When Flying Was Fun

[sagabwoy]

Not an attack on any person or organization etc..
Just interesting to see "yesteryear" is all.

http://www.life.com/image/53367148/in-g ... ng-was-fun

AP

[iflyforpie]

The ridiculously high ticket prices, the smoking, the poor safety record. Then there was the terrorism...

From wiki

Between 1948 and 1957, there were 15 hijackings all over the world, an average of a little more than one per annum. Between 1958 and 1967, this climbed to 48—an annual average of about five. There was an explosive increase to 38 in 1968 and 82 in 1969, the largest number in a single year in the history of civil aviation. During the third 10-year period between 1968 and 1977, there were 414 hijackings—an annual average of 41.

People tend to forget the bad when reflecting on the good...

[Cat Driver]

One word describes a pleasant airline experience.

Wardair.

[Kilo-Kilo]

Roots.

[Carrier]

Laker

[ahramin]

Iflyforpie, I agree with you on the smoking and safety record. I'd gladly scrap the security zoo and take my chances with the terrorists though. Imagine dropping your family off at the airplane instead of at the rent-a-cops.

[MrWings]

Question for you old timers:

Were you ever allowed to smoke in the cockpit of an airliner?

I remember sitting in the "non-smoking" section of the airplane as a kid. What a joke that was.

[Liquid Charlie]

Smoking in the pit cock only stopped when it was banned -- not to say I didn't kick the smokers out -- lmfao -- to smoke up front with me was not allowed and they had to go back and sit in the peanut gallery --

[Big Pistons Forever]

Question for you old timers:

Were you ever allowed to smoke in the cockpit of an airliner?

According to one old timer I knew the answer was "Everyone needs a ciggy after boffing the stew"

[Doc]

When I was a kid, I could walk out to the Vangaurd to say bye to my Dad. I have a photo of me sitting on the captains knee on a Connie. Toronto used to have an observation deck on the roof. But then, I'm pretty old. I've seen the Beatles.....all four...live. Went to Woodstock. Really. Watched the AVRO Arrow fly overhead breaking some of my mother's wine glasses. The thing looked cool....before there was cool. The good old days weren't always good, the bad ain't as bad as they seem....
A couple of us got to telling so many jokes in the lounge of Max Ward's 747, the rest of the passengers thought we worked for Wardair! Only in my dreams!!
I really miss seeing the captain come back to talk to the passengers.
And, as for the smoking....everybody smoked. Women stayed home. Children were seen and, not heard. You ate, what was put in front of you. We were taught to respect our elders. Men held the door open for women. Women wore pointy bras. NOBODY was allergic to peanut butter. There were three fat kids in the school...not three skinny kids in the classroom. No kids shot up the classroom with guns. We got dirty. We didn't have antibacterial soap. We climbed trees. Schools allowed kids to play tag. Mark Twain's books were not censored.
Sure, some things have improved. Some things sure as shit haven't!

[Doc]

Smoking in the pit cock only stopped when it was banned -- not to say I didn't kick the smokers out -- lmfao -- to smoke up front with me was not allowed and they had to go back and sit in the peanut gallery --

Remember how Ray McLean used to sit on the fuel bladder smoking his pipe?

[B-rad]

And you guys still probably complained how the world is moving too fast and how you wish it were the good old days again

[Nark]

The title is misleading. As are the responses.

I get paid to fly one of the sweetest airplanes ever built, a Super Cub. So it is indeed, fun. Sadly it doesn't pay Wardair wages.

I have zero ambition to fly an airliner. Getting to smoke while you sit in cruise at FL 3-5-0 is just as boring as not being able to smoke today.

In a month, I'm trading the Super Cub gig in for one where "the Captain" meets and greets each passenger.
But I guess anything other than airline flying can never be "fun."

[Doc]

The title is misleading. As are the responses.

I get paid to fly one of the sweetest airplanes ever built, a Super Cub. So it is indeed, fun. Sadly it doesn't pay Wardair wages.

I have zero ambition to fly an airliner. Getting to smoke while you sit in cruise at FL 3-5-0 is just as boring as not being able to smoke today.

In a month, I'm trading the Super Cub gig in for one where "the Captain" meets and greets each passenger.
But I guess anything other than airline flying can never be "fun."

You kind of missed it, Nark. It was more fun as a passenger...

[Nark]

Touche.

[Liquid Charlie]

Remember how Ray McLean used to sit on the fuel bladder smoking his pipe?

I do indeed and I also remember unloading beavers after Jim Cousineau had been flying and seeing ciggy's butted out on gas barrels with propane tanks in the back -- or was that Gill -- lmfaooooooo

[Cat Driver]

Is Ray still alive?

[Phileas Fogg]

When I was a kid, I could walk out to the Vangaurd to say bye to my Dad. I have a photo of me sitting on the captains knee on a Connie. Toronto used to have an observation deck on the roof. But then, I'm pretty old. I've seen the Beatles.....all four...live. Went to Woodstock. Really. Watched the AVRO Arrow fly overhead breaking some of my mother's wine glasses. The thing looked cool....before there was cool. The good old days weren't always good, the bad ain't as bad as they seem....
A couple of us got to telling so many jokes in the lounge of Max Ward's 747, the rest of the passengers thought we worked for Wardair! Only in my dreams!!
I really miss seeing the captain come back to talk to the passengers.
And, as for the smoking....everybody smoked. Women stayed home. Children were seen and, not heard. You ate, what was put in front of you. We were taught to respect our elders. Men held the door open for women. Women wore pointy bras. NOBODY was allergic to peanut butter. There were three fat kids in the school...not three skinny kids in the classroom. No kids shot up the classroom with guns. We got dirty. We didn't have antibacterial soap. We climbed trees. Schools allowed kids to play tag. Mark Twain's books were not censored.
Sure, some things have improved. Some things sure as shit haven't!

Awesome man!! (that's one of the best posts I've read in a while)


ps - Hey you're right...when did all this peanut allergy sh$t start?!??

[KAG]

Hey DOC,
I can't believe how the world has changed since I was a kid and I’m only in my early 30’s. I think as we advance technologically the kids are going to become more detached and more plugged in. It seems our society is heading in a direction of self-centeredness and instant gratification. I can’t believe how many adults lack common courtesy forget there children. What I’ve seen the last few years from the traveling public really does make me shake my head.

[GARRETT]

I agree, sweet post Doc!

[aeroyt]

This was when flying was fun around about 1963 or close to it. pic from home.

DSCN0435-.jpg (159.5 KiB) Viewed 1102 times

[Cat Driver]

aahhh an airplane with Gipsy Queen engines.

[MichaelP]

Airplane = American = Manifest Destiny = the State of Northwest Columbia.

That aeroplane is a very elegant little airliner and there's a Portuguese one at Chilliwack.
There's a Comanche, a friendly little Apache, and a lumpy looking Cessna 210 by the looks of things.

I think flying little aeroplanes is still fun while airline flying has lost its glamour.

[Quick Disconnect]

Good Post Doc
I remember going up on the observation deck in YYZ and watching the action it was pretty neat for a young kid at the time.I do not remember Ray smoking a pipe on the bladders you think i would after all i installed them and removed them way to many times back then.Bladders off,Seats on,Seats off Bladders on a couple of times a day.Although i do remember the boys smoking in the YPL hanger while changing fuel system componets on the Dak and the 748. I remember one time i was at a little lake north of YPL setting up for a small party for everyone and way in the distance i could here a rumble did not pay much attention untill the rumble got louder and i turn to look and here is a Dak coming for are camp site balls to the walls about 30 ft off the deck sure was a pretty sight.You do not see stuff like that much any more.The fun has gone and excessive regulation has taken over.

[Expat]

Yeap! I remember when the smoking section was at the back, but in the military 707s smokers sat in front!
I sure miss the days... Fortunately, I got a chance last year to have a smoking flight. After three mechanical delays and changes of planes, in an unnamed ex-soviet country, we finally flew the morning flight at 2100 at night. All passengers were pretty drunk by then, each one having a couple of vodka bottles in their carry-ons! That one hour flight was like a joke. We all sat around in a circle, toasting and drinking, and when one guy said let's go have a cig in back, I went along. The F/A was there spraying the cabin with air freshener, while we smoked!