Best airliner?

[Exhaustgases]

Originally Posted by Surestick
My favourite airliner is probably the same as Exhaustgases', the square-window Dehavilland Comet. No scary fly-by-wire, those square passenger windows sure look stronger than the flimsy round ones, and I bet it's easy to upgrade one with synthetic vision, plus the earlier turbine engines are a lot closer in their evolution to fuel-efficient and reliable piston engines.

Also, it's low-wing which is so obviously stronger than high wing airplanes... I hear the wings fall off those.


Mine is the Constellation, Next would be DC-7.

 

[super20dan]

yes if rolls Royce had the engines ready in time the L1011 would have easy out sold the dangerous dc10.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted by Exhaustgases
Originally Posted by Surestick
My favourite airliner is probably the same as Exhaustgases', the square-window Dehavilland Comet. No scary fly-by-wire, those square passenger windows sure look stronger than the flimsy round ones, and I bet it's easy to upgrade one with synthetic vision, plus the earlier turbine engines are a lot closer in their evolution to fuel-efficient and reliable piston engines.

Also, it's low-wing which is so obviously stronger than high wing airplanes... I hear the wings fall off those.


Mine is the Constellation, Next would be DC-7.


Where can I book a trip on one of those?
Can't?
Who wouldn't want to fly on a slow, noisy aircraft with plenty of vibration?
Surely the line techs must miss standing on a scaffold and changing thirty six spark plugs in a Wright that had had a precautionary shutdown due to a single misfiring cylinder, especially fun during winter in the northern hemisphere. Land on three or risk the fourth $90K engine? Tough call for any crew.
The airlines must have been overjoyed to have had to accept delivery of their last ordered three million dollar Connies and Dougs which were obsolete the day they were delivered.
The piston days quickly ended once turbine airliners became available for a reason.

 

[Exhaustgases]

Direct cross country on an old connie is faster than layovers and hubs on a jet. You could even charge more for the flight, especially if you serve the kind of meals they did when they were brand new. Just like people jumping for the chance to ride a steam train the same would happen with the old planes of the past.

 

[fdcg27]

Certainly the L-1649 was the pinnacle of piston airliner development, but it still isn't as fast on a transcon as a single connection with jets assuming a decently short layover as well as a connecting city in your intended direction of travel.
In terms of comfort, the Connie would have been configured in what's now considered domestic first class and there would have been attentive service from kindly FAs, then called stewardesses, as well as quite decent food offerings.
Today, you find yourself stuffed into what may be an uncomfortable seat with minimal pitch and the only food offered other than a micro bag of pretzels will be some absurdly overpriced and none too appetizing BOB.
Unless you have plenty of miles with an airline, the marginal cost of flying in the few rows up front is usually prohibitive, although you can occasionally catch a deal and that can make it worthwhile on a longer flight, especially with freedom from checked bag charges.
Personally, I'd enjoy the experience of flying a trip on one of the last generation piston propliners, but I'm probably part of a very small number of enthusiasts.

 

[PimTac]

https://youtu.be/64BarFD6Mso

 

[Tdog02]

I had the distinct pleasure of flying a couple of times on a L1011 in the late 90's. The room inside was incredible, a really nice plane with room to spare. It didn't seem like a cattle car like today's flights.

 

[4WD]

Just on an UA 777 with the new Polaris seats
Got a single window like this

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

The 747 will probably be one of my favorite planes. Kind of sad that the type's days are numbered. I only flew on them twice as a child and may not ever step foot on one again seeing how rare they are now.

Have yet to fly on a 787 or A350, but I keep reading about how good they are.

 

[Propflux01]

Originally Posted by Surestick
My favourite airliner is probably the same as Exhaustgases', the square-window Dehavilland Comet. No scary fly-by-wire, those square passenger windows sure look stronger than the flimsy round ones, and I bet it's easy to upgrade one with synthetic vision, plus the earlier turbine engines are a lot closer in their evolution to fuel-efficient and reliable piston engines.

Also, it's low-wing which is so obviously stronger than high wing airplanes... I hear the wings fall off those.

Of course you realise those square windows are what brought those planes down several times.

 

[cjcride]

Originally Posted by Propflux01
Originally Posted by Surestick
My favourite airliner is probably the same as Exhaustgases', the square-window Dehavilland Comet. No scary fly-by-wire, those square passenger windows sure look stronger than the flimsy round ones, and I bet it's easy to upgrade one with synthetic vision, plus the earlier turbine engines are a lot closer in their evolution to fuel-efficient and reliable piston engines.

Also, it's low-wing which is so obviously stronger than high wing airplanes... I hear the wings fall off those.

Of course you realise those square windows are what brought those planes down several times.

I'm quite sure that Surestick was tongue in cheek there.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted by asiancivicmaniac
The 747 will probably be one of my favorite planes. Kind of sad that the type's days are numbered. I only flew on them twice as a child and may not ever step foot on one again seeing how rare they are now.

Have yet to fly on a 787 or A350, but I keep reading about how good they are.


The 747 will be around for a while yet.
BA still has 34 -400s still in service and Lufthansa even has 19 of the fairly new -8is.
The A350 and 787 will still be in use when you retire and note that I don't need to ask your age to make this assertion, so plenty of time to fly on those types.

 

[Surestick]

Originally Posted by cjcride
Originally Posted by Propflux01
Originally Posted by Surestick
My favourite airliner is probably the same as Exhaustgases', the square-window Dehavilland Comet. No scary fly-by-wire, those square passenger windows sure look stronger than the flimsy round ones, and I bet it's easy to upgrade one with synthetic vision, plus the earlier turbine engines are a lot closer in their evolution to fuel-efficient and reliable piston engines.

Also, it's low-wing which is so obviously stronger than high wing airplanes... I hear the wings fall off those.

Of course you realise those square windows are what brought those planes down several times.

I'm quite sure that Surestick was tongue in cheek there.


Yup.
I'm about 50% sure Exhaustgasses is a troll... I'm beginning to wonder though. If he is he's an extremely dedicated troll!

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by fdcg27
Originally Posted by asiancivicmaniac
The 747 will probably be one of my favorite planes. Kind of sad that the type's days are numbered. I only flew on them twice as a child and may not ever step foot on one again seeing how rare they are now.

Have yet to fly on a 787 or A350, but I keep reading about how good they are.


The 747 will be around for a while yet.
BA still has 34 -400s still in service and Lufthansa even has 19 of the fairly new -8is.
The A350 and 787 will still be in use when you retire and note that I don't need to ask your age to make this assertion, so plenty of time to fly on those types.

BA is phasing them out by I think 2022.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by fdcg27
Originally Posted by asiancivicmaniac
The 747 will probably be one of my favorite planes. Kind of sad that the type's days are numbered. I only flew on them twice as a child and may not ever step foot on one again seeing how rare they are now.

Have yet to fly on a 787 or A350, but I keep reading about how good they are.


The 747 will be around for a while yet.
BA still has 34 -400s still in service and Lufthansa even has 19 of the fairly new -8is.
The A350 and 787 will still be in use when you retire and note that I don't need to ask your age to make this assertion, so plenty of time to fly on those types.

BA is phasing them out by I think 2022.


BA will, I think, phase these aircraft out as they time out and as their smaller planned replacements come on property.
While I'm aware of what you're saying, I doubt that they'll all be gone in just two years.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Originally Posted by fdcg27
Originally Posted by asiancivicmaniac
The 747 will probably be one of my favorite planes. Kind of sad that the type's days are numbered. I only flew on them twice as a child and may not ever step foot on one again seeing how rare they are now.

Have yet to fly on a 787 or A350, but I keep reading about how good they are.


The 747 will be around for a while yet.
BA still has 34 -400s still in service and Lufthansa even has 19 of the fairly new -8is.
The A350 and 787 will still be in use when you retire and note that I don't need to ask your age to make this assertion, so plenty of time to fly on those types.


I have a feeling the -400 will mostly be gone by the time I do any international traveling. I guess I'll have to put Germany on the list of places I want to go to try the 747-8.

 

[4WD]

I'd not doubt you, used to fly their last B767 and it was probably a year of hearing it was done.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by fdcg27
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by fdcg27
Originally Posted by asiancivicmaniac
The 747 will probably be one of my favorite planes. Kind of sad that the type's days are numbered. I only flew on them twice as a child and may not ever step foot on one again seeing how rare they are now.

Have yet to fly on a 787 or A350, but I keep reading about how good they are.


The 747 will be around for a while yet.
BA still has 34 -400s still in service and Lufthansa even has 19 of the fairly new -8is.
The A350 and 787 will still be in use when you retire and note that I don't need to ask your age to make this assertion, so plenty of time to fly on those types.

BA is phasing them out by I think 2022.


BA will, I think, phase these aircraft out as they time out and as their smaller planned replacements come on property.
While I'm aware of what you're saying, I doubt that they'll all be gone in just two years.

Sorry, 2024. But in light of COVID-19, that might happen sooner.

 

[fdcg27]

Or maybe the reverse.
Neither BA nor any other airline will be anxious to take delivery of new aircraft with their attendant high lease/financing costs requiring high utilization at high load factors to make any economic sense, especially in the current environment of cheap fuel and radically reduced flying.
Better to defer deliveries and keep what you have since you can cut utilization on these old long paid for frames without any great economic penalty, which isn't true with new ones.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by fdcg27
Or maybe the reverse.
Neither BA nor any other airline will be anxious to take delivery of new aircraft with their attendant high lease/financing costs requiring high utilization at high load factors to make any economic sense, especially in the current environment of cheap fuel and radically reduced flying.
Better to defer deliveries and keep what you have since you can cut utilization on these old long paid for frames without any great economic penalty, which isn't true with new ones.

Yes, that makes sense. However, they might simply get rid of them and not take deliveries. Lufthansa is on path to ground all 14 A380 and cut capacity by 50%.