JCKastrup From Denmark, joined Sep 2006, 415 posts, RR: 0 Posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 8888 times:
Are you ready for a walk down memory lane?
Some of us here on Airliners have been aviation enthusiast since we were small children, while others have only discovered the beauty of aviation as adults.
For the first category: Which planes did you like the most? Which planes were there too many of?
I grew up right next to Copenhagen airport, and my dad would often take me plane spotting in evenings and weekends.
The most boring part of spotting at Copenhagen when i was a child was this:
The DC-9 is a fine plane and the old SAS-livery is better than the new one. But there where just too many of these around. My guess would be 30-40 % of the traffic.
TWA Tristar: Once you've seen a Tristar take-off, you will never forget it. Beautiful design. As far as i know, TWA is the only airline ever to have a regular Tristar-service to Copenhagen
MtnWest1979 From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 2141 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 8870 times:
Well, I gained my interest in airlines in 1970s. And growing up in Boise,ID ;that included seeing mainly United 737-200s,727-100s,727-200s, and occasional DC-8s. I always loved the DC-8s. Also in that time period was Hughes Airwest and their DC-9s. Saw many of them. Later on, Frontier and their 737s from 1979. In 1980s, Wien Air Alaska, Alaska Airlines, Continental, Pacific Express, Western, Sunworld, Republic, all came here with their typical array of jets. What I really liked were the many commuter carriers of the time. A lot more exciting than these days.
Also during this time period, from June 1979 to July 1980, the Stockton,CA; airport was airline served airport closest to my house. Hughes had left in Feb, Frontier began May 1,1980. United left, PSA left just about the time we did. Air Pacific later Golden Gate held down most of the flights then.
Anyway, of all aircraft, the DC-8 was my fav, followed by 727-200.
WesternA318 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 5395 posts, RR: 25 Reply 2, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 8869 times:
This pic says it all...
*Sigh* I miss this scene in SLC...
Woohoo! Back to Beirut in Oct '13! (Along with a stop in DOH for 4 days)
AirTranTUS From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 8848 times:
All we got in VPS in the early 90's was NW DC-9's and some random turboprops. Every time we drove by the airport I would look to see if there was a DC-9 tail sticking over the terminal. There were always F-15's flying out of Eglin as well.
Ckfred From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 4684 posts, RR: 1 Reply 4, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 8847 times:
Growing up near ORD, and still living 30 minutes away, I pretty much saw everything from the early 60s to now: every Boeing from the 707 to the 777, every Douglas from the DC-3 to the MD-11, the Lockheed Electra and Tri-Star, the Fokker 27/Fairchild 227 and the F100, A300s through A340s, Embrears, Canadairs, as well as Convair 240s, 580s, 880s, and 990s.
As a kid, I remember flying Braniff and TWA to MKC, both 707s and 727s (connecting to Central DC-3s to either Parsons, KS or Joplin, MO), AA 727s to SLC (connecting to RW's yellow DC-9s), NW 707s to MSP, UA 727s to MSP, DL DC-9s to SDF, and AA DC-10s/TW L-1011s to PHX.
I don't remember seeing BAC 111s, F28s, or Caravelles. But there was an old Comet parked near the Butler Aviation ramp for a number of years.
Mestrugo From Chile, joined Apr 2007, 237 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 8842 times:
I've got a nostalgia site about my childhood in the 80s, and not too long ago, I wrote an article about aviation in that decade. The entry (in Spanish only) is at http://cabrosdelos80.com/joomla/inde...m_content&task=view&id=49&Itemid=1 , and it's about aviation in Santiago de Chile during the 80s.
Regarding my childhood planes... I think that, since I spent so much time of my childhood travelling from a country to another, I had the immense luck to travel many times on many planes, mostly on Iberia's long range fleet.
My favorite of them all was the impressive Boeing 747-256 of Iberia. My family and me flew in them at least twice per year from the early 80s to mid 90s. EC-DIA was one of them:
I also have vague memories of crossing the Atlantic in an older 747-156, that did an annoying stop in the Canary Islands to refuel... and I also flew in a DC-10-30, too.
The first really long flight I did was precisely in an IB DC-10-30, flying the MAD-EZE route, when I was only 7 years, and that experience was almost magical to me. Everything was different and shiny, and I even remember we were sitting on the middle of the plane -if I remember correctly, the plane had a 9-abreast configuration in Economy- and the onboard movie was Xanadu, that I heard (ot tried to) with those annoying 'air' headphones of the time. In fact, nowadays, when I hear ELO, I immediately associate it with DC-10s.
And, since I was so small, I could just lay on the floor to sleep when I was too tired. I wish I could to that nowadays!
I also flew in DC-9s. Lots of DC-9s, from the most important companies of Spain at the time, like Aviaco and Spantax. By some reason, DC-9s (and then MD-80s) were extremely popular in Spain; however, 737s were scarce and hard to see until Air Europa brought them to Spain's airports. Dunno why.
AAL0616 From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 264 posts, RR: 4 Reply 6, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 8828 times:
The place was Miami.
The "too many" was "all EAL all the time."
So, as a youngster, I was very interested in DAL and NAL. Both AAL and UAL were very mysterious, as were WAL, COA, et. al., since they did not serve the-then regulated market. PAA was in the family, so to speak, so it was fun to go over and see the birds and go for trips. Jets were just coming on line. The EAL, DAL and NAL type was the DC-8. PAA had DC-8s and B707s coming into town. EAL also had the B720. Props were everywhere. The DAL DC-7 "Crown" flying overhead on an afternoon trip to ATL stopping at JAX. Or the Capitol Connies, which became Viscounts, heading for CLE and PIT. My first ride in an NAL DC-8 to MSY. Flying in PAA DC-7s to NAS or, earlier, just having a dim memory of the B377 to Rio, or the DC-6 to La Habana. Later, all the Electras that popped up with EAL and NAL. Watching an NAL Electra swoop in over the Key West Naval Station while on a scout trip as it was landing at Meacham Field. Or that first Electra ride to DCA via NAL, "Airline Of The Stars." The DC-7 interchange route trips west via NAL, DAL and AAL because DEN and LAX could not be flown on one carrier from MIA until NAL got the southern transcon gig, or, farther downstream, BNF and COA got to go all the way to DEN . Or trips in Martin or Convair prop twins. Time flies. It all sems like yesterday. So many cool experiences.
Today, I look back fondly actually, remembering the EAL "Falcon" DC-8s, DC-7s, and the rest, before the hockey stick logo. Later, as a teenager, becoming excited about the 727-100s, then -200s. More carriers got routes from the CAB so then these neat BNF and COA birds showed up, to DAL and HOU. The BNF ones got painted all sorts of colors. Very sexy, just like the NAL "fly me" themed-birds. Suddenly BAW and others were flying across the pond and all the Latin carriers got jets, too. Or when everyone was on strike one summer and you had to fly from MIA to LAX via MEX on AMX or MXA!
Then jumbos by 1970, and the first of many memorable rides on a B747.
Then deregulation by 1980, and the entire world changed forever.
The childhood and teen days of the 1950s and 1960s are wonderful memories and it has all been really great since, too.
Rleiro From Venezuela, joined Jan 2006, 491 posts, RR: 7 Reply 7, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 8809 times:
Yesterday I was just talking to some friends about the good old times of the now long-gone terrace at Maiquetia, in which I used to spend countless hours of fun every time I had to go there:
Air Panama's 727-100 was a common visitor early in the morning:
And of course... The best show in the afternoon... the arrival of VIASA's DC-10 from Europe and South America (at 6 o' clock you could see up to 5 orange tails next to each other awaiting for their next journey)
Also the DC8s from Aeromexico and Aeroperu, DC-10s from British Caledonian and Iberia, A310 and MD-11 from Swissair, DC9s from Aeropostal, BWIA, and ALM... and so on.
SashA From Russia, joined May 1999, 858 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 8802 times:
Hardly any variety at all livery wise in Russia at the time when I grew up and developed an interest aviation. Aeroflot - was the only carrier we'd see. Anyone would see, actually, in Russia....except if they lived in Moscow where the major International airport was.
These were the planes I remember seeing most and flying frequently on:
UCLAX From United States of America, joined May 2003, 179 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 8754 times:
I grew up in JAN and MSY and then worked for DL at LAX in the early 90s during college, so although I viewed them as boring at the time, I now have a very special place in my heart for 727-200s with widgets .
...those who wait for the Lord�s help...rise up as if they had eagles� wings Isaiah 40:31
Andz From South Africa, joined Feb 2004, 8306 posts, RR: 11 Reply 12, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 8725 times:
I first flew in July 1971 when I was 9 years old, my mother, two sisters amd I flew from Newcastle to Lusaka, Zambia via London. I can't remember which direction we made the change but we had to transfer between Heathrow and Gatwick.
These were the airlines and types we did that trip on:
SmithAir747 From Canada, joined Jan 2004, 1604 posts, RR: 32 Reply 13, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 8704 times:
I remember my hometown airport, FWA, had lots of mainline service back in my distant childhood. This was before FWA went all-regional (and long before RJs took over FWA).
In the 1980s, I remember these:
Delta "widget" 727s and DC-9s and MD-80s
American 727s
Northwest DC-9s and 727s
Piedmont 737s & later, USAir 737s
Air Wisconsin BAe146s
United Express BAe146s and BAe ATPs
United 727s
Burlington Air Express cargo DC-8s, UPS and Federal Express 727s
The airport was known as Baer Field-Fort Wayne Municipal Airport back then (until 1991, when it became Fort Wayne International).
I remember the terminal as it was long before its 1995-1996 reconstruction and expansion.
It was much smaller, with a nice restaurant (where the ticket counters are now) with big plate glass windows over the apron. There was only one baggage claim belt, and a handful of ticket counters (for the above airlines, over time). Upstairs there were only 2 jetways.
The downstairs regional concourse was the most remarkable feature of the airport: When I walked through security, I would emerge into a large glass cube, with a door at each corner (as a gate). This concourse was all-glass, even the ceiling, so it afforded a 180-degree view of the apron as well as a view into the sky overhead. I just loved this room!
SmithAir747
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made... (Psalm 139:14)
NWADC9 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 4862 posts, RR: 10 Reply 14, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 8701 times:
PIT in the 90's
Chrome, chrome, chrome, OH! A WHITE ONE! Chrome, chrome, chrome, chrome...
LHRBFSTrident From UK - Northern Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 632 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days ago) and read 8670 times:
actually some of the 1-11s at Kastrup were also heading to BHX - especially the -400s or the -539s which were based at BHX and only operated BHX services and a 'few' MAN services
what's funny to me is that while it was exotic to you, it was certainly the most common and boring a/c movement at BHX in the 80s - I remember 'hours' at the BHX viewing gallery awaiting any kind of a/c movement, only to have yet another 1-11 touchdown
Despite that it is my favourite aircraft to this day - nothing compares to the sound of the Spey engines spooling up upon departure
Every once in a while we were treated to a Worldways Canada DC-8 or a Sterling 727 - even American Trans Air came with a TriStar (summer only, IIRC)
In those days of endless 1-11s, even the LH 737-200 or the AF 737 seemed exotic!
Next up: LAX-LHR NZ002 Y SkyCouch! LHR-LAX NZ001 Y
Gemuser From Australia, joined Nov 2003, 5239 posts, RR: 6 Reply 16, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days ago) and read 8667 times:
SYD late 60s/early 70s. International, the place was wall to wall B707s & DC-8s! QF 138B & 338s, Pan Am, BOAC, Air India, MSA (Malaysian Singapore Airlines), SAA & LH with B707s
TE/NZ, KLM, Alitalia, JAL, Gradua, Thai, UTA & PAL with DC-8s
Plus, of course, the "odd balls" BOACs SVC-10s & UTAs Caravelle!
Domestically: Ansett & TAA B727-100, DC9, L188, Viscounts, DC4s & Carviairs, and Fokker F27 everywhere! Meanwhile down at SWA - Sydney Water Airport we still had the incredible Short S25 Sandringhams!!!
PiedmontINT From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 376 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days ago) and read 8648 times:
Quoting NWADC9 (Reply 14): Two things gone-USAir's old-old livery and the E concourse as a concourse
Actually... The old-old USAir livery B1900 in that pic is still around, painted in the old colors.. It's a ZV bird that I just worked the other day!
ODAFZ From Greece, joined Jul 2004, 351 posts, RR: 5 Reply 18, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 8624 times:
Well I grew up in Beirut (BEY) Lebanon, and my fatherb used to take me and my brother to the airport each saturday afternoon for many years (1969-1975), I had the pleasure to watch a lot of airplanes of which :
MEA : B707-720-747-CARAVELLE-COMET 4C-VICKERS VISCOUNT-CV990A
TMA :B707
KUWAIT AIRWAYS B707
PAN AMERICAN B707-747-747SP
BOAC : VC10-B707
VARIG: B707
VIASA C8-50
JAL: DC8-62
KLM : DC8-63
IRAQI AIRWAYS : B707
ALYEMDA : B707
SUDAN AW : B707
ETHIOPIAN AL : B720-B707
ALITALIA : DC8-40
SWISSAIR : DC8-50-CV990A
AIR FRANCE B707
AIR INDIA: B747
SAUDIA: B707
ARIANA B727-100
THY VICKERS VISCOUNTS-DC9
CYPRUS AIRWAYS VICKERS VISCOUNT-TRIDENT 2E.
ALIA CARAVELLE
As you will see medium range aircrafts such as the DC9, B727 and the russian built aircrafts which were landing very early in the morning (or extremely late at night), SABENA, AUSTRIAN,LUFTHANSA were serving BEY but obviously not on saturdays afternoons! or sunday mornings
Scrumpy492003 From Canada, joined Jul 2007, 170 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 8594 times:
My first flight was in an Auster, age 5 or 6, or so. Bristol local East, over my house in Stanton Drew.
My first major flight was in a Viscount at age 14. Bristol to Bordeaux return
My first Real International Flight was in a Stretch DC8 Heathrow to CYEG ( for years I was given hell over that, I was supposed to go to CYYC BUT the schedules didn't work out right, and they were only an inch apart on the map!! a 3 1/2 hour drive in 1975!!) In fact, the guy that picked me up at the Airport CYEG never did forgive me for that trip!!
My BEST flight was in a Canadian Pacific 747, with as many passengers as Crew, stretching out across the seats for a snooze, and really good filet mignon for a meal!! This would have been around 1976 or 77.
Since then
I flew in a B727 from gatwick to Freetown Sierra Leone, Lungi Airport, with a couple of hour stop in Gambia, where we weren't allowed off the aircraft, BUT they did lower the back door so I sat on the steps in the high humiditu and wondered just what I was getting into in Sierra Leone!!
Then many flights with many airlines, First Class Business and in the back.
I don't have the pictures that you guys have, BUT I do have memories ...
Flynlr From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 218 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 8554 times:
my childhood is filled with aviation memories. but a few stand out.
the 1969 flight on CO from LAX to kansas city. 707
and all my 727 flights on AA and CO during the 70's and a DC-8 Flight in the 80's on united from seatac to lax,
I will always remember my 727 flights . you know the one that the wing comes apart on landing.
The Right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed
Oly720man From United Kingdom, joined May 2004, 6223 posts, RR: 11 Reply 21, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 8519 times:
MAN is my local and earliest memories were standing on the terraces waiting for the arrival of
BY had B737s
Laker B707, BAC1-11
Dan Air 1-11, Comet, HS748
KLM DC8 and DC9
TAP B707 and 727
Air Malta B707/720
SR DC9
LH B737 and B727 on Sunday
Wardair had the B707 and 747
CP Air with the DC8, DC10 and B747
BA VC10 and B707, 1-11, Tridents, HS748, Viscount
Airtours B707
BMA B707
AY Cargo DC9
SK DC9
SN B737
NW came in with B747F for a short period.
TIA had DC8, DC10 and B747
Air France Caravelle, B727 and occasional B707
EI 1-11
British Air Ferries Herald and occasional Carvair
One fine day I nearly spat out my drink in surprise when a Hercules landed. This was a Saudi Air Force one to pick up bits from Warton.
Other stand out visitors included VC-10 A40-AB that brought in some burns victims from a fire in the Gulf. An Interflug Tu134 that was to/from Leipzig for the trade fair.
Everyone looked forward to those days when LHR and LGW were fogged out and MAN became home to a lot of diversions..... though I managed to go on a school hiking trip on "that sunday" in 1977 or 78 when it was seriously foggy in the south and MAN had such rarities as an Iraqi A/W Trident. Boy, was I fed up the next day to be greeted by the lucky spotters who'd been there for something like 50 diversions.
Quoting LHRBFSTrident (Reply 15): I remember 'hours' at the BHX viewing gallery awaiting any kind of a/c movement, only to have yet another 1-11 touchdown
I remember being at MAN one day when for around 10 minutes there wasn't an airliner on the ground. The place was empty. I can't remember what the last departure was, but the emptiness was relieved by a BA B747 arriving (on a London-MAN-Pakistan flight iirc).
N53614 From United States of America, joined May 2007, 229 posts, RR: 1 Reply 22, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 8462 times:
I live somewhere along the Fairgrounds Visual Approach into SJC. I wasn't too into airliners when I was younger; I preferred WWII warbirds and such but still enjoyed airline flights.
I recall seeing the following:
-Emery DC-10F
-American DC-10
-American MD-11
-Reno Air MD-8x/-90, especially "Orange County Flyer".
-Alaska old colors jets. I remember seeing their new colors in SEA one winter, it was love at first sight.
-Delta Widgets
I took photography my Senior year of high school (2002); I swear she hated me because I always took photos of airliners from that field on Hedding St.
MainMAN From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 2065 posts, RR: 6 Reply 23, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 8452 times:
Quoting JCKastrup (Thread starter): BA BAC 111: Cover your ears and watch the two black lines of thick smoke as it heads of for London
BA 1-11s were probably heading for Manchester or Birmingham. It's more than likely that CPH-LHR was operated by Tridents in the 1970s and early 1980s.
I remember a constant stream of 1-11s into MAN during my childhood. You could see the runway from my Mum's bedroom window, even though it's 14 miles away. I'd regularly look out for AF's daily 727 from Paris, which arrived about 7pm, until one day, I was old enough to book and pay for a ticket on it myself - in 1986.
OzarkD9S From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 4684 posts, RR: 23 Reply 24, posted (5 years 7 months 3 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 8427 times:
For me, it was all about the hardest working group in the US Airline industry: The Local Service carriers. No prestige routes and onboard piano bars for these guys:
25 Isitsafenow: You're killing me here, kids. Mid fifties, say 1956, we had the Convair 340 and "new" 440, The DC 3, some 4's, lots of 6's and the new 7 Capital, NE a
27 TAN FLYR: I finished High School in Fort Wayne in the early 70's, and live there off and on thru 1982. Our home was under the flight path for 31/13. The one it
28 PlymSpotter: For me it was undoubtedly the Dash 7 in Brymon colors. For just about my whole life Plymouth has been just a mile down the road, my nursery school bor
29 NWADC9: That thing is STILL flying in those colors?! I saw it a few years ago taxiing to E at PIT before E closed. I think it was 2005, but I can't put my fi
30 CV990: Hi! My first rememberance from my times has a kid in LIS airport: My first cockpit visit, a L1049G from TAP, and when my father was working carrying t
31 RAFVC10: I remember that the aircraft most seen when I was child in Barcelona were the McDonell Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 727 of Iberia. Too, Aviaco, used to ope
32 Vhqpa: Growing up in DRW in the early 90's I used to love watching the AN 727-200's movements we'd get 2 Daily one to Adelaide and Melbourne the other to Bri
33 Viscount724: Following are the first 5 aircraft types (and airlines) I flew on as a child (between about ages 8 and 15), except the Vanguard was still in TCA liver
34 PanAm747: Such a tale of two cities: BFL prior to deregulation in 1978: The second picture is not at BFL...couldn't find a Hughes Air West picture there in the
35 N5014K: I agree completely. I always had a soft spot for props in the 50's and 60's, and the local service carriers in particular. I grew up near BAL (now BW
36 TPAnx: Going back a few years more than most.. Remember flying Connies and DC-7's between BDL and JFK..(known back in the day as Idlewild.)..after those beau
37 FlyOakland2IAH: The first plane I flew was a PSA Lockheed Electra Jet. They were comfortable inside, 3+2 seating, I think, and a nice little lounge in the back. The f
38 Vaporlock: Well, I was born in a small town in Northern Ontario called Chapleau. It will always be dear to my heart and I was very fortunate to grow up with unc
39 DeltaRules: CMH as far back as I can remember: AA- F-100, ATRs, J-31, MD-80, maybe a 727 or two CO- DC-9, MD-80 & 737-200, EMB-120 (meatball scheme). DL- 727, DC-
40 N231YE: I remember as a kid, I lived under the CLE approach into the then-Runway-23s. In 1999 I moved to the suburbs after house was robbed...along with a gen
42 SCAT15F: I grew up in Minneapolis/St. Paul in the late '70's, early '80's. My dad proposed to my mom at the old observation area across from the main runway at
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