The Golden Era
Reading this thread brings back so many fond memories.
Can still remember my first ride in an airliner in 1958. Ansett-Ana Viscount from Sydney to the Gold Coast. A very formal affair where we all got dressed up to travel. The smell of kerosene as you boarded. The air hostesses in their smart navy blue airforce type uniforms.walking down the aisle with a basket of barley sugar. The scream of the 4 Rolls Royce Darts as you taxied out and tookoff. Then the hot roast meal served in the sky blue melamine dishes. Visiting the flight deck and exploring the aircraft.Then arriving at Coolangatta and being taken by the Ansett-Pioneer bus to the new Chevron Paradise Hotel at Surfers Paradise. From then on we used to travel there for most of our school holidays with both Ansett and TAA. These experiences are what got me hooked on becoming a pilot at a very early age.
Then the next experience was travelling First Class on a BOAC Comet 4 from Sydney to Auckland in 1964. The roar and howl of the 4 Rolls Royce Avons and the acceration and climb out was quite dramatic compared to the Viscount. Then being served several courses by a steward and hostess, fine china, table cloths, smoked salmon, oysters, roast lamb calved in front of you followed by desert and cheese platter. Was presented with a BOAC Junior Jetclub Logbook and wings. Visited the flight deck and it was quite noisy but upon venturing down the back of the aircraft the roar of the Avons was quite deafening.
We returned First Class in a Qantas Electra MK11 VH-ECC commanded by Captain Ashley Gay who was very hospitable when I visited the flight deck.. Breakfast menu in English and French.. The Electra was relatively quiet at the rear, where we were seated, but very noisy up near the props. Encountered some turbulence while i was waiting for a chocolate milk shake to be prepared the the poor young hostie in aqua blue uniform and hat got covered in chocolate quick powder much to the amusementnt of the male stewards. But those were the glory days when travel was expensive but you did it in style either First or Economy.
Would love to know if Captain Ashley Gay flew the QF Flying Boats before he went on to the Electra MK11.