TAA 727 Tail Camera
 

In this day and age of HD GoPros and onboard flight videos and the like, the concept of mounting a camera in the tail of an aircraft is not so radical.

However 35+ years ago it was a very innovative, time consuming, expensive and complicated process.

Here is the result of their efforts, finally posted on YouTube for all to see:


Most notable from the footage - Surfers' Paradise was a Bogan-Free zone..

...and not too long after that, TAA introduced wide-bodied Airbus to domestic services within Australia.

These were the advertisements that accompanied that significant evolution in Australian Domestic Travel.

Posted before but perhaps worth the viewing again (early years)....

The Aircraft & Colours of TAA - Part 1 - YouTube


Not entirely sure that the 727 and "sshhh" are compatible terms but the Advertising Agency obviously considered "Whispering T-Jets" a catchy concept.



Very fast overview....

That 727 was a man's aeroplane. Brilliant footage!

Did you ever sit forward of the wing in a 727? Whisper quiet. :ok:

Would have been a couple of "Pull Up"s in there! No barrel rolls? Wooses.

No speed limits on the tarmac either! :}

And not forgetting this gem:


Trivia: Sid Breaker (?) in the L/Seat and the "come on and flyyyyy" guy now grows wine in the Hunter I believe.

Poor old TAA - the first airline wrecked by Jam*s Str*ong

The sad sad thing is, all of the above was when Australia had a real Airline system/ GA industry. Today, I am glad I am out of it, I just hang my head in shame. I miss those days so much...and yes I am old.

Great footage and ads!! Thanks,

:ok:

b.

The only way to fly and apart from the L1011, had the most
comfortable 1st Class of any airliner.;)

Thanks for that !

I remember when we fitted the camera in Tulla...Massive black box it was at the top of the fin there :) !!

FYI...The eagle-eyes among you would of noticed that TJB was painted in the "TAA" font, while the "TAA The friendly way" logo at the end was in the "Camel" font !

And yes, I've yet to experience a better in-flight experience than first-class in a B727 :ok: :ok: :ok:

ST

And isn't it refreshing to see customers dressing in suits etc, unlike the self loading filthy freight of today?

Back in the day, I used to regularly Brisbane - Mt Isa - Brisbane, 1st class on the 727.
Good red wine and caviar all the way! :E

The beef cattle crash of 1974 ended all of that! :(

Dr :8

and without the instant gratification of digital.

So SpannerTwister, was this you sitting atop that tail??

TAA Aircraft Page 2

That is way back when flying was dangerous and sex was fun!

:E

AL, Thank you soooo much for posting that!!I'd been looking for that for a long time!!! Being a Gold Coast Boy, loved that footage over the Goldy :)

Thanks again!!, I can remember being very small and seeing this ad come on the Big screen at the 'Sundale' Cinemas!!! Sundale isn't even there now!!

Skyways
 

Skyways 1979 - 1981 Ep 15 "Who Killed Cock Robyn?" (1979) (Part 3) (AO) - YouTube

Not sure if this counts but I found some old Skyways footage with a scene in the cabin of a 727. I'm not sure if the flight deck is real or a mock up/simulator - might be recognisable by some of you.

Oh Wow !!

No, that wasn't me, but that box was just as I remembered it !

I was trying to recall just when it was we did that, best I can recollect it would of been 1977 or 1978.

As well as "Ayers Rock" and the "Coral Islander" there was to be a third aircraft painted up for Tasmania, with their (new Hobart) casino and the like.

I believe it was to be called "The Apple Isle" but as history records it never happened.

I don't know if it was true, but at the time we were told that the painting program was halted as Ansett complained, "Two Airline Agreement" and all that, that we were not permitted to paint our aeroplanes "different".

ST

That's really cool footage, thanks! :ok:
The first big aeroplane I travelled on was a 727 and I've always loved them ever since. I still miss the AAE thumpers. :(

Agree with the observations re 1st Class in the old 727s.:ok: Had a economy seat booked Adelaide to Alice Springs to my first start on a Seismic crew (1981) and got kicked upstairs to 1st Class.

Formed the opinion at the time that in economy the F/As called you 'Sir' when speaking to you whilst in 1st Class they also called you 'Sir,' but there they really meant it!:D

My first ever ride in a jump seat was on the flight deck of a TAA 727, Sydney to Cooly at night, I was about 17, had done a few hours ab-initio in a C172. WOW, Was an awesome experience for a young fella. I recall the FO advising of TOD in 2 min, the captain, pulled his seat forward, tightened his seat belts and turned to the FE and said "Rig for silent running!" The FE replied with "Aye Aye Captn", turned the white lights off and the dim red ones on. Captain then put his hand on throttles and yoke and announced "I have the CON". LOL
I know it was all a bit of a show, but was fun. Ill also never forget the black hole that appeared as we got really close to cloud with landing lights on, just before plunging into it, seemed so cool back then.

Damn I wish jump seat rides were available now like they were back then, I rarely flew a burner without getting at least the landing in jumpseat. Scored a few rides from gate to gate in jumpseat too.

Depends what language Pinky.

In Checheslovakian (I was told in the mid sixties) SIR was a swearword... Merd in French.
Our flight Attendant's should know this, so they can happily call some of the garbage they have to contend with, "Sir" in Chech.

My first jumpseat ride was in an Ansett 727 into Perth one night. It was 1988, in RMN. I was a teenager in love with all things aviation. It was the most awesome thing I can remember at the time - I remember not sleeping a wink that night, just spent the time reliving the experience.
:ok:

Its such a shame that my kids will miss out on such opportunities. A few years back I was sitting with a family - their dad was the captain on the flight. Even his kids couldn't visit when the aircraft was in motion. :ugh:

The times we live in...

I remember watching that TAA ad as a young boy and how awesome it was .. probably the best ad on TV at the time.

These days we take tail cameras for granted thanks to Mr Airbus ..

http://i48.tinypic.com/2wnpml0.jpg

Awsome Stuff!!
 

I vaguely rememberr this as a kid, but what an aeroplane.....If a muscle car was an aeroplane, the 727 would be it!!

...with the airline shown on the top right of that screen, you just might be watching yourself end up in Hong Kong Harbour or hitting a snow-bank on take-off or even stalling ;-)

Maybe sometimes it's better not to have cameras!

And as the last Australian registered 727 Leaves it's goodbye but never forgotten , even if it is for those doing or yet to do their ATPL exams :D

Anyone know where the old B727 Sim went to from the Ansett Sim center?
I believe it's still here in ML somewhere.
Spent a few hrs in that old clunker as a PPL holder tnxs to an AN FE I knew:ok:


Wmk2

I did one session in it; got the stick shaker on ILS final during my interview SIM. I screamed out "SH!T" and immediately slammed on full throttle and did a Go Around. They gave me a job! :ok:

For mine, that Ad was 'all time', loved it! 30 odd years later we found we could do it with an electric ducted fan and an internet spy cam!!

CX 070512 Emerald Lakes - YouTube

No rudder, no flap and that is a small strip in anyone's book!!