First Trip to the States May 1972 Part 1 (Tuesday 30th May)

[davidallum]

Hi all,

Graham (Devizes) has asked me if I could dig out the logs for this trip as it was our first ever trip to the states,there was myself,fellow forum members Graham Devizes,KeithH,friends Brian Lacey,Rodney Stimpson and I'm sure one other who I just cannot remember.The trip was organised by two Caledonian Airways employees known as Pettit & Thomson who had charted a B707 to fly us to Dulles Airport,Washington D.C where an airshow called Transpo 72 was taking place.We were to be in the states for five days and the cost was a staggering £93 only.Whilst there it was basically do what you like apart from the last day when we all returned home.

The day of departure had arrived and we all set off for Gatwick to board B707 G-AWWD for the trip across the pond.In those days LGW still had a very good GA presence and the following were noted before boarding:

EC-BZJ PA-31 Navajo
9J-ADF Lear Jet 24
G-AZJZ PA-27 Aztec
5Y-AAU PA-27 Aztec
G-AZRG PA-27 Aztec
F-BTML Falcon 20
D-IFSB D.H Dove

The excitement increased as we approached Dulles in anticipation of seeing airliners that we had only seen in books and movies etc.In those days Dulles was not that busy in terms of airliner movements but I remember that we parked very close to one of the FBO's and the following hit the book before we boarded our coaches to take us into Washington D.C:

N5101 Gulfstream 2
N404M Gulfstream 2
N7000G Lear Jet 25
N77TC Jet Commander
N125US Lockheed Electra
N8171G B727 Eastern
N550MS Beech Travelair
CF-GXK Vickers Viscount
N511CC Cessna Citation
CF-PQG H.S 125
N7275 B727 Braniff
N60JA Britten Norman Trislander
N72XL Gulfstream 1
N802JA Lear Jet 24
N5008L Lake Amphibian
N424JX Falcon 20
N723LF Lear Jet 24
N301K Convair 580
N7458 Vickers Viscount
N301L MU2
N305EA Lockheed Tristar Eastern (this is the one that did the tour of the UK)
N19VA Beech Travelair
N7458N Beech 99
N784K Beech King Air 90
N4887C Douglas DC7
N6 Douglas DC3
N5555S Cessna 310
N6701 Falcon 20
N10122 H.S 125
N6260N Jetranger
N27MD Jet Commander
N1031B Beech 18
N10A Goodyear Airship
N9062U B737 United
N7209U B720 United
N750RS Gulfstream 1
N23Y Beech King Air 90
N2928L Mooney
N524SC Lear Jet 24

I think we did one of the quickest check in's ever at our hotel and we quickly got into two taxi's to Washington National airport and at that time the fare was only $1 per
person.We arrived at National to be greeted by a fantastic selection of aircraft and we wandered along the fences by the terminal and looked into any hangars that were open before settling down in the terminal building to log away and a very healthy log it was too considering that we got there about mid afternoon,any way enough of the waffle and on with the numbers:

N1645 B727 Northeast
N7634U B727 United
N9073U B727 United
N4622 B727 National
N164P YS11 Piedmont
N9033U B737 United 
N1207Z Lockheed Jetstar
N5817 Convair 580 Allegheny
N5803 Convair 580 Allegheny
N8940E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N254P YS11 Piedmont
N702U Fairchild 227 Piedmont
N8922E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N1982 B727 American
N54332 B727 TWA
N1981 B727 American
N728T Twin Otter
N1127J BAC One Eleven Allegheny
N259P YS11 Piedmont
N5525 Lockheed Electra Eastern
N7664G Cessna 172
N5522 Lockheed Electra Eastern
N847CE Aero Commander 680
N7486N Beech 99
N5828 Convair 580 Allegheny
N7042U B727 United
N8136N B727 Eastern
N103UA Sikorsky S.58
N760KC Beech Baron
N9013U B737 United
N7064J Bell 212
N741N B737 Piedmont
N167VN Beech Duke
N8920E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N4450M Volpar Turboliner
N26215 Nord 262 Allegheny
N11LA Beech King Air 90
N888X Cessna 310
N725SF Aero Commander 680
N654RC Cessna 414
N4620 B727 National
N8423F Cessna 414
N9474F Hughes 269
N6578S Cessna 150
N50657 Cessna 150
N5314Y PA-27 Aztec
N5453Y PA-27 Aztec
N8847N PA-28 Cherokee
N95320 PA-28 Cherokee 
N5893Y PA-27 Cherokee
N4988E Aero Commander 680
N3429Q Cessna 310
N8957E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N7232F PA-28 Cherokee
N8261 S.E Alouette
N26217 Nord 262 Allegheny
N73993 Fairchild FH1100
N1909 B727 American
N4616 B727 National
N8E Gulfstream 1
N40CE Beech King Air 90
G-AZRY Skyvan
N125N Sabreliner
N1155W Fairchild FH1100
N77CB Beech V35 Bonanza
N2354 S.E Alouette
N6707D Bell 47
N695LJ Lear Jet 25
N746A Beech 99
N522S Cessna 310
N7405U B727 United
N23G Sabreliner
N1955 B727 American
N1975L Beech King Air 90
N274P YS 11 Piedmont
N6709 H.S 125
N523N Sabreliner
N9204Y PA-31 Navajo
N4613 B727 National
N8141N B727 Eastern
N475US B727 Northwest
N238U Gulfstream 2
N469US B727 Northwest
N8910E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N4738 B727 National
N8116N B727 Eastern
N54337 B727 TWA
N54331 B727 TWA
N50UC Gulfstream 1
N8923E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N3338L Douglas DC9 Delta
N340V Volpar Turboliner
N396HA Beech 99
N5512 Lockheed Electra Eastern
N985MA Beech 99
N5116 Beech King Air 90
N7769Q Cessna 310
N5824 Convair 580 Allegheny
N6803 B727 American
N1930 B727 American
N743N B737 Piedmont
N270US B727 Northwest
N187P YS11 Piedmont
N8000J Gulfstream 2
N375S Beech 18
N9917Z Volpar Turboliner
N196HA Beech 99
N246N H.S 125
N8844E B727 Eastern
N1863W Aero Commander 680
N978NE Douglas DC9 Northeast
N8929E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N5818 Convair 580 Allegheny
N7420U B727 United
N2NA Gulfstream 1
N46311 Cessna 172
N7414U B727 United
N1992 B727 American
N2202F Cessna 310
N158P YS 11 Piedmont
N9071U B737 United
N8919E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N1124J BAC One Eleven Allegheny
N56700 Beech Queen Air
N6811 B727 American
N357V Volpar Turboliner
N971VJ Douglas DC9 Allegheny
N107MA MU2
N705U Fairchild FH227 Piedmont
N885J Beech King Air 90
N52312 B727 TWA
N4920M Volpar Turboliner
N503T BAC One Eleven
N9003Q Beech Baron
N7422Y PA-30 Twin Comanche
N8106N B727 Eastern
N268P YS11 Piedmont
N8925E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N263US B727 Northwest
N463US B727 Northwest
N9050U B737 United
N6817 B727 American
N8962E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N979NE Douglas DC9 Northeast
N7956R Beech Baron
N716RD Lockheed Jetstar
N1957 B727 American
N5816 Convair 580 Allegheny
N7631U B727 United
N4614 B727 National
N8938E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N1998 B727 American
N6095Y PA-27 Aztec
N330F Cessna 172
N9068U B737 United
N9058U B737 United
N1114J BAC One Eleven Allegheny
N54329 B727 TWA
N9066U B737 United
N5829 Convair 580 Allegheny
N42G Lockheed Jetstar
N9030U B737 United
N8534 Jet Commander
N986VJ Douglas DC9 Allegheny
N8107N B727 Eastern
N5475U Beech Debonair
N8828E B727 Eastern
N9038U B737 United
N4733 B727 National
N4611 B727 National
N5102 Gulfstream 2
N7288 B727 Braniff
N3000W Beech King Air C90
N200Q Vickers Viscount
N3337L Douglas DC9 Delta
N5516 Lockheed Electra Eastern
N187SA Twin Otter
N431EJ Lear Jet 23
N479US B727 Northwest
N4618 B727 National
N745N B737 Piedmont
N1931 B727 American
N800JA Lear Jet 23
N39T Lear Jet 23
N8958E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N5810 Convair 580 Allegheny
N7621U B727 United
N5511 Lockheed Electra Eastern
N973VJ Douglas DC9 Allegheny
N833TW B727 TWA
N7408U B727 United
N1978 B727 American
N1120J BAC One Eleven Allegheny
N1969 B727 American
N892TW B727 TWA
N490US B727 Northwest
N494US B727 Northwest
N973NE Douglas DC9 Northeast
N1985 B727 American
N8942E Douglas DC9 Eastern
N4612 B727 National
N8123N B727 Eastern
N245P YS11 Piedmont
N8847E B727 Eastern

As it was getting dark,we decided to return to the hotel feeling very tired but elated and wondering what tomorrow would bring.

Part 2 to follow. 



 

[billsamuels]

Hi Dave,

WOW.... What a log!!!

I bet Graham is gonna make a terrible mess in his pants tonight mate!!! Had he lost his log, if so, what a delight this will be...

Nice to see some of the old Northwest Orient machines as well... Bless....

Thanks Dave.

Bill

[davidallum]

May 21, 2015 14:36:49 GMT billsamuels said:

Hi Dave,

WOW.... What a log!!!

I bet Graham is gonna make a terrible mess in his pants tonight mate!!! Had he lost his log, if so, what a delight this will be...

Nice to see some of the old Northwest Orient machines as well... Bless....

Thanks Dave.

Bill

Hi Bill,yes the reason I'm posting is that Graham cannot locate his logs and after typing the first two days it's very sad to think that 99.9% of all those airliners seen are now coke cans but it's great to remember just how many B727's we did see and even now it's one of my favourite airliners.

All the best.

[Deleted]

Great days Dave, Thanks for posting your logs from your trip- takes me back to my first trip to the States and Miami and the DC6, DC7's C97's etc.

Happy Days

Bob

[graham]

Absolutely fantastic Dave, what a great result seeing all this stuff wtitten down again, thanks a million for posting!

[graham]

Funnily enough, I have scant memories of the trip Dave - it was just the five of us, you, me, Keith, Rod and Brian, that much I do remember. I remember sitting on the viewing mezzanine inside the terminal at National, adjacent to the door up to the tower, in very comfortable seats with a great view out through the glass walls of the terminal to the apron. I recall that the 727 and DC9 traffic was relentless, and the flight announcer would really emphasize "EASTERN" when he called a flight.

I certainly recall the walkabout at Baltimore, complete freedom to go where we wanted, and some of the guys asked us where we were from and we said "Reading" and they must have assumed we meant Reading Pennsylvania. I remember nothing of the Greyhound ride to get there.

As far as Dulles is concerned, that too had an outside viewing terrace and I seem to recall that one of the runways was way out across the field, and that arriving/departing planes "disappeared" behind a hill for a few moments. The GA park there was huge and it almost got to the point where we ignored the constant stream of light stuff and biz taxiing out. Remember best of all the Braniff 707s and their amazing colour schemes. If only digital cameras had been invented then, think of the shots we would have had of all those airlines that have bitten the dust.

[davidallum]

May 21, 2015 17:21:28 GMT @bobbybluebizjet said:

Great days Dave, Thanks for posting your logs from your trip- takes me back to my first trip to the States and Miami and the DC6, DC7's C97's etc.

Happy Days

Bob

Hi Bob,

I've been doing this hobby since 1968 and the only regret I have is not visiting Miami and it's famous "Cockroach Corner".My first visit to Miami was in 1996 and there were just a few props left but obviously shed loads of 707's/727's and DC8's etc,etc.

[davidallum]

May 22, 2015 6:22:05 GMT graham said:

Funnily enough, I have scant memories of the trip Dave - it was just the five of us, you, me, Keith, Rod and Brian, that much I do remember. I remember sitting on the viewing mezzanine inside the terminal at National, adjacent to the door up to the tower, in very comfortable seats with a great view out through the glass walls of the terminal to the apron. I recall that the 727 and DC9 traffic was relentless, and the flight announcer would really emphasize "EASTERN" when he called a flight.

I certainly recall the walkabout at Baltimore, complete freedom to go where we wanted, and some of the guys asked us where we were from and we said "Reading" and they must have assumed we meant Reading Pennsylvania. I remember nothing of the Greyhound ride to get there.

As far as Dulles is concerned, that too had an outside viewing terrace and I seem to recall that one of the runways was way out across the field, and that arriving/departing planes "disappeared" behind a hill for a few moments. The GA park there was huge and it almost got to the point where we ignored the constant stream of light stuff and biz taxiing out. Remember best of all the Braniff 707s and their amazing colour schemes. If only digital cameras had been invented then, think of the shots we would have had of all those airlines that have bitten the dust.

Graham,you may be right about there only being the five of us,I just thought that there were 6 so 2 per room.

Glad you've enjoyed reading them and I'm just cooking myself some brekkie and then I will be posting the last two days,stay tuned.

[graham]

Fantastic, thanks Dave