Flying when you were a child

[Marine Boy]

Does anyone have any memories of flying in aeroplanes as a child?

When I was 11, the family had a holiday in Portugal. We'd never normally have been able to afford such a thing but a business friend of my Dad was able to organise discounts etc.

We travelled on a Trident and I loved it! ...though I had terrible problems on landing. My ears! Agh, the pain!! But on board, during the flight, we kids were given jigsaws and colouring sheets. And a really excellent metal badge of a Trident! (The badge came into my head when I was reading the Badge collecting thread.)

Does anyone else have memories of travelling by plane as a child? Do you recall the type of plane? What kind of experience did you have?

[Trickyvee]

Re: Flying when you were a child

I didn't go on a plane until I was 17, but even then I couldn't cope with the ear thing. My ears don't pop for some reason and really hurt to the point of tears on landing then stay blocked for a day. When I experienced it for the first time I thought it was permanent damage and went into a huge panic/strop, ruining the first day of my hols.

[Heather74]

Re: Flying when you were a child

I was a late starter too, I think I was 19 my first time

[HG]

Re: Flying when you were a child

I can beat that, I was 23

[branny]

Re: Flying when you were a child

First time I flew was October 1979. Went on my first holiday abroad to Salou. Flew on a Laker 707. Pretty much slept all the way and the same coming back so no great memories really. The next time was Sept 87 (20 years old) to Ibiza. That was a Britannia 757 or 767. OK flying out but very bouncy on the way back. Had a window seat and could see the wings bouncing up and down. I don't particularly like flying but won't let it stop me travelling. I don't mind if it's smooth but turbulence puts the wind up me. I've flown a fair bit and fortunately only had 2 really bad flights.

[Jacqueline]

Re: Flying when you were a child

My first flying experience was when I was 22 and flew to Jersey. I remember it was a very small plane and didn't look 'real' somehow. I'm like branny, I'm not overkeen on flying but I wouldn't let it stop me travelling.

[HG]

Re: Flying when you were a child

My first flying experience was when I was 22 and flew to Jersey. I remember it was a very small plane and didn't look 'real' somehow. I'm like branny, I'm not overkeen on flying but I wouldn't let it stop me travelling.

Jersey was my first flight too, a nice short hop

[Richard1978]

Re: Flying when you were a child

I remember going to Portugal in the summer of 1983, they first time I had left the UK.

[kazboot]

Re: Flying when you were a child

I was 19 too when I flew for the first time and I hate it! Consequently, I haven't flown since 1983 and have only been on a plane 6 times.

[ratboy]

Re: Flying when you were a child

I remember going to Portugal too for my first plane flight, it was on a TAP (Portuguese Airlines) Boeing 727. I think in Portugal we got in and out of the plane using the staircase that dropped down at the back.

[ricasso]

Re: Flying when you were a child

My first flight was in the mid 60s from southend to ostend in Belgium, we flew in an old Bristol freighter (google it!) that also carried several cars.
Propeller driven, and I can remember all the oil that coated the wings behind the engines, also the draught from the hinged nose of the aircraft didnt fit too well!

[airfix]

Re: Flying when you were a child

I was an air cadet (ATC) in the 1970s so got to fly in the wonderful DHC Chipmunk, the RAF's most basic trainer at the time. The experience was tremendous and I enjoyed every second of it. It actually left me speechless for about ten minutes after we landed!

As far as commercial flying goes, my first experience was a school trip to Bulgaria in 1979. We flew with Balkan Airways on a rather nice Russian Tupolev Tu-154b on the way there but on the way back we got a Russian Ilyushin Il-18. This one was considerably older and had propellors! Some of my peers and also the teachers with us were horrified but I (being an aircraft enthusiast) was thrilled at the chance to fly in it. Happy days!

[amethyst]

Planes

What was the first plane you went on

Dan Air Gatwick to Paris 1984

[themilkman]

Re: Planes

The first plane i went on was when i was 8 in 1974, it was a British Airways 747 flying to Los Angeles and I could not belief how big it was . On the flight I became a member of something I think was called the 'junior flying club' where you were given a book to note down how many miles etc you were flying, and the pilot signed it.

[spuggybridge]

Re: Flying when you were a child

Flying .... not likely you've got more chance of getting head lice from Kojak