Early Aviation Photo Album

Greetings ~

Today, traveling by air is not what it once was. But is anything for that matter? There was a time when air travel was fun, exciting and enjoyable, not to mention, fast!

Ever since the Wright Brothers took to the air right after 1900, man has traveled by airplane to get to a destination faster. Years ago, taking a train across the country could take up to a week. Going from America to Europe on a ship took about five days. But traveling across the country by air took around four hours. Or 12-hours from America to Europe. A vacation was one thing, but a business trip needed to be as quick as possible.

In the 1930s, '40s, '50s and '60s, air flight was pleasent. The planes were comfortable, the seats were clean, the food was pretty good and the service, ah, the service by those attractive stewardesses was so nice. I remember well back in 1972 when I flew a small airline from Trenton, New Jersey to Akron, Ohio during my Army days, there was only about ten of us G.I.'s on the small plane. Two stewardesses served the drinks and actually sat on the arms of our seats and talked the whole flight. Sadly, the flight only lasted for about two hours. We all wanted it to be longer.

Today, the stewardess is called the "flight attendant". It could be a girl or a guy. You have to look the seat over completely before you sit down. I read the story of the man who sat down and found he was sitting in dog crap from a service dog on the last flight. His suit was ruined. Plus there was another person that sat in someone's vomit.

There are nuts who today clip their toenails on the seat beside you and some who go crazy and begin fights. What in the hell is wrong with people today? Some try to open outside doors, others throw things, others are loud. We have so many crazies around today and they actually get onto airplanes.

Then, there's always the threat of terrorism. Plus air crashes. They have to have air marshals onboard just about all aircraft now-a-days. It's so sad. And I won't even get into lost luggage and the airport crew members stealing stuff from your suitcases. But in this blog I share the old pictures of air travel back when people were more settled and more likeable and more "clean". Back when you didn't have to pay extra for baggage. Back when a flight from New York to Florida costs you around $12.00.

So, you can now relax and remove your seatbelt and recline your seat and check these pictures out. And you do not have to worry about a crash. Unless you happen to fall out of your chair.

This blog is dedicated to all those stewardesses who tried so hard to make our trips comfy and enjoyable. Believe me, it wasn't in vain. You all succeeded very well. Their all in their 70s and 80s today. But to me you'll always be that 20-something hot little number that brought me my drink and dinner. Thanks!