The dawn of the commercial jet-age had to be an exciting time to be an airline nerd. From slow props to larger jet aircraft like the Boeing 707 and DC-8 had to be an incredible transition. Even though they sell the aircraft on no vibrations and not much noise, I am sure it is a more rough ride than what we get to enjoy today.
I find it interesting this video sells the mood lighting of the aircraft, being able to change the cabin, “pink of dawn to all variations to the dark blue of night.” That is some of the selling point of the new Boeing Sky Interior and Boeing 787 Dreamliner interior.
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What a classic find .. The world’s first “¢successful”¢ jetliner .. It would be a further 11 years before the 747 reached the same airline, also 11 years to the first Airbus, the A300, and the Douglas Commercial No-10 (DC-10), and Lockheed’s first jetliner, the L-1011 Tristar — certainly an exciting time in jet transportation!
+1 year 😉
The competition between Boeing and De Havilland to create a market for jetliners is captured by Sam Verhovek in his new book: ‘Jet Age: The Comet, the 707, and the Race to Shrink the World’ http://amzn.to/idDF39
I took my first airplane flight on a Delta DC-8 in 1960. I was nine years old then. Ever since I have had a love of commercial aviation, watched em scrap “connies” at Ft Lauderdale airport, and witnessed the transition to jets. It was a very exciting and different world then. I am now a Dispatcher, a published historian of Airlines and Airliners, and I still love it…
David – No it was a rough experience, it was wonderful. As a Pan Am kid growing up in Fairbanks, the 707 (Clipper Northern Lights) first to land in 1959 ushered in a 3 hour flight to Seattle with prime rib dinner. Former DC-6 flight = 5.5. hours. The 707 had beautiful dome lights that would dim and create these colors, but, as you flew at night the night sky would show through with the stars as if you were flying in a glass top airplane. All just lovely, and I would give anything to bring back those days, when with a stop in SEA and PDX we would be in HNL in 5 hours.
It almost seems that they had it better in the old days. I would love to get first class service all the time, unfortunately though, it costs more than an arm and a leg now days to do this. Just curious, do you have any idea as to what fare prices were back in the day? It would be pretty cool to see a comparison of the cost/value ratio from past to present.
An old “economy” ticket is about the same prices of today’s first class ticket. That is why I always say, if you want it to be how flying used to be — buy first class :). You will get the service and the price ;).
David
With the 787 Boeing is trying for terrarium conditions as well as mood lighting. They can offer anywhere from a light mist to the steady drip-drip of chinese water torture courtesy of the new condensation offered as standard equipment.
Wow! All that and no TSA. Of course, there’s no PanAm, too.