Pan Am: how was it, is the TV show unrealistic?
#31
Join Date: Apr 2002
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#33
Join Date: Apr 2011
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I was pretty young when I flew PA, but I agree with the Op that said he did not recall the crews being that young.
I don't either, unless, at the time, I was young enough to think that a 35 year old was a senior dude.
And indeed, everyone seemed to smoke in those days (except me - or so I thought) and I hated cigarette smoke. That was the worst part of flying years ago to me. Could not stand the 2nd hand smoke.
Funny how they had "Smoking" and "non-Smoking" AREAS of the plane, while we all inhaled 2nd hand smoke in that tube.
Ah, the good old days.
I don't either, unless, at the time, I was young enough to think that a 35 year old was a senior dude.
And indeed, everyone seemed to smoke in those days (except me - or so I thought) and I hated cigarette smoke. That was the worst part of flying years ago to me. Could not stand the 2nd hand smoke.
Funny how they had "Smoking" and "non-Smoking" AREAS of the plane, while we all inhaled 2nd hand smoke in that tube.
Ah, the good old days.
#34
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I watched it and found it terrible. In fact, I had to struggle to not quit halfway through. The graphics made Microsoft Flight Sim 2000 look state of the art and the writing was so LAZY. "Hmm, who should we have be the sexually liberated F/A? The French Girl? SOLD!"
#35
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 1
Pan AM uniforms on TV: authentic or not?
Here's a site that has posted pics of Pan Am stewardesses that's really interesting...
http://pambee.com/2011/09/30/nostalg...otos-and-more/
I love the one with the stewardess sitting in the jet engine, a pose I understand that many stewardesses back in the day were allowed to do.
The other difference I see between the TV show and reality is that the TV show's stewardess uniforms are a little tighter and form fitting than the photos on this site. Take a look at the first photo at http://pambee.com/2011/09/30/nostalg...otos-and-more/.
I bet you can guess why ABC made their uniforms a little tighter than reality...RATINGS!
http://pambee.com/2011/09/30/nostalg...otos-and-more/
I love the one with the stewardess sitting in the jet engine, a pose I understand that many stewardesses back in the day were allowed to do.
The other difference I see between the TV show and reality is that the TV show's stewardess uniforms are a little tighter and form fitting than the photos on this site. Take a look at the first photo at http://pambee.com/2011/09/30/nostalg...otos-and-more/.
I bet you can guess why ABC made their uniforms a little tighter than reality...RATINGS!
#38
Join Date: Jul 2003
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Airplane geek moment for which I apologize in advance:
[GEEK]
When you see the engines with the grouping of small exhaust pipes you are looking at Rolls Royce Conway turbofans, which denote a variant of the 707 called the 707-420. This was actually a later variant of the airplane, first delivered in 1960, and comparatively rare; only 37 were built. BOAC requested the -420 variant from Boeing (presumably to throw a UK engine manufacturer the business). But Pan Am and others did take delivery of some. They would have joined the fleet new in 1963 as depicted in the TV program.
[GEEK]
When you see the engines with the grouping of small exhaust pipes you are looking at Rolls Royce Conway turbofans, which denote a variant of the 707 called the 707-420. This was actually a later variant of the airplane, first delivered in 1960, and comparatively rare; only 37 were built. BOAC requested the -420 variant from Boeing (presumably to throw a UK engine manufacturer the business). But Pan Am and others did take delivery of some. They would have joined the fleet new in 1963 as depicted in the TV program.
Yours in geekiness
W
#39
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,508
Afraid not. PAA never operated Conway-powered 707s, the 'cluster' of noise suppressors was common to the JT3C and JT4A engines as well. Only 3 707s were delivered to PAA in 1963 and they were all -321C with JT3D engines which did not have the cluster. However the 5 707s delivered in 1962 were -321B so we'll give the show's producers a bit of leeway in making such a small error.
Yours in geekiness
W
Yours in geekiness
W
http://www.hulu.com/watch/19050/satu...ive-nick-burns
#40
Join Date: Sep 2011
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After watching the show, one thing that I particularly liked was when they went off to London, they were out of touch. No cellphones, no internet, nothing. I was just in London and I had 2 cellphones, internet, and was never out of touch. I know that I could leave it all behind, but in today's world that is becoming exceedingly difficult to make work, at least for me. The scene where they are sitting in a pub having a drink was awesome. No contact to regular life back home, no distractions, a simpler time.
#41
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As for the show I pretty much agree with everyone else. I wasn't blown away, but will probably watch again.
#42
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I'm still watching. I just wish they'd have hired an airline pilot as a consultant so that the pilots would look a little more realistic in the performance of their jobs.
#43
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It's as if Pan Am was conceived by someone who saw the scene in Catch Me If You Can where Frank Abagnale was pretending to be a Pan Am pilot and strutted through the terminal with a bunch of Pan Am stewardesses (as they then were), and decided to make an entire series about it.
I think I'll pass on any more episodes.
I think I'll pass on any more episodes.
#44
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Never flew PA
but my ice-dance partner interviewed with them, though she ended up with UA.
That aside, I don't remember having to send my carry-on through an x-ray machine when I was traveling last century though THAT arrangement was depicted briefly in one overhead shot.
Anyone corroborate?
TIA
That aside, I don't remember having to send my carry-on through an x-ray machine when I was traveling last century though THAT arrangement was depicted briefly in one overhead shot.
Anyone corroborate?
TIA