First flight on an airliner
09-16-2008, 07:15 PM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
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Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Math Teacher
Posts: 2,274
First flight on an airliner
It was August of 1972. I was 11 yrs old and going into the fifth grade. I'll never forget it.
My oldest sister had just finished from URI ( Univ. of Rhode Island) and had returned to WPB, FL to teach summer school. Her class was going to the airport on a field trip. She asked me to talk to them about flying. By this time, I had collected all kinds of used airline tickets and had pretty much had every battery operated AA toy jet there was along with all the hard red plastic ones from Woolworth.
At any rate, she drew from one of my books, a Lear 45. I labeled all the flight control devices and explained what their function was. She said that she was so impressed with my knowledge of airplanes that she was giving me my first ride on an airliner.
It was a National Airlines flight; Debbie; B-727; MIA-PBI. The flight was 15 minutes long. I was the only one to deplane in West Palm. I remember she bought me one of those tin pressed airplanes. You know, the ones with two wheels as the main gear and the "tail dragger" wheel at the back of the plane
. It was an Eastern 727. I recall the pilot asking me what did I have in my bag and I showed him...his response was, "You're flying National and you have a toy Eastern jet. You really know how to hurt a guy".
A very fond memory.
atp
My oldest sister had just finished from URI ( Univ. of Rhode Island) and had returned to WPB, FL to teach summer school. Her class was going to the airport on a field trip. She asked me to talk to them about flying. By this time, I had collected all kinds of used airline tickets and had pretty much had every battery operated AA toy jet there was along with all the hard red plastic ones from Woolworth.
At any rate, she drew from one of my books, a Lear 45. I labeled all the flight control devices and explained what their function was. She said that she was so impressed with my knowledge of airplanes that she was giving me my first ride on an airliner.
It was a National Airlines flight; Debbie; B-727; MIA-PBI. The flight was 15 minutes long. I was the only one to deplane in West Palm. I remember she bought me one of those tin pressed airplanes. You know, the ones with two wheels as the main gear and the "tail dragger" wheel at the back of the plane
. It was an Eastern 727. I recall the pilot asking me what did I have in my bag and I showed him...his response was, "You're flying National and you have a toy Eastern jet. You really know how to hurt a guy".A very fond memory.
atp
09-16-2008, 07:38 PM
#2
A Second Past V1
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Position: Assumed
Posts: 743
June 1992. Got to skip my last day of kindergarden (who cared...I was going on a freakin plane!)
It was a family trip from So Cal to South Dakota.
Took a United 737 from John Wayne to Denver, then some prop express up to Sioux Falls. It was the "6:57" out so I remember looking out the window and the sun just barely coming up as the plane started rolling. Picked up the wings and cards from the STEWARDESS (anyone else remember that word?)
Made that trip every summer for the next 5 years. I remember I was never able to sleep the night before. There was just something about flying that made me more excited than anything else.
Since then Ive always viewed United as the gold standard of aviation. Now Im just sitting and watching whats happening and questioning if it will ever come back to days like those again...
It was a family trip from So Cal to South Dakota.
Took a United 737 from John Wayne to Denver, then some prop express up to Sioux Falls. It was the "6:57" out so I remember looking out the window and the sun just barely coming up as the plane started rolling. Picked up the wings and cards from the STEWARDESS (anyone else remember that word?)
Made that trip every summer for the next 5 years. I remember I was never able to sleep the night before. There was just something about flying that made me more excited than anything else.
Since then Ive always viewed United as the gold standard of aviation. Now Im just sitting and watching whats happening and questioning if it will ever come back to days like those again...
09-16-2008, 08:07 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2007
Position: JS32 FO
Posts: 848
1997: Southwest, BNA to LAS, had my eyes glued to the window the entire time although I took a nap when we were cruising over the Midwest. I got to see Hoover Dam and loved the thrill of being slowed up for landing, yet outracing cars on the freeway.
09-16-2008, 08:08 PM
#5
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Joined APC: May 2007
Posts: 172
First airplane flight ever: August 1989.....United 727-200 from Milwaukee to O'Hare.
Second flight was the second segment: United DC-10-30 O'Hare to Orlando!
That was the one and only time ever getting a ride in a DC-10 and 727.
Second flight was the second segment: United DC-10-30 O'Hare to Orlando!
That was the one and only time ever getting a ride in a DC-10 and 727.
09-17-2008, 04:34 AM
#9
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Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 117
Dad was in the Army and we were living in SAT. Braniff 727's would scream over the house inbound to SAT. I loved seeing the Flying Colors! Can't remember the very first ride, but a couple of memorable ones:
- First and only B747 ride was on a Delta (yes Delta) from DFW to LAX to go to DisneyLand. That was in '71 or '72. They didn't keep the 747 very long.
- AAL B727 - captain let me check out the flight deck after we landed. Took pics w/ my Kodak instamatic camera.
- DAL L-1011...my favorite ride. That was back when they served free mixed drinks, too. I remember the adults getting pretty "happy".
- IAD-PDX UAL DC-8...it was a -61 or -63 series...about a mile long in length. My brother and I were teens. They still had a smoking section in the back. The plane was nearly empty. We snuck off in the back and smoked Marlboros...
- UAL B737-200 into MRY (Monterey). Pilot did a go-around after the mains touched down. Don't know if he over-shot or something was on the runway, but I thought it was cool as s%^t !
09-17-2008, 05:28 AM
#10
intentionally left blank
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: Bus Co-Driver
Posts: 284
I don't remember any of my airline flying as a kid - I was too young. But Mom said I was the happiest little traveler, and everyone just loved sitting near me and seeing how excited and outgoing I was.
Two months ago, flying into ATL, a bunch of kids boarded our flight. As we neared ATL, I heard some screams, accentuated when I punched through a knuckle of wake turbulence. Cheering followed as I greased the mains on.
When I stepped aft to wave to the pax and see who the screamers were, our plane was a wreck. There were crackers, candies and shredded Sky magazines all over the front of the cabin. The caramel from a Snickers bar clung to everyone's shoes and strung its way toward the boarding door. They trashed the interior of our company's multimillion dollar jet. These girls' parents were a few rows aft, and as I made eye contact with the mothers, they just smiled as if to say, "aren't they soooo cute?"
I may have discovered the truth about my own first airline rides...
Two months ago, flying into ATL, a bunch of kids boarded our flight. As we neared ATL, I heard some screams, accentuated when I punched through a knuckle of wake turbulence. Cheering followed as I greased the mains on.
When I stepped aft to wave to the pax and see who the screamers were, our plane was a wreck. There were crackers, candies and shredded Sky magazines all over the front of the cabin. The caramel from a Snickers bar clung to everyone's shoes and strung its way toward the boarding door. They trashed the interior of our company's multimillion dollar jet. These girls' parents were a few rows aft, and as I made eye contact with the mothers, they just smiled as if to say, "aren't they soooo cute?"
I may have discovered the truth about my own first airline rides...
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