Quote:
Originally Posted by koputai
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Hi Jason,
Thanks for the link to the resource.
It was fascinating to search for some of the more "interesting" aircraft I have flown on
which brought back fond memories
Nairobi to Lamu.
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-K....../1589404/L/
Prior to take off, the cabin attendant hands out boiled lollies to suck on because
the DC3 is not pressurized and even she seat belts herself in firmly and doesn't
get out of the seat as the aircraft bounces across the equatorial thermals.
You reassure yourself that this model aircraft was the "workhorse of World
War II" and you pass the time counting the thousands of rivets that hold together
the wing. Upon arrival, you disembark, go to the cargo door and they throw your
luggage to you.
Rangoon to Dhaka.
Dhaka to Calcutta.
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Biman...-351C/1122431/
The 707 had generous overhead lockers but the cabin attendant was angry with
two Burmese passengers sitting across from me in the aisle for bringing on board such
large suitcases, despite the fact they fitted in the lockers. The attendant pulled
the bags from the lockers and thrust them into the laps of the two bewildered
looking passengers where the bags remained for the rest of the flight. The top
of the bags came up at around face height and when their meals arrived they
had to eat from plates perched on top of their bags.
When we stepped off the 707 in Dhaka, there was this big reception party
on the tarmac with a huge banner, saying words to the effect of "Welcome to
our distinguished guests from the Burmese such and such". Turned out the
two distinguished VIP guests were the guys the country's national carrier
had just thrown their bags at.
Gilgit to Islamabad.
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Pakis...hip/1111146/M/
The runway at Gilgit is short and the town itself is surrounded by towering mountains.
The runway faces a mountain and whilst you are waiting at the shed that acts as the
town's air terminal, you start to pick out the remains of various planes that have crashed
and are littering the side of the mountain like bugs splattered on a windscreen.
The pilot stands on the brakes and revs up the Fokker Friendship's engines
for all they are worth until they are screaming. You go barreling down the runway
and hope that he manages to turn the plane in time before it reaches the mountainside.
You glimpse at your seat belt and notice it has "Airlines of NSW" engraved on,
giving you that reassurance that a plane this old hasn't crashed yet.