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ETOPS in a DC-4 in 1946


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A nice article -- thanks for sharing that. If you want to have an even better picture of what it was like back then, Fate Is The Hunter by Ernest K. Gann and The World Aloft by Guy Murchie are a couple of super books to read about that time. And a couple of Gann's novels were taken from incidents he experienced in his 20 plus years of airline flying, and that were recounted in Fate Is The Hunter: Islands In The Sky (also a movie starring John Wayne) and The High And The Mighty (also a movie starring John Wayne) will also give a picture of those earlier days. Both movies are good, too, but hard to find.

 

But I'm curious why ETOPS is in your thread title? To the best of my knowledge, ETOPS wasn't heard of back then (first rule in 1953, I think), and I see nothing in the article related to it. And the DC-4 is a four engine bird, so even the early ETOPS wouldn't apply, since it was originally only for two-engine aircraft.

 

Anyway, thanks for the article.

 

Larry N.

As Skylab would say:

Remember: Aviation is NOT an exact Science!

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Never heard of Engines Turn Or Passengers Swim? That was the joke many pilots had for ETOPS, especially for those of us who flew twin engine aircraft across the ocean for years without a government mandated nanny program in place.

 

Met a guy at Bangor Airport preparing to take a Piper Arrow across the pond. He had a Robinson tank with a hand pump strapped into the copilot seat and an immersion suit. I thought the PC-12 and TBM guys were taking a chance, but at least they have a very dependable PT6. Taking a Lycoming or Continental across the pond seemed like poking Murphy in the eye and daring him into action. At least with the DC-4 you could blow a jug and the engine would keep firing.

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Those were the days!

People dressed for a flight, they served what nowadays is barely ever seen in first class any more to everyone, with silverware, glasses, napkins...

Cigars for those who desired them, you could smoke cigarrettes if you liked, you could sleep, get up and gather someplace to chit-chat, read, whatever you wanted. Seats you could actually fit in without looking like Twiggy. Who remembers HER??

I remember having to wear a suit and tie for our vacation flights over to Hawaii every year. What a relief to finally get to our little cabin on the Poipu Sheraton's Golf Course and get into shorts and a T-shirt again. But the way I was raised, it was NORMAL to wear a suit and tie on an airplane. And eat well, which for a young boy was very important :) AND we could SMOKE, if we got into the right section. Space A after all, but free tickets...

Sorry, I just remember those days a lot more fondly than trying to fly these days, packed in like cattle, with some people that SMELL like cattle...NO food, drinks costing a fortune. It's almost better to take a train any more.

It's going to get like before flight, where most folks live their entire lives within 10 miles of where they were born.

Pat☺

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

Had a thought...then there was the smell of something burning, and sparks, and then a big fire, and then the lights went out! I guess I better not do that again!

Sgt, USMC, 10 years proud service, Inactive reserve now :D

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Nice memories you've brought back, Pat. No security checks, a decent amount of room per seat, fairly good food (though some complained about "airline food"), occasionally there might be a chance to look into the cockpit, even in flight, people cared about how they looked, not only dressing up for travel (train OR airline), but even for going out to nice restaurants.

 

I actually enjoyed airline travel back then. But I've not been on an airliner in this century. Even in the mid- and late 90s seat space was getting smaller, food not as good, often nothing but a snack, people don't seem to care about their appearance any more.

 

A lot of things went downhill after airline deregulation, and even more after security started getting tight.

 

I even remember when we could taxi a Cessna up to the airline terminal building (staying out of the way of the big birds, and park it to go in and eat a fancy dinner in the airport restaurant, then get in the airplane and leave. If you were a charter pilot, you could go right to the terminal to pick up a passenger (or drop one off).

 

Larry N.

As Skylab would say:

Remember: Aviation is NOT an exact Science!

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and even more after security started getting tight.

And the sad thing is, and I am NOT a terrorist, or SpecFor type at all, but the last few times I've gone on a flight, I looked at the "security, and thouught to myself "I could walk in here with a pistol and a spare mag, and take a commercial bird wherever I wanted...".

I used to work for some Israelis, and they laugh at the TSA and the "security" they seem to enforce. It's a joke.

In Israel, not only are the pilots all former IAF pilots, and very well trained, but they have soldiers in their terminals. With military weapons. Not some fat pig sitting on a stool nibbling on candy all day, with a little .38 revolver they've never fired or cleaned, when they aren't trying to feel up some poor woman. Or man...

Sorry. /END RANT

Pat☺

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

Had a thought...then there was the smell of something burning, and sparks, and then a big fire, and then the lights went out! I guess I better not do that again!

Sgt, USMC, 10 years proud service, Inactive reserve now :D

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Those were the days - except for flight duration. Made a similar flight with a IcelandAir DC-6 New York City - Gander - Reykjavik - Oslo - Copenhagen in 1960. In Reykjavik we were bussed to a restaurant in the city for a fine dinner. Enjoyed the cocktails and smoking anywhere anytime!
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