Moose, I guess it is all as seen in the eyes of the beholder. They were
dreams in the 30s and 40s, I never rode in one until the 50s, but the
dreams were a part of my early life. Maybe I'm just starting to get senile.
Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
On 6/15/2016 10:23 PM, Moose wrote:
On 6/14/2016 8:46 AM, Jim Nichols wrote:
Thanks, Bob. But today's passengers want to cruise along at Mach .84
at 41,000 feet, and reach from coast to coast. The "Class" is gone,
the "cattle car" is here!
On 6/14/2016 10:23 AM, Bob Whitmire wrote:
Sweet. Love those old birds. With apologies to Bob Seger (appropriately
from Detroit): Today's airplanes ain't got the same soul.
You guys are kidding, right? When's the last time you rode in one?
I was excited and suitably impressed when approaching one for my first
flight, about to turn age seven. Thundershowers and unsettled weather
from Raleigh to DC. That flight must have lasted 12 hours, at least
that's how it felt to me, as I wondered and hoped for simple, painless
death, as I barfed my guts out for the whole trip.
Small, cramped, although no more so than some of today's commuter
planes. And really noisy. I had that impression reinforced about 15
years later, on a military version. By today's standards, ear
protectors would certainly be required.
Then there's that aisle, with the semi stairs that are awkward in one
way on the ground, then in the other in the air. Like walking on a
sawtooth wave. I remember trying to puzzle out a better solution -
before we became airborne.
As far as I'm concerned, there never was any class.
And as to coast to coast in 5-6 hours @ 40,000' - OH YEAH! I guess my
agreement with the spiritual idea that it's all about the journey, not
the destination doesn't apply to flying across the US. ;-) I can pull
it out when a flight is cancelled or seriously delayed, though. :-)
That DC-3 flight was just the start of a cross country trip, circa
1951. The next leg was much better for my stomach, a three tail
Constellation. All it did was porpoise slightly through the skies, not
easy on my stomach, but so much better.
Next stop, Chicago; but wait, it's socked in with fog, so it's Akron
overnight. Then a DC-4 (mini Moosie tummy heaven) to LA, and heaven
knows what to SF. I imagine the original plan was only three legs,
with Chi to SFO getting in late that first night. Elapsed time, two
days. Highlight, the pilot lost altitude and banked each way over the
Grand Canyon. :-)
A little like my '55 Chevy. I loved that car. If someone gave me one
today, I'd sell it like a hot potato. Not up to the standards I'm used
to.
Comfort Able Creature Moose
--
_________________________________________________________________
Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
|