Or, referencing my latest complimentary copy of Business & Commercial Aviation (the Oct. issue that is brought to us by the fine folks at "Aviation Week & Space Technology"), the new Gulfstream G650!

Now, there's an airplane!

But, alas, I cannot afford such a lavish sky chariot (I'm approaching retirement, you understand), so I'll have to continue to console myself with my fairly new BMW M3 along with my dear old Lexus RX 350 as a back up (let it be known that I really like automobiles and have so far been able to pay for what I like - that is, so far)....

And, of course, still try for the upgrades on CO and UA........

That's nutin'!

If you're gonna go whole hog (pun intended, of course), then you have to have an....A380 VIP Saloon...the ultimate private jet...

Operating costs slightly in excess of the national debt...

http://www.didntyouhear.com/wp-conte...a380detail.jpg

http://www.indiaonrent.com/forwards/...res/svxuk4.jpg

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/image...96_964x515.jpg

I'm sure we shall see one or more of these "corporate" A380s delivered to "private" interests in the Gulf States and/or the Saudi Arabian peninsula....

And these "private" interests will operate them until the oil & gas revenue runs out....

Good Lord, and I thought Hugh Hefner was bad when he took delivery of a brand new DC-9-30 ("Bunny One") in Long Beach all those years ago......:p

I took three of those "pub" flights in 1993: HNL - GUM / DPS -GUM - HNL. Once the flight hit cruising altitude they announced "the pub is open!" Right around that time was when CO was introducing BusinessFirst. In contrast to that version of BusinessFirst, most anyone would be glad to see the pub go. While the concept was great, it was VERY dated, and no thought had been put into it since someone vomited orange and red all over the walls and covered the three barstools with red pleather.

My favorite touch is the economy-style cabin for the sub-peons at the back of the (air)bus...must be a pretty cr*ppy feeling to be sitting in a regular ole' airline seat knowing that the Sheik of Araby ahead is sleeping in sybaritic, imperial comfort in his King-size bed...one of four bedrooms on board.

The sad thing is that, for all the outrageous excess, it's probably cheaper than some co-op apartments on Park Avenue...:eek::D

This is a Pan Am lounge from 2001...
http://i.cnn.net/v5cache/TCM/Images/...0220051550.gif

Hal, open the pod bay door...

Hal, open the pod bay door...

Hal?

-Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that

No? OK, how about getting me that EUA?

-You're kidding, right?

Well, way back in the day, I got to take a look inside Mr. Hefner's DC-9-30 when I lived near SBA. The aircraft was parked at SBA Aviation and I also got to meet Hugh.

The airplane on the outside was painted black. For which, as I understand it, Hugh had get approval from the FAA.

The inside was something else: part disco party pad, part flying film screening room. Oh, there was a really big king sized bedroom as well (for sleeping on long flights, I think........;)).

It was a really cool airplane, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to see it and meet Hugh.

:cool:

I once did an documentary on Donald Trump and we got to shoot inside his 727...it had winglets and, of course, the gaudy Trump interior...I know he put up for sale recently...I'm not sure if there have been any takers...

http://www.controller.com/listingsde...VE/1175026.htm

i wish i would have flown one of those flights. Would have been a great way to remember CO

I was browsing the web and came upon this:

http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net...sJoyQnUk_c.jpg

A "coach" lounge on AA's 747...simply amazing.

You can't see it in this ad, but their coach lounge had a piano:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruthann/2267801838/

thanks for sharing. I love to hear the stories from the old timers.

Continental flight 27, DC10. In 1989, I flew the EWR/SFO/HNL portion seat 4B eating chateau breaund(?) carved seat side for dinner then enjoyed the "pub" in the section between 1st. class and coach. That flight continued to MEL. Good times! :)

I experienced the AA coach lounge on the 747 back in 1971 from SFO to ORD.....

That was a long time ago (I had just graduated from high school) but I do remember that it was quite nice as the flight was not full that day in Y.

I also connected to this AA 747 flight via SFO Helicopter Airlines from OAK. Rotorcraft was a Sikorsky S-61. This was my first flight in a helicopter. I also remember there was an unbelievably low joint fare offered, which I think was less than $20 one way for the SFO Helicopter flight......

I logged quite a few thousand miles aboard Continental back when Bob Six ran it as the best domestic airline in America. I am happy to provide a few photos that might shed further light on the topic of Continental's lounges:


http://images43.fotki.com/v1386/phot...TALDC10-vi.jpg
Continental's DC-10-10 with both First and Coach Class lounges


http://images47.fotki.com/v1403/phot...SIANPUB-vi.jpg
Continental's Polynesian Pub aboard the DC-10


http://images45.fotki.com/v1428/phot...NTAL747-vi.jpg
Continental's Beautiful 747-124 with three lounges


http://images46.fotki.com/v1416/phot...ALOUNGE-vi.jpg
The Oceania Lounge upstairs on the 747

Flying sure was a lot nicer back then!