means in English, "We love flying", if my internet is telling me correctly, since internet cannot be always trusted...so, one of the real natives, around here...🙂..., could probably confirm the expression. Anyway, such (or similar) expressions on the commercial airplane fuselages is not uncommon...the Airbus A321 Livery "More to Love" of Alaska Airlines (symbolic of Virgin America and Alaska Airlines merger), of which livery, excellent (virtual) pictures were actually posted here a short while ago by a peer member, comes to mind...

The 757 has always piqued my interest from day one of my involvement in the hobby...its shape was unmistakable, the day it was first built and released by Boeing, 40 years ago, as it is, too, on the current day. I read that, speaking particularly of the 757-300 variant (subject aircraft of this post), 55 a/c were produced, and all 55 were in service as of in July 2018. So, these legacy planes are still flying and popular among several major operators. However, if you see the interior [VC] images, in the pictures, below, of the 757-300, you might wonder why...its cockpit and avionics were not brought on par with the modernization trend of (other Boeings) e.g., the 737s. 737NG (with typical Boeing Glass cockpit) flew in 1996 and the 753 variant flew years later. The 753 flightdeck, though fully capable, has the typical look of an earlier era jets, with e.g., top/down "ADI"/"HSI" combo (rather than the side-by-side "PFD"/"ND" displays), along with plenty of mechanical gauges taking up the space (see my close-up [VC] shots), though some 757-300s seem to have had more modernized cockpits.

Today I caught a few images of a Condor 757, in the special (likable) livery of "Wir lieben Fliegen". The Reg. was (D-ABON), just as in my pictures below. A/C makers often create variants driven by specific operators. Condor was the driver for the stretched 757, been the one with its launch order and also the one that put it first into service. Boeing and Condor worked closely together to develop procedures and guidelines for the fastest certification (a record by the manufacturer) of this (extra) lengthened 757. The 757 (-200/-300) have been always a niche market (narrow-body) favorite among word-wide operators, even to this day, unsurpassed by any modern offerings, in terms of capacity, range, performance, and airport ergonomics etc. The most modern A321 ("neo" plus "XLR"), with its longest-range and most efficient, single-aisle enhancement, would be the likely successor of the 757 (many airlines are eagerly waiting for it to replace their 757s with it; How about Boeing's plans...🙂...?). I've flown on the AA 757s on several occasions. American Airlines flew an astounding "177" 757s for over 30 years (all "-200"s, I do not see any "-300" in their past fleet). Delta now has over 100 757s, in service even today...impressive statistics for an earlier model a/c that had flown first 4 decades ago...

So, please find, here, a set of pictures, below, of the plane that was dubbed by pilots the "Flying Pencil", actually the variant you see below is the (even) longer "Flying Pencil"... (23+ feet longer than the original Boeing "Flying Pencil", the 757-200). In fact, the 757-300, on record, is the longest narrow-body/single-aisle twinjet ever built with a length of nearly ~180 ft. Take a look at a few of my full-length pictures (e.g., shot #s 4/8/9), and decide for yourself if it deserves the name. Today, as I was about fly the 757-300 (Condor - "Wir lieben Fliegen") in my virtual world, I checked and was glad to observe that the "RW" Condor "Wir lieben Fliegen" (D-ABON) was in fact also in mid-flight, flying (high) somewhere over the (vast) Pacific, at an altitude of 36,000 ft, having departed the tiny island of Tenerife (Spain), off the west coast of Africa, on its way to Germany, to Condor's home base. So, symbolically, to give it company, I've flown a flight between (Tenerife South Airport, GCTS) to the German city of Stuttgart Airport (EDDS), for my (sample) flight in this post. The 757 is flown, here, under full (automated) guidance for navigation, LNAV/VNAV (see MCP shots) been activated soon enough after lift-off, suitably aided by a (SimBrief) FlightPlan (see MAP, below), pre-uploaded into the FMS/CDU of this 757-300 SIM.

Hope you enjoy this collection of pictures of this classic plane, as much as I did (while flying it virtually, after a long time), an iconic plane that still continues to fly today in RW, with its unique old-world appeal, inside and out. This Condor 757-300 (D-ABON) is powered by 2 Rolls-Royce RB211-500 series engines (please see close-up shots). If you wish to see RW pictures/videos of this virtual Condor (D-ABON), here are a couple of pointers:

1. [Pictures] Please search for "Condor Boeing 757-300 D-ABON Images".
2. [Video] More interestingly, here is a remarkable (2m:14s) video clip, I found, of this Condor 757-300 (D-ABON) "Wir lieben Fliegen" landing in Split Airport (LDSP), please search for "Special "Wir lieben Fliegen" Livery - Condor Boeing 757 D-ABON - Split Airport LDSP/SPU Landing". Please raise your audio volume, per (applicable) local noise ordinances...🙂...and other considerations....to hear the roar of those RR engines on touchdown. What an exciting approach and landing, especially, so near to those spectacular Mountains...? Indeed, hats off to those Condor Pilots doing this trip on a regular basis...and no wonder Condor proved itself to be such a highly successful leisure and vacation charter carrier...Anyway, how would you like to visit Split in a Condor 757 (stretched...!) ...in the premier class (see my shot #7) ...🙂...? I wish I could do it, one day...? Maybe a few of you have already...

Thanks for viewing...! Good flying...!

Edited October 22, 20223 yr by P_7878

Great set of shots! 😉 

Yes, wir lieben Fliegen ☺️

Fine set of shots, this is one of another favorite Airplane i would have in MSFS !

cheers 😉

Excellent info and shots!  I worked these for many years.  The 757's and 767's have about 99% the same cockpit so pilots can transition from one to another easily.  Also, the 757 is the one jet with the worst vortices on takeoff.  ATC makes sure to hold planes after a 757 takes off.  Those huge Pratt engines are amazingly powerful.  I've always loved working them and seeing them on the ground I always thought they looked kind of like a bird of prey.

Jack, pmplayer, Will:

Many thanks for the comments...!!

 

8 hours ago, Jack_Sawyer said:

Excellent info and shots!  I worked these for many years.  The 757's and 767's have about 99% the same cockpit so pilots can transition from one to another easily.  Also, the 757 is the one jet with the worst vortices on takeoff.  ATC makes sure to hold planes after a 757 takes off.  Those huge Pratt engines are amazingly powerful.  I've always loved working them and seeing them on the ground I always thought they looked kind of like a bird of prey.

Fascinating nuggets of hands-on knowledge... about the 757/767, Jack. Thanks much...! 

I've travelled on AA 757s several times, but, only once on a B767, that too rather fortuitously, when the scheduled a/c in Toronto, developed some kind of mechanical issues, and we were placed on an Air Canada 767 to Montreal, I recall the incidence, because it was an Air Canada 767 in the Toothpaste Livery...🙂...

I always liked both these planes, as a traveler of course...🙂...in the RW and in the SIM...

I noticed that CS has provided a (N592NW) Boeing 757-300 NWA livery with PW engines (please see the first shot below), the engines you mention having worked on.... I also posted one shot of a Condor (D-ABUD) Boeing 767-300, also with PW engines, as I noted from the SIM...nothing compared to the real entities....🙂...but thought might be of interest to you...Cheers...!

Very interesting info not only on the 757 (also my favorite), but also on Condor, P_7878

19 hours ago, P_7878 said:

I checked and was glad to observe that the "RW" Condor "Wir lieben Fliegen" (D-ABON) was in fact also in mid-flight, flying (high) somewhere over the (vast) Pacific,

I don't think, the plane is capable of doing so, expecially not from Tenerife to Stuttgart 😃😃

I hope you don't mind me telling you this 

I got pencil neck just viewing these ………✏️

I've often heard the DC-8 70 series referred to as "The Flying Pencil" also, but I hesitated to mention it. Worried you might go scurrying off to do a whole additional set of screenshots. 🙂

John

bernd, johnb: Thanks...!!

3 hours ago, johnbow72 said:

I got pencil neck just viewing these ………✏️

....🙂...yes, these planes are really looong....look more so in RW. I recall once when I was late to the Gate, and hurrying, I asked a flight attendant approaching from the front...about my flight...he had said, "It's the thinnest and longest plane you'll see on your RHS a few gates down.... you cannot miss it..." very true indeed...

 

3 hours ago, bernd1151 said:

Very interesting info not only on the 757 (also my favorite), but also on Condor, P_7878

I don't think, the plane is capable of doing so, especially not from Tenerife to Stuttgart 😃😃

I hope you don't mind me telling you this 

Appreciated the comment, bernd,...of course Condor, I thought you might like...🙂....

BTW, bernd, Condor does seem to have several direct and non-stop 757-300 flights from Tenerife South Airport (GCTS) to many German cities ...🙂...for vacation lovers in Germany...

The typical (flight) distance from TFS (Tenerife South–Reina Sofía Airport) to e.g., (FRA) Frankfurt, I am seeing now on an actual FlightAware Flight No. (Condor 1478 / CFG1478 / DE1478), today, is about 2,000 miles (1,740 nms) flown with a B757-300 which has a range of over 3,300 miles (2,900 nms)....Condor 753 flight, today, covered this (TFS-FRA) distance in about 4.5 hours...that's why Condor really liked these 757s...not too big but great range...

The (Tenerife/Stuttgart) TFS/STR distance I find is also under 2,000 miles (1,740 nms), my flightplan actually shows 1,745 nms....

Chose Stuttgart because I just wished to fly past pmplayer's home airport....🙂.... seriously, I like this smaller airport, having known well only Frankfurt... 

They also have the same diameter as the 727 and 737. 

21 minutes ago, John F said:

I've often heard the DC-8 70 series referred to as "The Flying Pencil" also, but I hesitated to mention it. Worried you might go scurrying off to do a whole additional set of screenshots. 🙂

John

....🙂...Yes, John, those -70s were also very very long... (Same as the -60s with engine conversion) .... narrow-body too, but 4-engined, but the twin-engined (narrow-body) 757 stands on its own, A321XLR will be the closest to it...A300 was the very first twinjet wide-body...thanks...!

Nice post! Very interesting to learn more about the 757 🙂

Paul:

Thanks for chiming in. Yes, the 757 is indeed one-of-a-kind airliner...glad you found it interesting...!