The "Low-Down":

AA DEN-ORD FLT1546 MD-82 8-16-01
AA ORD-DCA FLT1442 F-100 8-16-01

DL ORF-ATL FLT433 757-200 8-21-01
DL ATL-PHL FLT1246 MD-88 8-21-01

AA JFK-DFW FLT105 MD-80 8-25-01
AA DFW-DEN FLT1697 MD-80 8-25-01

The Trip:

Delayed right off-the-bat at DIA. Turns out our AA MD-82 was delayed getting out of Chicago due to early morning rainstorms. Boarded thirty minutes late. We taxied out to the runway and into the penalty box and shutdown the engines. . .Chicago has delayed our takeoff at DIA for another 45 minutes. We left one hour and 15 minutes late. Smooth trip until the Chicago area. We were put in a holding pattern 50 miles south of ORD. Landed to late to catch our original flight to DCA, so we flew standby for the next. Got on the F-100 and had the last seat on the plane on the right hand side. . .I couldn't hear a darn thing the entire flight. Those engines were loud. On takeoff, we taxied right out and onto runway 22L, didn't stop, just went full throttle weaving like a fish down the runway until liftoff.

Planes I saw at ORD: 8 AA 767s, BMI A330-200, 2 Aer Lingus A330-300s, Lufthansa A340-300, KLM 747-300, AA 777-200, LOT 767-300, among others.

Landed at night into DCA, loved the approach from the north. . .quick stopping after touchdown due to a Continental 737-800 behind us. What a spectacular new terminal at DCA!

At Norfolk, we boarded a Delta 757-200 in the morning. . .quick takeoff and climb to 38,000ft. Landed at ATL. . .what a dramatic airport. Saw numerous Delta and Airtran A/C, not much else. Boarded a Delta MD-88 for PHL. Long takeoff roll. . .turned north: great views of Atlanta and airport. Landed at PHL, nothing out of norm. . .airport was between "rushes" because it was dead. Just two USAirways A/C on the ground!

At JFK, I got to see Mark Wahlberg board AA 767-200 bound for LAX. . .N303AA. Boarded the AA MD-80 and took-off after a Sabena A330-300.

Planes I saw at JFK: Sabena A330-300, 2 Iberia 747-200s, Malev 767-200, SAA 747-400, British 767-300 & 747-400, Turkish A340-300, Air France 777-200, 3 AA A300-600s, Singapore 747-400, AeroMexico 757-200, 3 AA 777-200s, DL 767-400, Olympic A340-300, Aer Lingus A330-300, among others. JFK was awesome.

The flight to DFW was uneventful. DFW was a haven for AA MD-80s and 727-200s. I left for a Denver on another AA MD-80. . .30 people on the flight. Landed at DIA with a TWA MD-80 hot on our tail. Pulled up to one of the AA gates, saw USAirways A319, A320, A321, and 737-300 waiting for the departures the next day!

It was nice to be home at a very roomy airport, with new facilities. But, I still like to visit others.

All in all, only one flight was delayed due to weather. AA and Delta were great to me.