Tour of Duty 27th June 2018 to 28th July 2018
Part VII: 28th July
I awoke Saturday 28th of July to a warm but not terribly hot day. There were no suitable trips available at least not without a long layover. A ticket was booked on AA IAD-LAX and I used miles for First Class. A rental car was booked from Frederick, MD to IAD. I was picked up and had to wait for a car to be ready. Actually it was a Ford F-150 pickup truck. I went to
Costco to take on unleaded fuel at 2.639$ per gallon in Frederick, MD and I had midday rations there. Then I headed east on the 270 to the southbound 495 Capital Beltway then I took the eastbound George Washington Memorial Parkway, a road that is off limits to larger commercial motor vehicles. I headed into Alexandria, VA and took some pictures of Old Town Alexandria and the waterfront before heading to IAD. I turned in the rental car then got the shuttle to the terminal at IAD. I checked in and checked my bags and the weight was OK. I cleared security after a queue and did not get PreCheck. I did not opt out due to time constraints. Total time from beginning of check in to clear of security was a little under 30 minutes.
American Airlines #1339 IAD-LAX B-737-800 Group 1
Seat 4A First Class Cruising altitude 30,000 feet later 36,000 feet Estimated flying time 4:58, actual 4:57
Depart: Gate B79 Scheduled departure 18h57, actual 19h16 Taxi: 13 minutes
Arrive: Gate 40 Scheduled 21h40, actual 21h46 Taxi/hold: 19 minutes
Reclaim checked bags 28-31 minutes after arrival
We boarded via jetway. First Class was full and I learned there was only one or two empty seats in the Main Cabin. The plane was a Boeing B-737-800 with capacity of 16F/144Y for a total capacity of 160. It was announced it was 75F and winds from the west at LAX. A predeparture beverage was offered and accepted. I had a soda in a plastic cup. Pushback was 19 minutes late followed by takeoff to the north and a turn to the west. I saw Interstate 66 at 0:03 and we crossed Interstate 81 at 0:10. There was Moist Towel Service at 0:13. At 0:23 meal orders were taken over West Virginia. The only choice left was Chicken Meatbells with Polenta Sauce for the main dish and that's what I would have ordered anyway. We crossed Interstate 77 between Charleston, WV and Parkersburg, WV at 0:30. At 0:31 I saw the Charleston, WV area to the distance. At 0:33 we crossed the Kanawha River. At 0:34 we crossed the Ohio River and I Huntington, WV and vicinity to the distance.
At 0:42 I got glass and can of soda plus some mixed nuts while over the southern tip of Ohio. We crossed Interstate 75 over northern Kentucky a little south of the Cincinnati area at 0:51. At 0:54 I was served the meal on a tray (except for dessert) and in addition to the main dish there was some corn which I am allergic to and a salad that did not look appetising. However the main dish of Chicken Meatballs and Polenta Sauce was tasty. I saw Interstate 71 in northern Kentucky at 0:55. We crossed the Ohio River into southern Indiana airspace at 0:56. At :57 I was offered bread and I chose Sourdough bread. The other choices were Whole Wheat and Cheese Bread. At 0:59 we crossed Interstate 65 and I saw Louisville, KY and vicinity to the distance. At 1:00 the seatbelt sign went off. At 1:12 we crossed the Wabash River into Illinois airspace near Vincennes, IN. At 1:20 we crossed Interstate 57 and I saw Mt. Vernon, IL and Rend Lake farther out. Then I saw Interstate 64.
The seatbelt sign went on at 1:23 as I felt a few bumps. Clouds increased at 1:24 approaching the St-Louis area. We crossed the Mississippi River at 1:29 just south of St-Louis, MO. I saw the Mississippi River and Interstate 55 through a break in the clouds. At 1:34 orders were taken for Sundaes. At 1:35 we crossed Interstate 44 and I saw Rolla, MO. I got Hot Fudge Sundae made to order at 1:39. Seatbelt sign went off at 1:49. We climbed to 36,000 feet as we entered Kansas. Seatbelt sign went on at 2:18 as we crossed Interstate 35 south of Wichita, KS and I felt some bumps. Seatbelt sign went off at 2:58. I asked for and got ice water at 3:05 over northeast New Mexico. I saw the lights of Albuquerque, NM and vicinity at 3:25. At 3:28 a Snack Basket was offered and I chose Potato Chips. I forget what the other choices were. At 3:34 I got more water and saw the lights of Grants, NM.
Seatbelt sign went on at 3:47 over northeast Arizona. At 4:04 I saw lightning over northwest Arizona. I felt descent begin and descent was announced at 4:32. We crossed Interstate 15 and I saw Corona/Norco at 4:45. I got a mint at 4:48 while crossing California 57 near Diamond Bar. We crossed Interstate 605 at 4:51. We crossed Interstate 710 at 4:53. We crossed Interstate 110 at 4:54 and I was on the wrong side of the plane to see downtown Los Angeles. We crossed Interstate 405 at 4:56 and we landed east to west on one of the north runways and we had a longish taxi and arrived at gate 6 minutes late. We deplaned via jetway and I reclaimed my checked bags after a wait. I got transport home to end this tour of duty.
I do have some observations as I have flown on this same route on American three times previous. In the summer of 1976 I was a NRSA in coach on a Boeing 707 and a complimentary meal was served. I think there was a movie. Estimated flying time on that flight was 4:43. In February 1979 I was a NRSA in First Class on a Boeing 707 and there was no doubt a meal and probably a movie. Estimated flying time was 5:13 on that flight. In the summer of 1980 I was a NRSA in First Class on a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and I was in seat 1A. No doubt there was a meal and estimated flying time was 4:36 on that flight.
I must say the meal service is not what it was like during the 1976-1980 time period. If you were to take away the mixed nuts, choice of breads and the Hot Fudge Sundae for dessert the meal I had in First Class in 2018 would be equivalent to a complimentary meal in coach in the 1976-1980 time period. Also there was more legroom in coach. The DC-10 I was on in 1980 had a capacity of 44F/220Y for a total capacity of 264 and there was usually a crew of 13. Configuration for First Class was 2x2x2 and Coach was 2x5x2 by that time. In earlier years Coach was 2x4x2.
Dulles International Airport was different during the 1976-1980 time frame. Passengers did have to go through security to board flights but security was not nearly as big a deal as it is today. In addition people could pass through security and see someone off or pick someone up at the gate. Furthermore passengers and visitors were not asked to show identification either at the ticket counter or prior to entering security. Also there were not the numerous concourses that Dulles International Airport has today. Instead there was the one terminal building and the planes parked at remote stands. There were mobile lounge vehicles that passengers boarded that went to the planes and passengers boarded directly from those mobile lounge vehicles so no stairs were required and passengers were not subject to the weather. Today there are concourses and passengers board via jetway except for small regional jets.