We know there are multiple A320s (ceos and neos; freeware and payware) available in MSFS these days. And myself, not being a puritan simmer nor an aspiring Airbus pilot...🙂...these are all viewed as one (nearly indistinguishable) lump in my eyes. However, I was indeed a puritan simmer at one point, decades ago. I vividly recall flying the PMDG and iFly 737NGs, 3 times a week, like clockwork, for nearly a year or more, with all the bells and whistles (such as enhanced scenery, FS2Crew, on-line ATC, rigid fuel calculations, identical RW routes etc...). I do recall on FS2Crew, pressing that Flight Attendant button meant for requesting a "Cup of Coffee"...while being fully absorbed in my (hectic) pilot duties in the virtual flightdeck of the 737. Unfortunately, no Coffee ever appeared...🙂...neither did any Flight Attendant, nor even my better-half...🙂...and, in fact, once, such a request had elicited a reply like something as follows, "That is not a real 737, and you're not a real pilot...So, go get your own Coffee..."...🙂...My make-believe world of aviator-hood had suffered a reality check...🙂...Oh well...I'm still at it...

Anyway, I'm lately warming up to this MSFS/iniBuilds A320neo V2. It has a better overall feel about it than the original MSFS/Asobo A320. And it's not just the EFB. I am able to use the EFB for performance calculations etc. but have to use the MCDU/ATSU Menu to upload the SimBrief FlightPlan data (since still getting some error while uploading directly from SimBrief into the EFB, will continue to examine that issue...not a deal-breaker for me). Most importantly, this iniBuilds A320neo V2 came free with MSFS Update, so, I cannot ask for more than that...

Colorful (and trail-blazing) Braniff Airways has been a favorite of mine since my earliest days in the hobby. The airline had taken roots in 1927, when the founder Paul Braniff (also the sole pilot) flew a group of business executives and investors around on fishing, hunting, and business trips in a six-seater Stinson Detroiter out of Oklahoma. Braniff Airways, during the 50+ years of its existence, went on to operate almost all types of a/c, starting from the vintage Ryans and Stinsons, through the legendary 727s/707s, all the way to the supersonic Concorde. Though the 10 Concordes that it operated were all leased from Air France and British Airways, they were indeed flown by Braniff crews, with Braniff Reg. numbers, mostly subsonically within the domestic U.S. sectors. How could Braniff be not part of the most exotic commercial aircraft travel of the time...🙂...? Braniff had also made deposits with Boeing for two B2707 SST (Supersonic Transport) a/c, a program that would be eventually cancelled. Clearly, the airline was determined to be on the cutting edge of air transport.

The catchy company slogan was, "The End of the Plain Plane", and their advertisements proclaimed (justifiably so), "We have blue planes, orange planes, yellow planes...You can fly with us seven times and never fly in the same color twice...". Now, without worrying about the complex statistical rules of conditional probability...🙂..., there is some truth to this claim. Braniff had a total repertoire of 15 "Jellybean" colors (actually 16, Lavender was short-lived). So, simply put and without taking the claim to heart, with a choice of 15 colors, you would need to fly with Braniff roughly 7 times, to run into the same-colored a/c twice.

So, I was looking today into an add-on set of "Nostalgia" liveries for this A320neo that I'd purchased several weeks ago, on Xbox/Marketplace, when I'd seen this A320neo V2 the first time. In that livery collection, I caught a Blue Jellybean A320neo repaint. We should note that Braniff ceased all air operations in 1982. Even the original A320 (aka the ceo) would not take to the sky until 5 years later in 1987, and this A320neo would not appear (another 27 years later than the ceo) until 2014. So, this here is of course an entirely fictitious livery (nonetheless, I wish to thank the unknown repainter who contributed this Braniff color to the set of liveries; surely, that (Braniff enthusiast) repainter would jump on the chance to repaint Braniff colors on (RW) 727s/707s/DC8s etc. when these iconic a/c become available in MSFS...).

In my images of the A320neo below, the registration (N1804) you see, is indeed a RW (Braniff) number, that once belonged to a (Medium Blue) Braniff DC-8-62. During that aircraft's lifespan of 35 years, I find (on record) only one blemish for it...a runway excursion at (old) Quito airport, in its very first year of service, where improper braking action, forced it into a ditch, causing substantial damage, but it was repaired and bounced back to service as if new. This original DC-8 was once plying the high skies above the Pacific Ocean, between Dallas-Fort Worth and South American cities, just as my A320neo did today, wearing the same uniform and carrying the same ID. That's why this A320 felt dear to me today...🙂..., because it made me think of Braniff's (multi-colored) Douglas DC-8s, and in particular about the life-story of that N1804 DC-8-62(F), a (hardworking) a/c that that had served faithfully as a passenger aircraft for over 22 years, and then (untired) as a converted freighter for another 13 years. It would eventually end its life in 2003, salvaged and broken up into pieces and dissolved into history...until we might fly it here again in MSFS, hopefully someday soon...

Please find this collection of images of this A320neo on a flight of my choice, from Lima (SPJC) in Peru to Dallas-Fort Worth (KDFW), both these cities been "Hubs" of Braniff during its heydays. The (SimBrief) flight distance is 3,400 miles, while my A320neo (quite up to the challenge) has a range of 3,900 miles...so, I'm covered. I wished to visit the majestic Andes, before heading back to the homeland, so, please also see a set of pictures (shot #s 4-8) of these Andes Mountains, which are in close proximity of Lima, on the (eastern) inland side of the continent (Lima is the coastal (capital) city overlooking the vast Pacific) ...

In mid-flight today, while my a/c was paused and suspended over the Pacific, and I was off and away for some life-sustaining grocery activities...🙂..., MSFS/Xbox opted to close my "Game" saying curtly that some syncing of data is required for my better "gaming" experience, and hence the current session will be terminated...No arguments...Oh well...

Still, I've included, below, a few pictures of my touchdown into KDFW, from an independent flight....

Thanks for viewing...! Happy flying...!

Wonderful shots. Always loved Braniff (though I only got to fly with them once). Hopefully, we'll get to see at least a few Braniff colors on the upcoming 707.

Fine set of shots, thanks for showing !

cheers 😉

Great shots! 😉 

Love me some old school Braniff, especially the "Flying Colors" era, followed by the "Jellybean" era.

Great shots and it's nice to see this old livery on a new plane 🙂

Friends:

Many thanks for the comments and responses...Appreciated...!!

It looks like this (old) Braniff Jellybean Blue pulled at the heartstrings of a few ...🙂...

Very nice…love Braniff’s colors!

For sure we need them all on the upcoming 707.

 

6 hours ago, Republic DC9 said:

Very nice…love Braniff’s colors!

For sure we need them all on the upcoming 707.

Another fan of Braniff...🙂....Thank you and glad you liked these images...

Yes, certainly all the Jellybean Colors of Braniff would be most welcome on the 707...and MSFS's (knowledgeable) repainters are waiting ...

Cheers...!