Aircraft I would have liked to fly on but didn't
A Runyonesque Character
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: The South of France ... Not
Age: 74
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I can think of three ‘near misses’ in my time
First and foremost the Ambassador. In Summer 69 I worked for ten weeks in Newcastle, and Dan Air had a Saturday service to Carlisle and the Isle of Man. The NCL-CAX fare was just 18 shillings (90p) and each week I said to myself that I would fly to Carlisle the following Saturday and take the train back. Somehow each Saturday came round and I never did it.
Back in 63 or 64 my Dad took me to an airshow at Coventry. There was a DH Dragon doing joyrides and he offered me a go (I had never flown before at that time). I was put off by the long queues and said no (doh).
I have twice flown an inter-island sector in the Azores on SATA, in 1978 and 1990. On both occasions the scheduled aircraft was an Avro 748 and on both occasions it was substituted, by a DC6 the first time and an ATP the second time. Yes – I know a DC6 beats a 748 any time, except that I’d already flown a ‘Six’.
Oh, and I once tried to blag a staff ID ticket on a Norwegian airline for a Twin Pioneer flight but they told me to get lost. That one didn’t even count as a near miss.
I have sort of half-formed plans to fly on the Connie/Starliner, Catalina and An2 before my wings fold.
First and foremost the Ambassador. In Summer 69 I worked for ten weeks in Newcastle, and Dan Air had a Saturday service to Carlisle and the Isle of Man. The NCL-CAX fare was just 18 shillings (90p) and each week I said to myself that I would fly to Carlisle the following Saturday and take the train back. Somehow each Saturday came round and I never did it.
Back in 63 or 64 my Dad took me to an airshow at Coventry. There was a DH Dragon doing joyrides and he offered me a go (I had never flown before at that time). I was put off by the long queues and said no (doh).
I have twice flown an inter-island sector in the Azores on SATA, in 1978 and 1990. On both occasions the scheduled aircraft was an Avro 748 and on both occasions it was substituted, by a DC6 the first time and an ATP the second time. Yes – I know a DC6 beats a 748 any time, except that I’d already flown a ‘Six’.
Oh, and I once tried to blag a staff ID ticket on a Norwegian airline for a Twin Pioneer flight but they told me to get lost. That one didn’t even count as a near miss.
I have sort of half-formed plans to fly on the Connie/Starliner, Catalina and An2 before my wings fold.
Paxing All Over The World
Thnaks for that McGoonagall. The old style of infomercial is very amusing now and looks a bit like Thunderbirds!
I have to agree that the Super Connie looked like the real deal. Elegant.
I have to agree that the Super Connie looked like the real deal. Elegant.
Join Date: Feb 2000
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Age: 64
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For today I think it would probably be the following, but then tomorrow it could be a totally different three 
Avro York
Breguet Deux Ponts
Shorts Sandringham
or for jets
Dassault Mercure
Il 62
VFW614
Without going into sub types such as BAC 1-11 srs 200, 300, 400 etc but just keeping it is as BAC 1-11, I have clocked up 68 different a/c types flown in as a passenger which provide many happy memories.
Avro York
Breguet Deux Ponts
Shorts Sandringham
or for jets
Dassault Mercure
Il 62
VFW614
Without going into sub types such as BAC 1-11 srs 200, 300, 400 etc but just keeping it is as BAC 1-11, I have clocked up 68 different a/c types flown in as a passenger which provide many happy memories.
Paxing All Over The World
TS, I'm presuming you mean that wanted to be on the Shorts S23 C as Pax and not as CC? Carrying trays with the turbulence that must have encountered at low levels?
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Milton Keynes
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Viscount
Comet
707
And the best I have flown on
Packed IL-62 of SU ex Karachi on a hot calm evening during the first Gulf war - 75 second take off roll. Seemd to be counting runway lights for ages.
BA didn't come to get me home!
Comet
707
And the best I have flown on
Packed IL-62 of SU ex Karachi on a hot calm evening during the first Gulf war - 75 second take off roll. Seemd to be counting runway lights for ages.
BA didn't come to get me home!
Concorde, obviously, but I would also have liked to have flown any of the aircraft in the "good old days", when passengers dressed up to fly, and it was an event, not a commodity.
Mind you, that would make me 70-ish I suppose, so it's swings and roundabouts.
Mind you, that would make me 70-ish I suppose, so it's swings and roundabouts.
For me, although I got to visit on the ground the VC10 & DC3 I never made any flights on them 
and the 3rd one would have been Concorde. I was fortunate enough to get one flight in on both the B707 (Donaldson) & DC8 (United)
and the 3rd one would have been Concorde. I was fortunate enough to get one flight in on both the B707 (Donaldson) & DC8 (United)
Join Date: Dec 2008
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Uzbekistan Airways TU-154
Flew on one of these babies last year. Would rather not have however, particularly as the in-flight magazine was proudly describing plans to expand its fleet of Airbus, thereby allowing the 'old and outdated' Tupolev fleet to be retired - which it now has.
Nice in flight meal, but was glad when we finished flying over endless desert and landed safe and sound.
Nice in flight meal, but was glad when we finished flying over endless desert and landed safe and sound.
Join Date: Sep 2011
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Currently have 41 types without sub classes as in 747 100/ 200 etc. First ever flight was a Britannia (1967) and I managed one of the Air Toulouse Caravelles just before they were withdrawn. Slightly off the wall ones were an NAMC YS11 in Trinidad and an Aero Commander on a scheduled service substituting for a broken Twin Otter from Barbados to Palm Island.
Love to have flown more prop types so I guess DC6, Vanguard, Viscount. Recently added a C152 as I have just started PPL.
Love to have flown more prop types so I guess DC6, Vanguard, Viscount. Recently added a C152 as I have just started PPL.
Its got to be the Sikorski 'Le Grand', but I'm not sure I could manage the stroll along the 'promenade deck'
Do the Graf Zeppelin and R100 count as an airliners? If not, then a Short Calcutta.
Do the Graf Zeppelin and R100 count as an airliners? If not, then a Short Calcutta.