This post was prompted by two things today. First, Tom Gill remarked on how important it was to pick the right kind of aircraft for the season (e.g. avoiding range-limited types when there are lots of delays, headwinds, etc.) and tagged me in his post. And second, I realized that my second flight today (IAH-SFO) was on a type of aircraft that I’d never flown before. And got got me thinking: what have I actually flown on?
My first flights, back in 1961, were on Aer Lingus Vickers Viscounts. Today these would be categorized as regional turboprops, along with Saab 340s and so forth. I’m not interested in those. But apart from those, what does the list look like?
Airbus A300: Yes, Air France and Eastern
Airbus A310: NO
Airbus A318: NO
Airbus A319: Yes, mostly United
Airbus A320: Yes, many airlines around the world
Airbus A321: Yes, US Airways and various European carriers
Airbus A330: Yes, various inc. Aer Lingus
Airbus A340: Yes, including Olympic and Jet (but never on the A340-500/A340-600)
Airbus A350: NO (not surprising, given how new it is)
Airbus A380: NO (but I really want to)
Avro RJ: Yes
Boeing 707: NO
Boeing 727: Yes, various, inc. Lufthansa, United
Boeing 737: Yes, all models except the 737-600 (Boeing’s equivalent to the unloved A318)
Boeing 747: Yes, 747-100, 747-200, 747-400. Never on the 747-300 or 747-800
Boeing 757: Yes, both 757-200 (more than I can count) and 757-300 (United, ex-Continental)
Boeing 767: Yes: 767-200, 767-300, and (finally) 767-400
Boeing 777: Yes: 777-200 with United, BA, and many others; 777-300 with Singapore.
Boeing 787: Yes, 787-800 (China Southern); not yet on the 787-900
Canadair CRJ: Yes, all models
Embraer RJs: Yes, most variants
McDonnell Douglas DC8: Yes, various, mostly United.
McDonnell Douglas DC9/MD8x/MD9x: Yes, various, mostly American, Eastern, Northwest, Delta
McDonnell Douglas DC10: Yes, United
McDonnell Douglas MD11: Yes, American
Vickers VC10: Yes, British Airways