65 Years and Still Going (Flying AA for 65 years)
 

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Celebrating my 65th Anniversary of my first AA flight.

Celebrating my 65th Anniversary of my first AA flight. Qualified again for EXP in March before the shutdown. My better half who is also EXP and I have lots of flight already booked as I look towards a Century of Flying AA.

That's Awesome, Congrats! RT

that is so cool... congrats

Sent you a PM RE: Capt. William V. Brown

The days when penmanship mattered.

That's awesome!!!
My first flight at 4 months old was on Air France Lima -> Bogota -> Point a Pitre -> Paris in the late 60s (no non-stop LIM-ORY then, CDG did not exist yet).
I did not get anything like that certificate though.

OP: You may want to cross out your last name and dates, there is a lot of things that can be done with name and DOB.

Congratulations! Storehouse of great memories there.

It’s great that you have saved your certificate all these years. Really interesting.

Great post! My first flight was 9 months before I was born ... conceived at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on the honeymoon, and then my parents flew back to the mainland. Does "in utero" count?!

But, no, I didn't become a MP member until my 20s...

You and me both. The very first thing that caught my eye was the signature Mary Jane Clark

Come on - let's see the photo of the diaper you wore on the flight and have preserved all this time :p

Do share. Are there 6 degrees of separation.. ..? would add to a cool thread!

This is super cool. I wish flying were like this today. I know it’s impossible to do in today’s landscape but still.

I suspect you’ve flown on many aircraft as well. I know I’ve got the DC family from -3 through -10 but no -8 on AA and the only -5 was exported, Convair 240 and 990; BAC 111, a ton of Boeing metal, Airbii... MD also. Think of the changes, the huge steps, the drop in prices that opened air travel to so many.

Yeah, not sure about the 6 degrees thing... Just Googled and found the Good Captains Obit

William (Bill) V. Brown Feb 15 1911 - July 15 2002

Taken from his Obit 7/16/02
"Bill was born on February 15, 1911 in Indianapolis, Indiana to Ira and Mary (Stoner) Brown; they both preceded him in death. He married Altha H. Handkins on August 5, 1939 in Marion, Kentucky, she survives.
Bill served as Williamson County Treasurer for 4 years. He also served as treasurer for the Marion Chamber of Commerce and was instrumental in developing the first Industrial Park. He helped establish the Peoples Bank of Marion and was a Charter member, and also did appraisal work for them. He was a member of the Pleasant Grove United Church where he enjoyed ringing the bell for Sunday Services. He served his country proudly during WWII, as a member of the ATC (Air Transport Command) which provided support to the Army Air Command by transporting needed supplies. After his service in The Air Transport Command he flew as a Pilot for American Airlines for sixteen years. Prior to coming to Southern Illinois Bill was a Farmer and also a Broker and owned his own Real Estate Office known as Brown Realty." the Obit also stated he has a Daughter who is an Admiral in the Navy!

In the beginning the majority of our flying was between MDW and either LGA or IDL. We flew DC-4 & 6 as well as the L-188. Jet wise I have flown on just about everything from the BAC-111 to just about every type of jet (not necessarily each model variation) AA operates or operated. A number of those include a significant amount of metal flown as TW, US and PDT. Flew the Constellation a number of times on TW. Also flew on a non-AA DC-3. Walking up the aisle while it was on the ground was like walking up a steep ramp! I also remember my first flight into ORD. The "jetway" was made of bare plywood. Lots and Lots of memories

My congratulations! How wonderful is that certificate - I have never seen anything like that in all my flying career. I know also of some Flight Attendants who have flown for AA, or companies that have merged into AA for more years than I have been on this earth. May you and your Other Half have the health and strength to fly for many more!

Think about all the miles earning you missed while flying before the mid-1980s when the FF program began. Maybe you would be a 2MMer.

I think airlines should give people over a certain age, a handicap for the MMer levels. When I first flew in the 60s the only jets were 707s and DC8s. Thinking of all theTranscons I flew on 747s and DC10s in the 70s and wish I had those miles.in my MM balance.

Thank You! I probably had a couple of Hundred Thousand miles on AA prior to their program. In addition to my my AA flying, I flew over 750K on TW and 500K on US that did not make it over to my AA account.... Due to my ignorance! So, I am probably closing in on 3MM total... Oh well. Still have fond memories of TW's Cart service in F as well as their Hors D'Oeuvres in Business upstairs on the 747-100.

This is wholesome....

How drunk and debauched was the flying experience actually back in the golden age? Did people behave or was it like a Spirit flight between FLL and LAS meets 'Mad Men'?

Also what's your best award redemption - either on AA metal or a partner?

Is it just me or is it a bit awkward to know exactly when you were conceived?

It's Just You! :-) Hell, I can tell ya the Year, Make, and Model of the Station Wagon! RT