Aeri28 From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 594 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 3424 times:
Found this clip out of sheer luck recently which was a promo from Pan Am back in 1958 called "Six and a half Magic Hours" featuring their new 707 Jet service to London from New York. It's a great ~12 min clip and shows the glory days of flying. Clip also has info on the new 'soon to be completed' Pan Am terminal at JFK (then Idyllwild) and on board service. Great shots of air to air filming of the 707 in flight.
I found I had problems on the 'stream' function, (it ran 'fast' and garbled) but instead opted to download it. I downloaded the 256K mpeg4 file (just a random choice) and opened it while in Apple Quicktime (windows). I guess you'll have to see which one works for you.
Anyway, for the Pan Am lover of yesteryear. Enjoy!
Ikramerica From United States of America, joined May 2005, 21026 posts, RR: 60 Reply 1, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 3367 times:
One of the better pieces of corporate propaganda made. Great footage.
Seems jet cabin noise and jetlag were invented sometime later, as on the Jet Clipper, you arrive refreshed...
Funny to see how variable color lighting was introduced in 1958, and is only now being reinvented as a "new" idea in the 21st century.
PS - Using Mac OSX 10.4 with dsl, the 256k m4 streamed perfectly for me.
Of all the things to worry about... the Wookie has no pants.
Greenguy01 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 234 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 3341 times:
I love the part about the "innovative" overhead passenger lighting console.
This was a great video. After watching "The Aviatior" and thinking about Pan Am in those days I wish that I could be there as jet aviation was taking off.
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you to their level and beat you with experience.
GoAllegheny From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 340 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 3328 times:
Great video, I love the "as many as 150 passengers" on the 707. What would that translate to as maximums in today's aircraft? About 80 in a 737? I wish.
I am struck by the fact that, despite the many technological advances around us, we still can't fly appreciably faster than we did nearly 50 years ago (economically, of course).
Vivek0072 From India, joined Jun 2005, 284 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 3278 times:
Also check out this page , right click on the pic to save us and open with media playesr. Shows AI's first flight to London.....but it is in Hindi....
"The date was Tuesday, June 8, 1948 and Air-India's aircraft - Malabar Princess, a 40-seater Lockheed L-749 Constellation, registration number, VT-CQS, with Captain K.R. Guzder in command - was in the final stages of preparation for its 5,000 mile journey from Mumbai to London via Cairo and Geneva. The flight's time of departure was late in the evening and of the 35 passengers that were to board the flight, 29 were bound for London and six for Geneva. "
Aviationwiz From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 953 posts, RR: 4 Reply 5, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 3017 times:
Bkkair From Thailand, joined Aug 2001, 408 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 2912 times:
Thanks Aeri28 and Vivek0072 for these.
It took me a minute to figure out what they were showing at check-in - the paper baggage tags with their city codes neatly hanging on the wall, in alphabetical order so the agent could pull off AMS, ORY or LON as the passengers checked their baggage.
Notice flight attendant bringing around the selection of magazines.
The 4 people sitting at the dining table in the lounge, being served from those magnificent silver trolleys.
Special notice was made of the economy class meal which covered every bit of the tray table since there was so much quantity and quality of food - in economy.
Four full service galleys.....and the "powder rooms", which were as nice as you'd find in your home (I don't know about that statement).
The Air India clip was great. The "girls performing their preflight rituals", the control tower abrubtly cutting through Captain Jatar's thoughts "Air-India Malabar Princess, this is London. Begin your descent now.."
It is amazing that 47 years later, it still takes the same amount of time to fly transatlantic - whilst the comfort and service has gone down.
Ikramerica From United States of America, joined May 2005, 21026 posts, RR: 60 Reply 8, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 2823 times:
According to the video, it looked like lobster in economy class.
What was it called back then? I mean, jetting to London was costly either way, coach or first. What did Pan Am called the two classes?
Of all the things to worry about... the Wookie has no pants.
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