An unexpected, but welcome invitation to join our sales team on a visit to the USA to provide technical back up for sales presentations led to this trip. This was my first ever visit to the 'new world', and to say it was an exciting prospect would be an understatement!
Lots of aviation firsts, life firsts, new experiences, new airplanes to fly and view, and plenty of nostalgia for me now in recalling this brief trip. At the time, I had never imagined I would ever visit the United States, let alone one day live there...
Flight: London Gatwick (LGW) -> Los Angeles (LAX)
Airline: Air New Zealand NZ#1 Dep 11/8/93 Arr 11/8/93
Aircraft: 747-419 ZK-NBU MSN 25605 L/N 933 F/F 8/17/92
History: Air New Zealand 9/14/92 - 2/27/12 Retired Goodyear, AZ 5/12 Broken Up
ANZ 747-400 ZK-NBU [1 of 2 flights on this aircraft, also flown LAX-LHR 6/29/01]
This was my first long haul flight, and the first outside of Europe. The 10-11 hour journey was a tedious necessity that I have grown used to over time, tempered by ANZ's excellent service (then, as now). Our aircraft was just 14 months old at the time. The 747-400 is in the twilight of it's career now (see previous "Friday Feature" blog entry.
It was dusk and with patchy fog in places as we landed at Los Angeles, a weather feature I learned was normal and typical for the area at that time of year. Small turboprop commuters - Metroliners and Jetstream 31/32s intermingled with a multitude of 737-200s, 727s, MD-80s and a plethora of wide bodies at this very busy international airport.
Our home for two nights was the airport Marriott, which afforded good views of parts of the south side of the airfield, in glorious winter sunshine throughout the visit.
Flight: Los Angeles (LAX) -> Seattle (SEA)
Airline: United Airlines Depart 11/10/93 Arrive 11/10/93
Aircraft: 737-522 N943UA MSN 26680 L/N 2366 F/F 9/9/92
History: United Airlines 11/2/92 - 9/11/04. Canjet Airlines C-FCGF 12/28/04 - 12/19/06
Air Baltic YL-BBM 5/3/07 - present
United 737-500 N943UA [1 of 2 flights on this aircraft, also flown SEA-SFO 10/30/97]
Flying another less than two year old aircraft, upon arrival I found Seattle could not have been more of a contrast to Los Angeles. Very much like England I had left behind...wet, windy and cold. A beautiful area all the same, and a favorite city of mine ever since. This first visit was for one night (airport Marriott again), a few meetings and straight back to Los Angeles. No opportunities arose to explore Boeing facilities in the area on this occasion. That would be corrected many times over on subsequent visits.
Flight: Seattle (SEA) -> Los Angeles (LAX)
Airline: United Airlines Depart 11/11/93 Arrive 11/11/93
Aircraft: 737-222 N9009U MSN 219047 L/N 24 F/F 4/22/68
History: United Airlines 5/10/68 - 3/5/99. Retired at Carbondale, IL as a ground trainer for Southern Illinois University (and still extant).
737-222 N9009U [My only flight on this aircraft]
While the first two flights were on new aircraft now regarded as classics, this aircraft was already 25 years old at the time of my 1993 flight, and it showed. The interior was well worn and jaded, the ashtrays were the real thing, and well used, and the APU did not work. This necessitated starting one engine with a ground power unit, and then using high (and noisy JT8D) thrust to start the second. Nonetheless this old classic provided a smooth journey back to LAX, and a late evening landing. This was just the 24th 737 built, one of only 50 constructed at Boeing Field, before 737 production moved permanently to Renton.
Another two nights and days in Los Angeles soon passed, and it was time to return to blighty, again courtesy of Air New Zealand. This time aboard ZK-NBT, an over night flight to London. The arrival is one I have never forgotten. The weather was atrocious with vicious cross winds and driving rain in poor visibility. The 747-400 bucked and crabbed, with every element of the wing - flaps, ailerons and slats - all working very hard with constant corrections and adjustments until a firm but very controlled touch down at Gatwick. It was extremely memorable and impressive.
Flight: Los Angeles (LAX) -> London Gatwick (LGW)
Airline: Air New Zealand NZ#2 Depart 11/13/93 Arrive 11/14/93
Aircraft: 747-419 ZK-NBT MSN 24895 L/N 815 F/F 9/28/90
History: Air New Zealand 10/31/90 - 2/12/12. Retired at Goodyear, AZ 5/12 Broken Up
ANZ 747-400 ZK-NBT [1 of 2 flights, my second one being many years later LHR-LAX 12/27/07]
This trip was an eye opener in many ways. First visit to the USA, first long haul flights, first United and Air New Zealand flights, first stays in Marriott hotels. I have remained loyal to all three ever since, with 41 flights on ANZ and 564 on UA. I don't track hotels with this level of detail!
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