Planning a trip out to Seattle to meet up with my 2 brothers in April. The reason is a sort of a memorial for my parents. Haven't met up with them in quite awhile. We will be planning the trip to Hawaii next year. My Dad ( US Navy ) spent a lot of years at Pearl Harbor, either sea duty or shore duty. Total, it's the place we lived the longest. So we plan to have a family ceremony at the base that meant so much to my Mom and Dad. Last trip to Seattle was in the 80's. It'll be interesting to see how much has changed. Since I get a healthy discount on a room rate for the hotel, thought we would take that savings and upgrade to first class on the trip out there and back. I haven't flown first class, (did business class once), so this will be a first. We by no means have money to throw away, but it's kind of a bucket list thing to fly first class somewhere. Kind of funny that the phrase, " I'm not getting any younger..." on a Senior forum takes on a whole different meaning! Sometimes you just say, 'let's do that'.
I hope your trip is a great one Tim. I haven't been in an airplane since I got out of the Air Force in 1964.
As I have posted before, I am a 'Apprehensive' flyer. Not really scared to fly, just don't like the sensation. I could handle it well enough till I took my first ride on a C-5 Galaxy aircraft. Any plane, where the nose lifts up and the tail opens up and can carry another jet plane inside it, is not something I want to ride in. This was the main transportation for our unit in the UK to get to our projects. I'm hoping that sitting in first class, I can relax enough to get through the flight.
In 1961 we loaded our equipment on a C124 Globemaster for a trip from Tinker AFB in Oklahoma to France field in the Panama Canal Zone. We started down the runway and suddenly came to a stop, turned around and went back. A crew came out and worked on one of the engines for about half an hour. Then we started again, stopped again, and they worked on the engine again. Third try we were in the air for an 11 hour flight. I don't think anyone ever took their eyes off that engine.
@Sheldon Scott Reminds me of an incident I witnessed while sitting aboard a Boeing 720 in Indianapolis, waiting to return to Chicago. A worker wheeled stairs up to one of the four engines, opened a hatch, and poured several quarts of liquid into the engine, presumedly oil. Closed it up, and off we went. No sweat. It had been a trip to Cummins Engine Co. in down south Indiana to service one of their test machines. My supervisor when I related the story told us those engines have sumps holding about 5 gallons of oil, and FAA allows them to fly with only 2 gallons contained! Amazing! The big turbojet engines just don't "burn oil". The new GE9X engine being tested by GE for use on Boeing's new extended giant jet has an inlet diameter as large as the cross-section of the fuselage of the 737 aircraft! Develops about 110,000 Lbs. of thrust. GE has been flying a 747 equipped with one of these ggantic engines mounted inboard on the wing. Flying "test bed". Frank
Met my brothers for dinner last night.My younger brother, who had been caring for our parents, had old pictures and items for each of us. We talked about all the places we lived, stories about our parents and just a great night filled with memories. So glad we made the trip out. Today we are going to take it slow and easy. Jump a ferry to Bainbridge Island for a walk-about and lunch. Then back to Seattle to tour Chihuly Garden and Glass, maybe even go up in the Space Needle!
I'm glad you made the trip and added some more memories. I hope you do go up the Space Needle. The view from there is awesome.
We are back home after a great trip out to the coast. Good to spend time with my brothers. One thing I can say about flying 1st class is the Pre-TSA check-in is the way to go. We by-passed an hour long wait in the regular line and didn't even have to take off our shoes! You do get some mean looks as you walked pass those waiting in the regular line. Wife even got me up in the Space Needle and the 'Wheel' by the Public Market. ( both of these had adult beverages, which took the edge off any terror...) Already planning our next trip.
Ive flown first class a few times...tickets my son buys me and it's great. As for pre-TSA...I always get that even on regular flights. A few years ago, I was just pulled aside and told to go in that line and ever since that flight Ive always been pre TSA. My daughter and family are also but they had to pay and go through a lot of steps to get that.
@Shirley Martin Here are a couple of photos from our trip. The Chihuly Garden and Glass next to the Space Needle. My photos do not do justice to the incredible glass displayed. From the Space Needle: ( to prove I when up there... ) This is part of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial. Me standing in front of the Original Starbuck's in Seattle
Forgot to put this one up. Our Hotel was only 5 blocks from the Space Needle. I walked down the street and got this picture.
WOW, @Tim Burr , those pictures are incredible. I missed the Chihuly Garden and Glass when we were there. That will definitely be on the plan for the next trip. I took this picture from a nearby beach.
Tim Burr, your pictures are just breathtaking !! The glass Garden is beyond words!! And Shirley that is an amazing picture you posted here ..WoW !