I started flying shortly after 1989 and smoking was not allowed in the cabin. I'm so glad, too. I couldn't imagine being trapped inside a plane with everyone lighting up. God that must have smelled disgusting. I do remember flying coach and getting a full tray meal though! Surprisingly good quality video for 1989!
That continental DC-10 At the end looks so classy and elegant, that sun dusk reflection fits so well to its colors, really miss that livery also mexicana golden
Pre 9/11, smoking allowed, meals served, flight attendants not kicking you off flights or dragging you down the isles. Man the nicer days of flight. The 727 always had a long takeoff roll for some reason but the flight was so smooth most of the time. Thanks for sharing!
The story is that this was a former Piedmont crew flying as a USAir crew after their airline was purchased by USAir in 1989. USAir bought 22.8% of the Piedmont stock that Tom Davis the Piedmont CEO previously sold to Norfolk Southern Railroad. I flew as a Piedmont captain for 17 years in the '70s, '80s and '90s, being a '727 captain from '84 until sometime in '88 when I switched over to the '767. My usual trip's first leg was from CLT to LAX using long range 'Piedmont '727s purchased from PSA and TWA, with one formerly being a USAir '727. A normal '727 could not make it to either west coast destination without a fuel stop, but the long range variety could. One or two of those long range '727s grossed 198,000#, while the rest could gross about 201,000#, so their range actually varied somewhat. The '767-200ER Piedmont bought to replace those '727s on those domestic routes had a 5500 NM range, which meant it could go from CLT to Frankfort, Germany with fuel reserves, the plane that most times replaced the '727 on those long range routes as soon as USAir could find buyers for their long range '727s, which were fast but they were fuel suckers.
The first type aircraft I remember ever flying on was a 727, and I had flown on many since then. They will always be my all-time favorite airliner. I love their sleek proud lines and that intense powerful roar from those Pratt and Whitney JT8D engines! Airliners to today do not have that wow factor; not even an inkling.
Thanks for answering my question on that. So miss Piedmont Airlines. Fond memories of Piedmont Airlines and Charlotte. My first ride on a widebody was Piedmont 767 from LAX to CLT when they were first purchased. That was a frequent flyer miles award ticket I got as a teenager avgeek.
Thank you for this video. You have done everyone a service by posting this. The audio is absolutely incredible, and the video quality is amazing! I felt like I was flying to SFO on a 727 in 1989 while I was watching this!
They don't give complimentary anything anymore maybe a complimentary bag of alpo or stale peanuts you can't do anything it's like a flying jailhouse I'd rather walk or take a train
3:20 Flight Attendant says it’s ok to smoke as long as you are sitting in a designated smoking section. In September 1989, smoking was only banned on domestic flights less than 2 hours. In February 1990, the FAA would ban smoking on domestic flights that last 6 hours or less which would include this flight. 5:53 Flight Attendant gives landing notice to passengers and asks passengers to extinguish cigarettes if smoking
"Flight attendants will be now passing around complimentary quaaludes to get you through this long flight with nothing to do other than listening to screaming children"
Also they traded out food and comfort for enhanced safety yes you all will say what about the maxes that crashed those two incidents even in close proximity to each other pales in comparison to back during the 90s you heard about a high fatality plane crash every year so while food and comfort are becoming more scarce so are fatal plane crashes so what do you want food and little attention to hidden dangers or little food and a lot of detailed attention to hidden dangers I'd rather be stranded at the next airport than push pilots way past even the limits of today and be permanently stranded at a grave I believe it is too easy to get a fast food meal because look back then flights were almost 400 dollars back in the 90s which would equal to 800 in today's money so those meals weren't free you paid for it whether you wanted food or not.
When jets actually sounded like jets, when meals were actually meals and not snacks, and even when the seats on coach were as comfy as business class today. The word Glorious certainly defines those days.
Nah it’s not to bad... it’s on the longer end of its range but that’s what they did back in the day. Believe it or not 757 was intended as its replacement at first. Their original range was pretty close to the same.. 727-200 had a good range.
Cool video, thanks! Wow, that B727 screams and roars!! I love the interior ..what a blast from the '70s! It still features the pearlescent panels with a pattern, and no wide-body look, so I assume it was not part of the late 727 deliveries made to USair in the '80s... I mean, the interior was already looking dated by 1989 standards.. I do miss the 727..I know it was burning a ton of fuel more than the current jets, but it somehow felt so much more "aircraft" (=flying machine) than a 738-800, or a plasticky A320.. sorry, my two cents! I remember RJ and NW crews complaining at first that the A320 felt too light in turbulence compared to the '27!!
Isn't it funny how when airlines served meals everyone made jokes about how bad airline food is, and now that the airlines don't serve meals, everyone complains how no food is served.....
Same as Hospital food, everyone complains about the quality, but if nothing was given to them, they would die of starvation, or whinging into their pizza or Mcdonald's smuggled in by family.
diapermanful I believe the ones who complain, weren’t even alive back then. I’m glad they don’t serve food. It really did suck. Better off buying a Dave’s Double Combo with chili for the fries, in the airport terminal instead 🤣
Lol that is funny. I've never complained about the inflight meals which had decent meals wheather was lunch, dinner or breakfast, miss those days of inflight meals.
This brings back good memories of flying from Little Rock to New Orleans in the early 90's on a Delta 727. Sitting in the back, just in front of the engine cowlings by the window. Almost time to land, looking out at the sun setting, and listening to Chicago's "Wishing you were here" on those stethoscope-type headphones plugged into the armrest. Hearing the comforting engine sounds spooling up and down with the light smell of someone's cigarette smoke, I tucked away my unopened Delta stamped peanuts and saved the Delta napkin. I also got to keep my headset. It was a vintage plane even then- so special to travel on. I also got to fly on a TWA DC-9 Series 10 that was manufactured in 1968. Thanks for posting 😊
Those were the good days. The only thing you had to pay for back then was alcoholic beverages. Everything else was complimentary. Unlimited drinks of coffee, soda, and even snacks before the main course. And yes, they had smoking sections. You could get up and use the restroom any time you needed to. The seats were big. The passengers and flight attendants respected each other. Flying was a pleasure, something to look forward to.
THIS is what I remember takeoff sounding like! The roar of the engines and all the creaks and rattles as you rocket down the runway - I loved the 727s, they were always my favorite plane. (And oh my gosh, a smoking flight! LOL #nostalgia)
My goodness.... "Smoking is now permitted in the designated smoking areas" Seems so alien these days. Complimentary dinner is another thing that's gone the way of the DoDo too!
Those were the days when could smoke on plane, Delta started the non smoking flights in 1980 something then all other airlines did the same there after.
@@doug9066, I think you meant 1990, not 1980. Throughout the 80s, domestic flights had their smoking and non-smoking sections, like the one in this video (1989).
@@warrenhuffman4236, yeah, airlines have definately done their job in making flights more uncomfortable for us. No meals, no smoking, less friendly flight attendant service, more uptight security (you can thank all those terrorist psychos for that last one)
Thank you. I flew on a number of Continental flights - international and domestic - this month and year. It helps me remember a bit of what it was like.
Great video. It really brings back memories of flying on 727's--- the JT8D engines, the wing and sounds of the flaps. It almost feels like I'm actually on the plane. The 727 was always a favorite plane for me. It was an absolutely magnificent-looking aircraft. Now most of the planes look alike with 1 engine under each wing. The good old days. Smoking or non-smoking? Tray meal service in coach.
Complimentary meals.. Now that's something you won't get at nowaday's domestic flight. Flew to Seattle from NY last summer and all i got were cookies, peanuts, and pretzels. I miss flying back in the days.. :(
The Foodie Duos - Christila U on our way back from Alaska the flight attendant had a full crapload of jumbo chocolate chip cookies on the tray just before landing. Pretty decent flight.
Wow, thick economy seats...with leg room. And complementary dinner service. Back then, when airlines cared for the customers and did not squeeze them for every penny they're worth today. Back to my real post: WOW...back when 727s ruled the skies. I flew four times on a 727 and I still miss those three holers. Thank you for posting the experience on how to fly on them!
What a magnificent record of a 727 take off/landing and interior. Very similar to a US Air 727 flight I was on from Pittsburgh to LAX in January of 1988. Window seat as usual. View of the Rocky Mountains while enjoying a Bloody Mary and a delicious hot omlette. They had real ovens on board.
Thanks for the memories. When I was a boy my parents would fly me to relatives for summer trips, and the 727s are so reminiscent of those days. I fell in love with flying, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The airlines served their customers back then. You couldn't pay me to fly these days with the condescending and suspicious attitude you receive from the check-in to the final gate. Not to mention TSA... Get rid of TSA and bring back PSA!
Wow- took me right back to some of favorite flights during that period. The mighty 727 was an incredibly powerful machine. I rode aboard so many! Thanks for posting this look back to a friendlier time to fly. Also like the UTA, Mexicana, and Continental DC-10...and BA 747.
In March of '90, My Dad and I flew from Portland, Oregon to Boston, Massachusetts on a United 727-200 with a stopover in Denver at the still active Stapleton International Airport for refueling and dropping off and picking up passengers, We were in Coach, The flight to Denver went quick but the Boston flight seemed like an ETERNITY!! However, On the way back, We flew First Class in a DC-10 to Chicago and then a 727-200 to Portland, So that was WAY more tolerable for us!!! That was still United
The 727 is my all time favorite aircraft! Its sad that they arent flying anymore in the states :( It was a workhorse. This is a rare video and awesome. The last time I flew a 727 its was from SFO to CVG on Delta back in 99. 3 hours and 45 min long haul. It was awesome!
Thank you so much for the video. As a kid, I flew PIT to SFO on a US 727 and must say it was good service back then. I especially loved all the DC-10s in the background. Aircraft are a little too homogeneous today.
+carleton morris Really? I don't really think it was all that "glamorous" in the 80's. I like these old plane vids but I see these comments constantly saying how great the 80s were. I feel flying today is much nicer than in the 80s, especially if you're traveling international or on a good domestic carrier. The 80's were kind of a dark time for flying. Not a particularly safe decade either. Sure you got fed , the service was a little more personable and the flights were less crowded but it wasn't that great. Those old birds were cool loud mechanical things but most of them were dated, drab and they smelled, --especially with people smoking on them-- Like kerosene, cigarette buts, rusty metal, odd food, brittle plastic and beer farts. The food in coach wasn't great either, about on par with hospital food at the time, maybe worse. Don't get me wrong, I like the nostalgia because that's when I was a kid flying but in this decade you can get far more for your money. Entertainment systems, wifi, beds, bars, lounges, private rooms, on demand food/drink service, interactivity with other seats, you can even see what's happening outside the plane via a camera. I'll take an 80's coach fare, adjust it for inflation and fly a lot more glamorous today in first or business class.
@@bmused55 (s)he spoke the truth. But my best landing in the 727 was at LAX....it rolled on. The Captain and flight engineer couldn't believe it. Also, after one of my landings a retired 727 Captain from my airline who was a passenger told my Captain that that was the best 727 landing he experienced.
Thanks for sharing. As a boy I spent hundreds of hours at Melbourne Tullamarine airport watching TAA @ ANNSET 727-100S & 727-200S .I nowadays I have an AMERICAN AIRLINES -200 proudly in my living che
The captain flew that thing right into the ground haha! Didn't pull back on the throttle until those wheels were planted. -- Must have been a Navy pilot...
When I was a teenager in the 80's my brother and I used to fly to Philly several times a year to visit our father & step mother so we flew Piedmont (we had to fly to BWI & he'd pick us up there) and then USAir when they bought them out. I remember being very disappointed early on that we weren't allowed to wander around and hang out in the gally like they did in the movies lol. Planes seemed so much bigger in the movies!
Wow, saw someone smoking! That's a blast from the past! Great vid, I flew on these birds so many times between Kingston, Jamaica and Miami in the 80s and 90s til Air Jamaica introduced the A320 family in the mid 90s. That sound is so unmistakable.
Excellent video footage! The editing is well done too. You really get a feel for what it was like to fly the 727 back in the day! Not to mention the complimentary dinner! You know, I never smoked, but I always requested to sit in the "smoking section" anyway! You could really hear those amazing engines and the people were friendlier back there... Back when strangers actually talked to each other!
Great nostalgic video!!! One of Piedmonts long haul trans con routes with the ol' 727-200. The shots of SFO in '89 are priceless especially seeing the UTA DC-10!
You do a great job with your uploaded vintage footage. You simply let the planes and the surroundings speak for themselves, rather than making yourself the focus as modern vloggers do. Your videos are documents and artifacts giving the viewers a realistic glimpse into a time gone by.
Some 727s had a 5700lbs aux fuel tank in the fuselage. One opened that tank by pulling down the leading edge Kruger flap, reaching in and pulling down the lever which opened the valve for that tank. Same for Delta 727s to the west coast, they took a LOT of runway at CVG. Flights to the west coast were a mix of 727/757 and 767s, mostly determined by the loads.
Crazy to think that about 30 days from this flight (in October 1989), the Bay Bridge and San Francisco would be heavily damaged, and many killed, by the Loma Prieta earthquake.
I remember hanging out at the end of the runway in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and when the 27's took off, we'd get blown into the ocean! All three of those engines pointed at the back had so much thrust! It seems like people love the 27 more than any other jet airliner. There's a shell of a 27 next to the runway at BUF where they train the emergency responders. It's nice to see it sitting there, but kind of sad too.
I miss the 3 holers. The 727-100 a PSA flight from KBUR-KSMF was the first flight I ever took in 1974. In 1998 a Boeing 727-251 was the first aircraft I released as an aircraft dispatcher. I do miss the 72’s.
Good Times! Thank you for actual sound.... not a Topgun, Eye of the Tiger soundtrack! "Complimentary Dinner"....that's a blast from the past! Again. Thanks-
Wow, simply amazing. Great video and it's very interesting to see the changes made at SFO over the years and how it compares to the looks of it nowadays. Well done
Same - on a Continental domestic flight in the US in this exact month and year actually. To Newark, if I remember right. Not sure if it was a 727 or a DC-9 - I just remember a big engine right outside the window, towards the back of the plane. The smokers were the row behind. I sure could smell the smoke.
It's been so long that I honestly do not remember the exact length . . . but I would say probably around 4 and a half to 5 hours. Just in case any one is wondering, it was indeed non-stop. These 727s were fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks. I think Piedmont/USAir had 5 or six that were used for transcon flights.
"Burn one at 5:15"!! I remember lighting up back then! LOL! Do that now, you'd be in Pelican Bay on bread and water! A lot of memories in this great clip, thank you for posting SDMullis.
+FSAUDIOGUY I think about that a lot. If I went back to the 80's, the first thing I'd have to get re-adjusted to is people, smoking, EVERYWHERE! Even in most of the 90's.
I still miss the Boeing 727s. They had character, very loud to hear on takeoff, and they leave trails of smoke as they take off. Today's aircraft, however, are so quiet that they're boring to watch.
I didn't think a 727 could make it that far. Must've been running on fumes when she landed. Also strange to see people smoking on a plane! And nothing like the whine of the 727 engine. I sure miss that.
Line up in San Francisco is a gold rush for airline geeks - DC-10s of UTA and Continental, Qantas 747SP, Northwest Orient 757 etc. UTA is the standout for me - a French airline flying from Northern California to the South Pacific, très exotique
Onboard, this plane looks better then most of todays aircrafts. I wonder if this aircraft is still in service today. Great video with even better quality than most of todays crap :-)
