Do you remember the first time you flew?

[tomwed]

I'm from Secaucus NJ, a suburb close to Hoboken. I was in the CYO [Catholic Youth Organization] and we were pretty active. Every other year there was a convention and in my sophomore year 1967, it was in Miami. We had all kinds of fund raisers but our biggest money maker was the musicals. They were so much fun .We did Bye, Bye Birdie, South Pacific and Guys and Dolls. Flying to Miami out of Newark was something else. I think we sang "I'm leaving on a Jet Plane, don't know when I'll be back again" a hundred times. I think there was a movie too. When we landed we all clapped. We stayed at the Atlantic Towers but snuck into the Fountainbleu pool pretending we were big shots. At the convention., at the Fountainbleau our guest speaker was Hubert Humphrey. I met a girl from Texas and fell in love with that accent.

[Walter123]

Yep, from Newark to DC on a Lear jet in 1973. I was 20yo and had to pick up a repossessed Cadillac and got my first speeding ticket in Maryland!

[eweissenbach]

I was thirteen when I flew with my teacher's father in his Beechcraft 4 seater. I got to actually take the wheel for a minute and was beyond thrilled. I did not fly on a commercial flight until I was 38 and my company flew me from Kansas City to San Francisco for a meeting. After that I flew quite a lot, but that first flight was very memorable.

[villagetinker]

Out of a grass strip, 2 seat Cessena, several figure 8 over a power plant I was working at (try that now and you would probably be shot down...) quick fly over the house and back to the grass strip for a landing. After that commercial flight was nothing. Oh yeah, that was 1971-2.

[onslowe]

Nope. I was one and a half when my mother and I emigrated from England in 1948. My dad came out here about nine months before to secure a job in Con Edison in NYC's manholes, and a work out super's job in a small tenement for our housing.

I was told I kept getting up and taking my little bag and trying to leave the plane over the Atlantic. So, anyway, when we landed in NY, I had not a cent and couldn't speak the language. Another immigrant success story! :)

[tainsley]

The first time I flew was from Philadelphia to NY for a job interview with Eastern Airlines!

[MikeV]

My first time was from Newark to San Antonio TX for basic training.

[manaboutown]

I was probably about 12, around 1954. I flew on a four engine prop engine commercial flight (not a TWA Constellation) between ABQ and San Diego. All I remember is that three out of the four engines eventually quit before we landed safely. That did not deter me from flying at all and I eventually learned to fly.

[Carla B]

I think I spent $25 of my parent's hard-earned money to fly in a DC3 around Laramie, WY for 30 minutes when I was out of high school. My first jet flight was in 1960 from Houston to JFK on Braniff in a Boeing 707. The thrill of that experience was tempered when I experienced Barotrauma (excruciating ear pain on descent) that has plagued me ever since. I wish I could travel by boat and train, but it's just not practical.

[DougB]

The first time I flew was in the Goodyear blimp when it was based on Watson Island in Biscayne Bay. Think I was about eight.

[Mikeod]

My first flight was Boston to DC on Eastern. I had a window seat and was fascinated at the view. So much so that when we landed I couldn't turn my head straight for a long time!

[getdul981]

From Basic Training at Ft. Bragg, NC to AIT at Ft. Polk, LA. in Jan or Feb 1968.

[Halibut]

It was 1959. My sister and I would fly from San Diego to our father's house in San Francisco for our summer and holiday visitations. We were 8 and 9 and at the time, airlines would let children fly alone. The stewardesses (as they were still called) were tasked with looking after us on the flight and walking us off the plane to meet Dad. We used to help pass the bowls of mints and chewing gum to the other passengers while in the air.

We had to get dressed up, too, with me in a tie and my sister made to wear a hat and gloves. Flying was fancy!

[OpusX1]

1965 Cleveland to London via Totonto. My best friend and I traveled alone to visit his family in The Isle of Mann and to see The TT races. We were 13, wore a coat and tie. My how things have changed!

[John_W]

I still have my log book so I know exactly, it was Nov 3, 1969 at Albert Whitted Airport in downtown St. Petersburg, today that's right behind the Dali Museum. It was a Piper Cherokee, the call sign was 8269 November. I was 19 years old and started flying lessons that day, they were $16 an hour for the plane and $5 for the instructor, $21 total. Today I believe it's about $125 an hour for plane and instructor. The Cherokee looks like this, it's a low wing plane versus a Cessa 150 which is a trainer with a high wing.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQUbC_V-4oXQDF_t63-2IPAlnX55bEkKnAttPJIbQjVDkWQTiaw

First time on an airliner was Saturday April 4, 1970 from Jacksonville to Ft. Polk, Louisiana for Army Basic Training. I had taken the Greyhound Bus from St. Petersburg to Jacksonville on Wednesday and checked into the rather drab Ambassador Hotel in downtown Jacksonville. There was about 200 of us staying the night on the Army's dollar and the next day we were all sworn in at the induction center. Several buses pulled up to the building and they said for everyone to board a bus, you're going to Ft. Jackson, South Carolina for basic except for, and then they called my name. They said that since you have an aviation MOS, you must go to Ft. Polk for basic and the only way to get there is to fly. However, due to the controller's sickout, you need to go back to the Ambassador and stay until Saturday, that's the earliest we can get you a flight. So it was somewhat ironic that my first two days in the Army were spent in a hotel in downtown Jacksonville because I had enlisted to become an air traffic controller, but I wasn't able to leave because of the controller's sickout.

Eventually I took a Delta Airlines jet to Atlanta, changed planes and then boarded another Delta jet to New Orleans. Then I took a step back in time and boarded a Trans Texas Airline DC 3. Later at Ft. Polk I would learn that TTA Airline stood for "Tree Top Airline" because when we were at the firing range and a TTA DC 3 was inbound we had to stop firing until it passed. It looked like this and they actually flew down range just above the tree tops.

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQz0xaKLGOGh7ezwNs8e_sZWfc62EnAC Lj1ajs2ETg51eeBbabW

[asianthree]

Washington DC. Ninth grade trip

[jblum315]

I was 19 and I flew on a prop plane (I think Eastern) from Richmond Va. to Boston to visit a college friend. I felt sick but never actually threw up.

[Nightengale212]

My first flight was in 1973 from Boston to Venice, Italy. Bless my parents for saving every extra dime to pay the $500 I needed to go on this 10 day trip to Italy sponsored by my high school's Italian club. That 9 hour flight seemed to last forever but when we flew into Venice seeing that beautiful city from the air is a memory that has remained etched in my brain for 40 plus years and sparked my love for travel which I do every chance I get.

[Northerner52]

I remember smoking cigarettes on commercial flights. Unthinkable now. I'm 62

[redwitch]

My first flight was Frankfort, Germany to NYC, after a bus, car and train ride from Baghdad. We stayed in New York about three hours -- long enough for dad to buy a car to drive us to California. No way were his wife and kids going to get their first view of his country from the sky. From there, it was another plane to Okinawa. All in all, this journey took eleven days, with so many stops and landings that we were all inveterate travelers by the final destination. We took a prop plane to Shannon, Ireland; next leg to Greenland was a jet; back to a prop to NYC. Don't remember the stops or planes from SFO to Japan.

I was almost five at the time and thought it was truly magical. My brother and I were invited to the cockpit on every leg and were royally spoiled by the stewardesses. Sadly, after that we flew so often that it became mundane.

Probably the most exciting flight was from Peking (at the time) to Moscow. We were escorted by military jets, both American and Russian, the whole flight. This was a military transport and we sat in the cockpit. It was hauling equipment and we weren't allowed to leave the cockpit even to go to the bathroom. Mom was afraid the escort planes would start fighting and bring our plane down by mistake.

And, of course, we always had to get dressed up for the flights, even the military transports, which my brother and I both hated.

[pbkmaine]

1970. I was 13. I flew with my Dad from Laconia NH to Boston on Winnipesaukee Airlines. The plane was a DeHavilland Twin Otter. Best plane name ever.

[delima2000]

Flight from Detroit to tampa on Eastern airlines and having the best breakfast on the plane. Return flight had dinner. Thought that was great eating in the air. Not now only a bag a peanuts and a soda. I also remember waiting to take off but had to go back to the gate because they forgot to load the meals.

[Walter123]

This morning I feel old enough to have flown with Orville!

[deano_hoosier]

I sure do remember. My twin brother called me on Oct. 19, 1966 at 8:30 in the morning to tell me our dad had suddenly died the night before. I was at my office desk at my civilian/military job testing ammunition/explosives in the U.S. Army. A pfc at the time.

I left my desk and drove to H&HQ Co. and told the 1st Sgt I needed to get home quick. He pulled out his wallet and peeled off $200 for me to catch the first plane that I could catch. Told me that I could pay him back after I returned. I'll never forget that instantaneous act of generosity on his part. He didn't know me from Adam at that point. I caught my plane at the Baltimore airport and was home by 2pm that afternoon.

[Bonny]

I didn't take my first flight until 1995.
I was in sales in Michigan and the company I worked for had a sales contest. Yay ! I won a cruise for 2 on the Celebrity Zenith so we had to fly to Florida. I was so excited because taking a cruise is the one thing I always wanted to do.
Hubby thought he would tease me. When we got on the plane, he said, jokingly, do you want the window seat ? Well, he's never had a window seat yet !! ;)

[Bizdoc]

1962 in a Flying Tigers DC-3 from Tachikawa AFB to Itazuke AFB on our way to Sasebo.

[TheVillageChicken]

My old man bought me a round trip ticket just so I could have the experience.
After 34 years in the USAF, I have had quite enough flying and do my best to stay off aircraft these days.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v368/allsteel29/Untitled.png

[JB in TV]

August 1955. Flight was from NYC to Los Angeles on a TWA flight, DC6 was the plane. My parents moved the family from Poughkeepsie, NY to LA. Mom, Dad, myself (almost 5 years old) and 7 month old sister. One stop in Chicago. In those days it was rare for a transcontinental flight to have only one stop. I remember wanting to get off the plane to see the airport in Chicago, but when we started down the stairs, it was so windy, that Dad made me go back on the plane. Like many others have said, flying used to be "fancy" and fun, now it is a chore, but I still fly.

[dewilson58]

I didn't take my first flight until 1995.
I was in sales in Michigan and the company I worked for had a sales contest. Yay ! I won a cruise for 2 on the Celebrity Zenith so we had to fly to Florida. I was so excited because taking a cruise is the one thing I always wanted to do.
Hubby thought he would tease me. When we got on the plane, he said, jokingly, do you want the window seat ? Well, he's never had a window seat yet !! ;)


Cool. And you were only 15 at the time.

[KayakerNC]

1959. Detroit to San Antonio, Texas for Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base. It was a twin engine prop, I think some variation of a DC-3, and made 4 or 5 stops.
Wow!

[applesoffh]

Nope! I was 3 months old and had just been adopted. Flew from Montreal, Canada to LaGuardia in Queens, NY. That was January 2, 1951. Didn't fly again until 1962 when we went from NYC to Tampa on National Airlines to visit my grandparents in Sarasota (which didn't have an airport then). We got all dressed up to go on the plane, it was that big a deal.

[Halibut]

Wow, I can't believe how many of you remember the type of plane it was! Nowadays I may pay attention to the menu if there even is a meal and if the airline lets you order in advance, but I still wouldn't know a DC from a PC! ;)

That 9 hour flight seemed to last forever but when we flew into Venice seeing that beautiful city from the air is a memory that has remained etched in my brain for 40 plus years and sparked my love for travel which I do every chance I get.

What a lovely memory for you. Another beautiful (and slightly terrifying) approach was to the old Kai Tak airport in Hong Kong. Right between the skyscrapers!

[outahere]

First time was in 1961 on an American Airlines four engine prop from Nashville to Columbus, Ohio.

At the time we had a small toy fox terrier named Pepper. They served lunch on the flight and my 3 or 4 year old brother asked what the small salt and pepper shakers were. When my father told him this one is salt and and this one is pepper, he said "how did they get him in there?". I've never let him forget that one. :)

[tomwed]

First time was in 1961 on an American Airlines four engine prop from Nashville to Columbus, Ohio.

At the time we had a small toy fox terrier named Pepper. They served lunch on the flight and my 3 or 4 year old brother asked what the small salt and pepper shakers were. When my father told him this one is salt and and this one is pepper, he said "how did they get him in there?". I've never let him forget that one. :)

This reminds me of a similar story. It's from an NPR radio show that discussed little one's fears. The little boy was so afraid to fly that it didn't seem logical. As they got the little boy to open up he told the doctor that he didn't want to disappear. He explained in little boy words that when you look at a plane in the sky it's big and slowly gets smaller until it disappears.

When you look at it that way--his fear made sense. They helped him understand and he was no longer afraid.

[John_W]

After reading about flights on Eastern and National and other defunct airlines, it reminds of a night in 1978. I was working as a controller at Pensacola Approach and our ILS (Instrument Landing System) was not in use because that runway was being repaved. We had to use the much shorter 9/27 runway and the only instrument approach available to that runway was a surveillance approach. That means the pilot is given headings (vectors) to fly to keep him on final approach for the runway and he's given recommended altitudes to fly in his charts while on approach.

My crew was working that evening and the controller next to me was handling final approach. The weather was terrible and rainy and it was about 9pm, very dark. The National 727 was five miles from the runway at 1700' and the controller told him to descend to 'minimum decent altitude'. His chart should of told him to drop to 520' (MDA) and his training would of told him not to leave that altitude until he sees the runway lights or makes a missed approach. From 5 miles out until 1 mile out, the plane is over Pensacola Bay. At the shoreline there is a 100' high cliff, even though the airport is very near the water the elevation is about 120'. The plane's landing lights apparently reflected off the bay and gave them the impression they were seeing a wet runway. Also lights on an anchored barge made them think they were the runway lights.

The plane touched down so smoothly with all the flaps lowered and the airplane's speed reduced, the aircraft stayed intact and the crew didn't know they had hit water until it started to flood into the cabin. The barge's crew saw the event and went over and saved everyone onboard except for 3 who had drown. Needless to say, National fired both pilots and the plane sat in 15' of water in the middle of the bay for about a month. It was clearly visible to motorist crossing the bay on I-10 bridge and National couldn't wait to get the plane removed. Since it was in such good condition, it was resold for 1 million dollars to a company that was going to refurbish the plane for flight. The biggest problem was when lifting the plane making sure it didn't break apart.

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRqvcsav2WissyZzuYh1J1ueccrZ6Izf DHL2pqOrsPRDqtQKOsb

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTycBzu5xwK1pgwlaMDNhejZgb1GuPK6 Y68Am5TanNP18cLrjOZJA

[2BNTV]

I don't remember the exact date of my first plane ride but I was extremely nervous. It took several flights before I was able to relax and almost enjoy it.

I remember taking a puddle jumper in Hawaii to get to another island. The plane started it's descent and it seem to take forever. I was looking out the window and saw nothing but water. I got nervous and blurted out, "this is no sea plane". The other passengers started to buzz, thinking the same thing. A short time later, the plane landed. The runway was at the edge of the ocean. It would have been nice to announce, that fact. Who woulda thunk it?

Took several puddle jumpers to get to Lexington, KY as a friend of mine lived there. It was interesting how they followed the highway all the way. It felt unusual to see propellers, as I felt the jets were safer. I didn't get any ear pressure with these flights, so I started to like it better.

Flying now, is a piece of cake!!!

[eweissenbach]

I don't remember the exact date of my first plane ride but I was extremely nervous. It took several flights before I was able to relax and almost enjoy it.

I remember taking a puddle jumper in Hawaii to get to another island. The plane started it's descent and it seem to take forever. I was looking out the window and saw nothing but water. I got nervous and blurted out, "this is no sea plane". The other passengers started to buzz, thinking the same thing. A short time later, the plane landed. The runway was at the edge of the ocean. It would have been nice to announce, that fact. Who woulda thunk it?

Took several puddle jumpers to get to Lexington, KY as a friend of mine lived there. It was interesting how they followed the highway all the way. It felt unusual to see propellers, as I felt the jets were safer. I didn't get any ear pressure with these flights, so I started to like it better.

Flying now, is a piece of cake!!!

I flew an Aloha Air interisland from Maui to Oahu and back in 1987. It was an uneventful flight but a couple weeks later an Aloha flight blew the emergency door in mid flight and a flight attendant was lost. About the same time I flew one of those 28 passenger turbo prop "flying culverts", from Denver to Durango. It was a rough flight over the Rockies but it was okay. About a week later one of those flights crashed over the mountains. It might be wise not to closely follow my itinerary.

[2BNTV]

I flew an Aloha Air interisland from Maui to Oahu and back in 1987. It was an uneventful flight but a couple weeks later an Aloha flight blew the emergency door in mid flight and a flight attendant was lost. About the same time I flew one of those 28 passenger turbo prop "flying culverts", from Denver to Durango. It was a rough flight over the Rockies but it was okay. About a week later one of those flights crashed over the mountains. It might be wise not to closely follow my itinerary.

Don't worry Ed, I won't. :D Scary stuff!!!

I've developed the thought pattern to "let it go" when one is up around 30,000 feet. We are all in our makers graces.

"Man plans, GOD laughs".

[plrbr1120]

Yes I do. From Chicago to New Jersey in Jan 1971. Uncle Sam just drafted me into the Army. Was free airfare.

[Shimpy]

G-LOFE - Atlantic Airlines Lockheed L-188 Electra at Katowice - Pyrzowice | Photo ID 351330 | Airplane-Pictures.net (http://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/351330/g-lofe-atlantic-airlines-lockheed-l-188-electra/)

My first flight (circa 1961) was on an Electra flying from Miami to Chicago to go to Navy boot camp. I probably flew Eastern Airlines. I made sure I got a window seat but was shocked how much the wings flexed.

[Villages PL]

Not only do I remember the first time, I remember every time I flew. The first time was from Mexico to Florida. The planes were very small and the pilots were playing kickball on the runway before takeoff.

Second time: Night coach from California to Connecticut. There might have been one or two other people besides me on that flight.

Third and fourth time Small plane from Tampa to south Florida and back (round trip).

That's it!

[jnieman]

Wow. So many interesting stories ! Thanks for sharing.