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What do you think the most exciting or romantic era was for aviation?

In some ways, the internet has taken a great deal of the mystique out of flying, and while our seats up front are bigger and better than ever, I have to imagine that flying to Fiji in 1966 was a much more exotic experience than today.

So what era or aviation do you think was "peak exotic?" Pick one decade of time for your answer.

My vote goes for 1965-1975.

I'd have to go for the heyday of the flying-boat, when the infrastructure just wasn't there yet, long-haul still took several days, and it was far from guaranteed to work. Jet-lag hadn't been discovered, and Spirit hadn't been invented. We were still pushing the limits of range further and further out, although we're still not quite done yet - London to Sydney is still a one-stopper.

I must admit to sitting on an A380 somewhere over Greenland last year and half-wishing something would go bang, just for the diversion to somewhere I'd never otherwise see, some adventure and a chance to visit one of those all-but forgotten waypoints.

ShanwickOceanic wrote:I'd have to go for the heyday of the flying-boat, when the infrastructure just wasn't there yet,

Funny that you mention it. On this episode of the Futility Closet podcast, I listened to an amazing episode about a PanAm flying boat that got stuck in the SoPac during WWII. It had to make its way home in a WILD way.

That got me thinking about the romance of the era, and thus this thread. I picked 65-75 as it was when aviation was going in bold directions (747 and Concorde) while still having some props roaming the skies.

Your point makes me want to change my vote, though.

That was a great read!

Yours was a good pick, probably the last time anything truly bold was being done.

ShanwickOceanic wrote:I'd have to go for the heyday of the flying-boat,

There was an episode of "America in Color, the 30's" that highlighted a couple that traveled across the pacific in the clipper. I would link to it but the video is blocked in this country. None the less it took on the order of 2 weeks to get from their home somewhere in the midwest to Hong Kong and another week of so to get to Japan. In all I think they were on the road for something like 3 months.

Imagine having to book your hotel sight unseen and then hope that some unforseen circumstance didn't delay your arrival so badly that your reservation went into the trash. But then, back then people were much more civil and accomodating than today's corporations are.

I doubt I would have had much luck back then as I am a spur of the moment type of traveler. The longest lead time I ever had on a trip was the A.net meet to Chernobyl. Even when there is a meet here on netairspace I'm usually non-committal until just a week or two before its date. Perhaps that will change now that I'm retired and my schedule is completely flexible.