I have always been interested in planes, and would have applied for the RAF or a commercial pilots licence if my eyesight had been 6/6 née 20/20 (when I were a lad you had to have uncorrected 20/20 vision to be a pilot, unlike now, I believe, which is annoying as my eyesight with giglamps is 20/20).
That being the case, I will mention all the different plane types we flew in on our trip to and around Oz, all with Qantas. This is a good airline, and should give BA a wakeup call.
Firstly, we flew to Singapore and later in to Melbourne in an A380. This is a magnificent plane, now the engines do not go bang, and is very quiet and comfortable. It is a good example of what a collaborative venture should be, but it is a shame that the UK cannot see its way to making planes like this on its own.
Next we flew from Melbourne to Alice Springs in a a Boeing 737, you know, the old workhorse that has a tendency for the roof to fall off. Still it got us there in one piece. The next sector was from Ayers Rock to Cairns. This was accomplished in a Boeing 717. This is a plane rarely heard of. It is essentially a third generation DC-9, the sort with the engines at the back. Next from Cairns to Sydney in a bog-standard Boeing 767. Nothing much to say about this except it is a worthy but boring plane.
Finally, we flew back to Blighty from Sydney via Bangkok in a tried and trusted 747. Comfortable as always and, like the A380, rather less vulnerable to turbulence than some of the smaller planes.
I expect you are all bored stiff with this post, but it did grab my interest, to have such a variety of planes while we were travelling.
Does any one have a favourite plane to travel in? I think I prefer the larger Airbuses, the 340 or the 380.
Boadicea's Chariot 
I once asked an old guy in the States, who was driving the most mahoosive car I had ever seen, why had he chosen such a mighty long behemoth. He replied, ‘Well, it’s like this young ‘un, If I have a head on collision, it tends to take place waaay down there’ he said, waving to the front of the car ‘And I figure that’s fine with me as I’m siiting waaay back here.’
I tend to apply the same philosophy to aircraft.
Ah, the Boeing 717! The only times I ever flew on one was in Hawai’i when taking inter-island flights as they are the most efficient for short routes and can be flown usually full as not to waste fuel. The 737 isn’t that bad and I have flown on them often, especially inter-state. The most recent time was from Kaohsiung to Taipei. I have nothing really against Boeing, but before Airbus as the vinyl seats seats are better than Boeing’s cloth and the aeroplanes feel somewhat more stable.
Didn’t you fly in a Holden? They take off at light speed, can land on a dime and look awesome when they are cruising past the harbour bridge. 🙂
Ah FEEG, a subject close to my heart! I love the way all planes have such different character and I am lucky enough to have travelled on most modern types. A 717 and the A380 have so far escaped me though.
My favorite is the 777 I have to say, mainly because it got me into Singapore safety in the middle of a vicious storm with only one engine. Not a peep from the crew, most passengers were asleep, but I noticed and cr*pped myself!
757s I hate as they seem to always get me in turbulance and have a tendancy to wobble sideways rather than up and down, which really freaks me!
737s – so many varieties – great little workhorse and feel so safe.
I have a fondness for the 747-400 as this model was the first one I flew to Oz in, back in the days when the same plane did the whole journey via Singapore(hasn’t happened again). Thirty 18 year old rubgy players off on a three week tour. Ahh, those were the days! I was also able to spend an hour in the cockpit with the crew as we flew over Baghdad or was it Tehran I can’t remember now – anyway – pre the first gulf war. I was amazed to see the pilots dip their headlights and it be reciprocated to an oncoming Lufthansa 747 coming in the opposite direction several thousand feet below!
Worst plane was a tiny 12 seater from Southampton to Jersey in 1986, bounced the entire way, never again!
I still get a kick driving past airports and wonder how I haven’t crashed the car as I watch these majestic beasts take off and land. If I have time I would get quite anoraky!
FEEG – further – yes I would have joined the RAF if I had my time again I think.
As for Qantas – they have been through many guises over the years – I have to say they are rubbish since they took on non australians as crew, but that’s just an opinion!
Singapore I can never fault thanks to government subsidies!
I have never noticed what I’m flying in – after a bit they all look the same. The first time I flew was 1959, a Britannia and the luggage nets were still nets 🙂
Top airlines? Singapore, Cathay Pacific or Emirates; any one can be best on the day.
Bugrit! Wham? ‘What I’m..’
I usually don’t have a clue what plane I’m in, except for the A380 which is, as far as I’m concerned, just extra big aircraft…
I love flying. Despite having done the trip for here-to-there more times than I like to remember – I’m still at the stage of feeling like I’m on a magic carpet!
My most memorable was a trip from Katherine to Darwin. A four-seater, with a pilot who looked as though he should still be in the class-room and who chewed his finger nails continually – that did make me wonder what he knew that I didn’t!
I believe that Quantas and BA are in partnership – and I’m amazed that you thought Quantas was good. Avoid that airline like the plague – give me Singapore any day.
When we visited the Azores, we flew island to island in fairly small prop planes. It was a great relief to find a big Airbus, not a 380, on the tarmac to take us back to Lisbon. Stewardesses with little hats and gloves for take-off and landing. That was TAP. Then the flight from Lisbon back to Nice was in the smallest cigar-tube I’ve ever been in with two seats on one side of the aisle and singles on the other. That was not TAP.
My favourite aircraft are The Islander (BN2), Twin Otter (DHC6) and the DC9. Passenger wise I have no preference as long as it’s not Airbus. Have heard far too many horror stories re the automation. Haven’t flown for at least six years and have no intention of going near an aircraft ever again if I can help it.
My first ever flight with my school class, age 10, was in a Dakota, war-surplus, on a round-the-town-for-a-bob trip over Coventry. Never forgotten it.
I forgot to mention, while we were in Sydney we went for a flight round the harbour and surrounding coast in a Cessna C208 seaplane. a 10 seater. That was the best flight of all.
My very first flight was in an Auster Aiglet, a four seat trainer; a trip round the bay at Hastings when I was about 10. My first flight in an airliner was in an Air France Caravelle, a truly awful plane, noisy and uncomfortable.
Boadicea:
Compared with BA, Qantas ARE good! You are right though, they are in partnership. I got lots of BA Airmiles for my flights with Qantas