Aircraft you loved flying in
Joined: Oct 2018
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
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From: Ferrara
I thought the Vanguard was a dreadful experience TBH. The first aircaft I ever flew in that looked like a bus. I guess in that way it really was trend-setting
The Viscount was much better
The Viscount was much better
Joined: Aug 2000
Aviation Qualifications: Non-Aircrew
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From: Cornwall
Worst flight ever was a vanguard from GIB to LGW, seemed to go on for ever. Most exhilarating has to be Concorde, best Qantas first class though I don't remember which aeroplane it was.
Favourite for regular travel ( when I had to pay not the company) has to be upper deck on the good old 747.
Favourite for regular travel ( when I had to pay not the company) has to be upper deck on the good old 747.
Joined: Dec 2007
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
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From: Westnoreastsouth
Coulda been worse - back in the early 1970's 231 OCU went on exercise down to St Mawgan,we were originally going by train but eventually sanity prevailed and we flew down in an Argosy (115 sqn - so fitted out for flight checking role) - hey more fun in a Whistling Wheelbarrow 
I am assuming we flew back in an Argosy as well but do not remember !
I am assuming we flew back in an Argosy as well but do not remember !
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Reading, UK
We rarely saw them in the hangar, but when one did come in on a night shift, we would contrive to manufacture a pretext to do a full-power run-up before releasing it back to service.
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: North Cheshire
The 748 (I admit to prejudice there) the Viscount, and the Electra. Having spent a lot of time in Brazil, I actually looked forward to flying on the Air Bridge between Rio and São Paulo or vv. An invariably smooth flight, but even if it wasn't, it didn't matter. Old-fashioned (nowadays) airline seats that you could sink into, coffee and a savoury pasty on the morning flights and an alcoholic drink and nuts on the evening flights, all served with smiles and efficiency and you could have seconds if you wanted, and all within the ticket price, of course. But I digress. Never cared for the Vanguard - a reasonable comparison with the Electra - myself; it seemed to wallow quite a lot. Now if BA had operated an Electra on the Gib run...
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2000
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
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From: UK and Italy
The 748 (I admit to prejudice there) the Viscount, and the Electra. Having spent a lot of time in Brazil, I actually looked forward to flying on the Air Bridge between Rio and São Paulo or vv. An invariably smooth flight, but even if it wasn't, it didn't matter. Old-fashioned (nowadays) airline seats that you could sink into, coffee and a savoury pasty on the morning flights and an alcoholic drink and nuts on the evening flights, all served with smiles and efficiency and you could have seconds if you wanted, and all within the ticket price, of course. But I digress. Never cared for the Vanguard - a reasonable comparison with the Electra - myself; it seemed to wallow quite a lot. Now if BA had operated an Electra on the Gib run...
IIRC the royal family had a 748. Do you have any stories about that?
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: There and here
I flew in all 3 with Dan Air, Misc and BAF. I'm not able to give a comparison as these flights were spread over the years and perceptions varied. The 748 felt very 'solid' and gave a nice ride, the Herald perhaps less so and the F27 was always a pleasure to fly in. When I think back I flew on loads of regional airliners over the years and the F27 always gave a solid performance and a nice experience within it's class.
Paxing All Over The World
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 10,842
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From: Hertfordshire, UK.
Viscount might have had big windows but was noisy. The weather that it could not get over - it just flew through it ...
I have been very lucky with VC10 and the Super. Multiple rides on various 747s and a single LHR-JFK in the little one with the very pointy nose.
I have been very lucky with VC10 and the Super. Multiple rides on various 747s and a single LHR-JFK in the little one with the very pointy nose.
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Eastern Cape, South Africa
I flew home from Ascension in an empty VC10, with just 3 or 4 rows of seats in the back...have you ever played football with a tennis ball inside a VC10?
Kept tripping over the track rollers on the floor though... After geting told off for that, I sat in the jump seat on the flight deck for a couple of hours...seeing the Sahara desert coming right up to the sea, about 80 miles to our right...
Kept tripping over the track rollers on the floor though... After geting told off for that, I sat in the jump seat on the flight deck for a couple of hours...seeing the Sahara desert coming right up to the sea, about 80 miles to our right...
Paxing All Over The World
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 10,842
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From: Hertfordshire, UK.
Seeing the Sahara in daylight is amazing. So much more interesting than geography lessons from the 1970s.
I have also enjoyed the BAe 146 (and variants). But it seems that all my favourite birds are either extinct or endangered. Only the 748i of LH remains and I have been on that.
I have also enjoyed the BAe 146 (and variants). But it seems that all my favourite birds are either extinct or endangered. Only the 748i of LH remains and I have been on that.
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,279
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From: Chedburgh, Bury St.Edmunds
Yes, the Sahara is 2 hours of nothingness in daylight. However, an ex next door neighbour, [Tui Captain] says that at night it's full of little lights from Bedouin tribesmen, camel trains etc.,
Joined: Jun 2007
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
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From: Beyond the Blue Horizon
PaxboyOne
It is quite a sight isn’t it. I have mostly crossed in darkness but had a northbound trip in daylight with Air Morocco from West Africa last spring which was great.
Cheers
Mr Mac
It is quite a sight isn’t it. I have mostly crossed in darkness but had a northbound trip in daylight with Air Morocco from West Africa last spring which was great.
Cheers
Mr Mac
Joined: May 2024
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
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From: Near SOU
Best pair of flights by miles were back in 2008, two bucket list planes ticked off my list
Outbound from AMS to IAH was a B774M and return was meant to be a B744M IAH to AMS 4 days later but had been substituted with an MD-11....KLM had the best aircraft in the "unusual" category back then. The outbound trip aboard the B744M was shared with some very well behaved racehorses.
Outbound from AMS to IAH was a B774M and return was meant to be a B744M IAH to AMS 4 days later but had been substituted with an MD-11....KLM had the best aircraft in the "unusual" category back then. The outbound trip aboard the B744M was shared with some very well behaved racehorses.
N4790P
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Asia
Joined: Aug 2001
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
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From: se england
I am like ZFT Thanksgiving day 1971 LHR-JFK BA747-100 my first ever flight
Never flew in a 748 or Vanguard but most others from thate ra . No piston props
Favourites 757, L1011 744 , and i liked Tridents too
Never flew in a 748 or Vanguard but most others from thate ra . No piston props
Favourites 757, L1011 744 , and i liked Tridents too