Most notable flight(s) you have been on [different/good/bad?]

[HodgoBerro]

There's been a few good/bad experiences in my times of flying.


Best: First time on an Emirates A380 from AKL to SYD. Fell in love at first sight.

Being surprised by my one of my mates in QF lounge on a flight back from CHC to SYD - my luggage went AWOL but it was a great feeling.


Worst:


Flying a QF plane from SYD to BNE and due to a computer malfunction we had to abort take off. Scariest moment ever. I was very ill with a kidney infection and had to be wheeled onto the aircraft. The flight attendants were so lovely considering the bad situation.
Plane change and away we went 2 hours later.


Taking off/landing WLG - pick your scary moments there.


Flying QF to WLG, passenger in front thought my tray table was her seat lever to put her seat up. Ended up with hot cup of tea and food all over me. Flight attendants were helpful and put me in a spare business class seat for their troubles. (really wasn't that bad)



Also there was the time the family was flying from NZ and me at the age of 5 and standing on my seat dancing and singing to a.... John Farnham song.


Family won't let me forget it.

 

[badseed]

My most 'memorable' were 2 flights with Pan-Am in 1989.

First one was LAX - JFK on an A310-200 - we pushed back, returned to the gate, then tried again 45 minutes later, only to abort takeoff (probably still ~30 knots shy of V1 - but still very hard breaking / reverse thrust). Changed to another A310, and had the most foul, revolting lunch I've ever had the misfortune to eat. My most vivid memory was that the bread rolls were rock-hard - my father managed to get his knife stuck in one. A flight attendant attempted to get the knife out, couldn't, and commented that 'we were lucky - we clearly got the fresh batch of bread rolls'.

A few days later we flew JFK - LHR on the 6th 747-100 built - N733PA, at that time a spritely 20 years young. Basically nothing worked - my headset socket was a cable dangling down the side of the seat (which was loose itself) and the centre overhead bins swung wildly from side-to-side on takeoff. I'd been on other old 747's of Continental and other airlines, but this one seemed poorly maintained, and sought out every little bump of turbulence on the Atlantic. The lights in the toilets were flickering too, which was atmospheric.

badseed.

 

[Poisson]

In my earlier post I forgot to mention four flights on CX in 2010:

1. PER - HKG - redeye in those bloody horrible shell-back whY seats. At least the flight was on time. Arrived with agonising back pain.

2. HKG - SFO - redeye in those bloody horrible shell-back whY seats. Plane was an hour late loading (after a 7 hour layover) then sat at the ramp for another hour while some spare parts were ordered, followed by all passengers off the plane, a further 2 hour wait, then back thru security etc onto the the replacement aircraft. Arrived with agonising back pain.

3. YFR - HKG - daytime flight in those bloody horrible shell-back whY seats. Evening meal was served at 3pm, then FAs closed all the blinds, turned the lights out and disappeared for 8 hours. Arrived with agonising back pain.

4. HKG - PER - daytime flight in those bloody horrible shell-back whY seats. Nothing particular to remember except those bloody horrible shell-back whY seats. Arrived with agonising back pain.

First and last flights on CX - never again.

 

[911tphil]

Worst flight experience ever was flying from Moorabbin to Bathurst quite some years back in a small Piper Seminole twin that iced up just past Wagga at around 10,000 ft and we literally fell out of the sky with (luckily) the two pilots struggling to get the aircraft flying, oh and also trying to get one of the stalled engines runnning again. We landed OK but still had 30 mm of ice across the leading edge of the wings.

Needless to say I dont fly in small aircraft any more. It was a non commercial flight.

Best experience was First on EK MEL - DXB some years back in 777.

 

[JohnK]

Best - Round the world in economy with my 71 year old father in 2009, had premium economy seats on 2 flights and upgraded to business on the last leg PER-SYD. I will never forget those moments and it is a shame I lost both SD cards with the photos from the trip.

Worst - None really but close would be the first flight I became aware of my anxiety on a flight. It was a SYD-MEL flight back in 1994 and I think I was in the last row and there could have been a little turbulance. I have taken valium or xanax on every flight since then

There have been a lot of other great flights such as my first ever op-up to business class both legs of a QF SYD-BKK return as a Silver, exit row on both legs of an OA SYD-ATH return in economy, Finnair tag flights BKK-SIN/HKG where I would turn around with the crew :shock:, first ever op-up to first class on CX, travelling with a colleague to BKK and SIN in 2003 which was the turning point in my travel and where I fell in love with Thailand, my round Australia award where I covered most states in 3 days plus many more and hopefully many more to come....

 

[Major]

Most notable - Air dropping supplies to the small Australian Antarctic base on Macquarie Is. from a C130H in 1986. Australia's resupply ship was not an ice breaker so it did not operate during Winter. The mainland Antarctic bases were re supplied by the US and Macquarie Is was re supplied by 3 airdrops over the Winter period.

The northern part of the Is. has a narrow reasonably flat peninsular which we had to fly across W to E or the other way depending on the wind. It was so narrow we could only drop one heli-box or compact at a time. If we had 12 loads it was 12 passes plus a couple of dummy drops first to check wind and drift. At times the wind could be quite strong and with turbulence you had to be careful moving loads around to avoid injury.

The loads would vary but were generally fresh fruit and vegetables, mail, eggs, personal items and even bottles of wine. Because it was a small DZ we could only drop small loads with a small parachute from approx 300 ft.

Just before starting the drop we would suit up in the orange survival suits and turn up the heating. When the ramp was lowered the ambient temp was about 3°

On the way back I sat in the co pilot's seat while he took a break and had a short time flying. Nothing drastic just a few gentle turns left and right. It was a great day.