Favourite passenger aircraft ?
 

What is your favourite passenger aircraft ? mine is the Boeing 747, I used to watch them at Ringway in the 70s after I had delivered at the freight terminal they were mostly Ward Air that I saw and to this day I still love to see a 747 landing.

I have to admit that the 747,s are my favourite, this was the first aeroplane I have flown on and it was a Quantas one from Manchester in the 1970's

Alan

Anything loud that irritates those people who buy property in the vicinity of an airport, and then proceed to whine about aircraft noise.:D

The B747 is the aircraft that I have flown on most.

It does what it says on the tin, and does it well (and has done for 40 years).

Speaking of the 747, I was once granted the extraordinary concession, by an employer, of flying First Class in a Pan Am 747-200.

It was a most unusual flight, originating in NBO and terminating at JFK. Sadly, I only joined it for the LOS-DKR sector with a stop at MLW, but it is etched forever in my memory, not least because it gave me a welcome break during a three-month stint in Nigeria.

Sadly, I did not return in similar style, packed into Economy Class on an Air Afrique DC-10 as far as ABJ, thence by B.727-200 of Nigeria Airways back to LOS.

Some say that if you buy a home that is close to an airport, you buy the airport too. Personally, I would love to live near an airport...the bigger the better :)

I spose my favourite current planes would be the staples like B737 & A320 series, the B747, the MD11 and maybe the A330 at a push. Overall favourite I guess would be the MD11 - not flown on one yet, but hoping to do so before KLM retire them - I just love the clunkiness & chunkiness of them, they look so ungainly but they are also enigmatic too (and they had an absolutely rotten start in life as the DC10 with a maligned reputation that they really did not deserve...and anyone who has read the report into FedEx 705 would have to agree that they are one amazing aircraft).

I am a bit surprised that almost everyone has plumped for the B747, but then I am going to go for the iconic 'Jumbo' too. I really liked the A340 LHR-JHB, especially the camera on top of the fin, but it was a bit on the crowded side.

I flew L1011 a few times and have to say it was both comfortable and oddly quiet, spacious and roomy. First class from Dohar to Baharein once too - the stews were all women and all drop dead gorgeous. :)

The 767 is horrible, even though my nephew drives them, but oddly I always liked the 757 which is a very similar aeroplane. From the days when it was possible to be a flight deck groupie, I wangled my way on to the flight deck at every oportunity. The only Boeing I haven't been in the cockpit of is the 707 and then only because they were a bit before my travelling time. The only ones I haven't done a landing in the cockpit is the 777 and the 744. I was practically qualified before 9/11. :D

The only trans Atlantic flight I've done in first class was AI126 ORD-LHR more than ten years ago, a 743 I think! BA had bounced me off BA294 with a business class upgrade and a cheque for $200 in my pocket. They shoved us over to the AI desk which was surrounded by the population of Delhi, with all the AI staff over the counter jabbering away in Gudjerati while volunteer Swissair staff were hammering the computers. The situation got even more bizarre, but I won't go in to that. Suffice to say my seat partner and I occupied the volume of about six people backi in steerage and it was the fastest ORD-LHR I've ever done - 6:45 hr.

The 747 is still the fastest airliner in service, capable of mach 0.95 and cruise at 42,000ft. When Boeing bet the farm on the 747, the definitely got it right. :D

Roger.

As most of my flying of late has been within the short haul area 747's have not featured. Previously flown on DC10 and L1011 and even an 707 back in 72.
This year on a trip to the USA we flew out on a 777 and back on a 747. There did not seem much to choose from the two. Luckily we had very little turbulence on either flight but what little there was seemed to give the 747 a strange motion almost like a wobbling jelly. As we were in the front end wonder what it was like further back. Not first class by the way.
My gripe with all Boeing's is the seating. Thats why we had to pay more for something more comfortable!

Of all the big jets I still like the L1011 and the DC10 - much more comfortable but that was probably before they wanted to stuff more and more people on them.

Hawkey01

777 still my favourite.

Here's a few favourites, especially the VC-10. What a glorious sound!

http://www.flightlevel350.com/Aircra...deo-16035.html

The A380 is getting quite popular now and I must admit I am liking them more every time I see one. Martin HS-TRA is back home in Thailand at the moment, he went to Dubai on Emirates A380 # A6-EEA and from Dubai to Bangkok also A380 and the same on his return flights.

Not had the pleasure of a 380 yet.

We flew on a 777 to the USA last year and returned on a 747. Not a lot to choose between them. Had good flights on both.

Hawkey01

Off all the Aircraft I have flown on I have to say my favourite has to be the VC10, In my eyes she was the Queen of the skies.

Had a recent flight to Toronto with BA on a Dreamliner-787. A very good flight and as the ac was very new everything worked a treat. All the in seat equipment was 1st class. Checked the in flight info many times and we were flying at 42,000 and at the time with air speed of 561. Talking to one of the cabin crew he was telling me that these ac are extended range and they can make Perth in one hit. Not for me I am afraid. Believe they fly direct to Chengdu China with these ac.

Hawkey01

Many thanks Hawkey01, Boeing seem to have got over their teething troubles with the Dreamliner. Many thanks again for the update and info.