I'm an aerogeek - a person with an airliner fetish. No, I don't run around dressed up like a Braniff flight attendant circa 1967, asking "coffee, tea or me?" but I have been known to stop my car in order to watch a plane land. And if I'm at an airport waiting to board a flight, you can be sure to find me in a trance-like state by a window near the runway.
So when I found Airliners.net, it was like joining the Mile High Club all over again. Seriously, this site is a never-ending multiple airgasm. There are thousands of photos of airliners. All kinds, too. Vintage, military, commercial, private - you name it, they've got it.
During the Second World War, my dad was a gunner on a B-17 bomber and became a bit of an aerogeek himself. When I was about five years old, he started taking me to the airport to watch the planes take off and land. We'd sit in his Chevy convertible just beyond the fence where the runway ended, and stare in awe at the propeller-driven DC-6s and Lockheed Electras as they roared over our heads. Since then I've been hooked.
And here's something I'll bet you didn't know. At 239 feet, 3 inches long, 79 feet, 7 inches high, and the capacity to carry 525 passengers, the Airbus A380 is the largest passenger aircraft in flight today. (Thanks to fellow areogeek Cleocatra for pointing that out to me.)
Yeah, I know - Nerd Alert!
4 comments:
Is it bigger than the A380?
http://www.airbus.com/en/aircraftfamilies/a380/
Hi Cleocatra, the A380 is 35% bigger than the 747-400 in seat count and 50% bigger in floor space. Can't wait to watch one of those take off.
For more info:
http://www.gayot.com/lifestyle/aviation/news/airbus_a380.html
Snap I was just sent cleocatra's gravatar in an email and thought it was gorgeous.
Ahem, on topic, my window behind the computer is just in the right place to catch sight of light planes landing/take off from our local airfield. Great especially at night when I see a parade of lights. Being American, I don't suppose you were brought up on a diet of 'Biggles' books.
Hey Jahteh, I just did a quick search on Biggles books. Very, very cool! Wish I'd had access to them as a kid.
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