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The "Big Five" of Aviation?

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The "Big Five" of Aviation?

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Old May 19, 2016 | 6:36 am
  #16  
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So judging by these posts, most of the big five is extinct.....

I guess those of us who weren't of age in the ancient times (20th century) will just have to make our own list....
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Old May 19, 2016 | 8:59 am
  #17  
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Old May 19, 2016 | 2:16 pm
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The five most influential aircraft in commercial aviation history:

Ford Tri-Motor
Douglas DC-3
Lockheed Constellation
Boeing 707
Boeing 747

There are plenty of other contenders that people loved / love, from the Stratocruiser to the L-1011 to Concorde, that were exciting or beautiful but hardly influential.
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Old May 19, 2016 | 3:19 pm
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For influence I think the Comet must be on the list. The first jet liner, 1952, which, although a step forward in flying also had it's disasters with metal fatigue. However, as wiki says - the aircraft's legacy does include numerous advances in aircraft design and in accident investigations. The inquiries into the accidents that plagued the Comet 1 were perhaps some of the most extensive and revolutionary that have ever taken place, establishing precedents in accident investigation; many of the deep-sea salvage and aircraft reconstruction techniques employed have remained in use within the aviation industry.

It's been said that, without the Comet, Boeing wouldn't have pushed for the 707 so fast.
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Old May 19, 2016 | 3:28 pm
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Originally Posted by lloydah
It's been said that, without the Comet, Boeing wouldn't have pushed for the 707 so fast.
In a sminlar way, the threat of the 880 caused Boeing to go forward with the 727, using the 720 as a stopgap until the 727 was ready.
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Old May 19, 2016 | 5:13 pm
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For me, the all-time Big Five for me would be:

DC-3
Constellation
707
747
Concorde

Each one of them did something groundbreaking in civil aviation. I could be talked out of the 707 in exchange for a Comet, I suppose.

Some of you guys are throwing in military aircraft... If we're going there, then I would put a backseat ride in an SR-71 at #1. But I don't suppose any civilian has ever gotten that privilege...
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Old May 19, 2016 | 8:18 pm
  #22  
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Ok, this thread is pure catnip/crack! ^

If we're going historical, my [commercial] Big 5:
- 747-100
- Comet
- Boeing 314 Flying Clipper
- Zeppelin (cheating, but still!)
- Concorde

And a giant question mark for which gets Honorable Mention.
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Old May 20, 2016 | 7:45 am
  #23  
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Originally Posted by lloydah
For influence I think the Comet must be on the list... It's been said that, without the Comet, Boeing wouldn't have pushed for the 707 so fast.
You make a great point.
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Old May 20, 2016 | 2:30 pm
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Originally Posted by lloydah
For influence I think the Comet must be on the list. The first jet liner, 1952, which, although a step forward in flying also had it's disasters with metal fatigue. However, as wiki says - the aircraft's legacy does include numerous advances in aircraft design and in accident investigations. The inquiries into the accidents that plagued the Comet 1 were perhaps some of the most extensive and revolutionary that have ever taken place, establishing precedents in accident investigation; many of the deep-sea salvage and aircraft reconstruction techniques employed have remained in use within the aviation industry.

It's been said that, without the Comet, Boeing wouldn't have pushed for the 707 so fast.
The only thing the Comet is legendary for is its bodycount.
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Old May 23, 2016 | 11:55 am
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Originally Posted by WRCSolberg
The only thing the Comet is legendary for is its bodycount.
Which the 707 variants have beaten also.
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Old May 23, 2016 | 1:36 pm
  #26  
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1. The Concorde NO
2. Boeing 747 YES
3. Airbus A380 NO
4. McDonnell-Douglas DC-10 NO
5. Lockheed L-1011 YES

I have only flown 2 of these in 1250 flights. I am almost certain I will get to fly the A380 in the near future.

My main goal now is to fly the upper deck of the 747 which despite 3 flights in (two in Business/First) I have still not done. I think my best hope is Upper Class MAN-MCO (VS but DL code share) - then onward to ATL and DAY/CVG - or the reverse of course.
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Old May 23, 2016 | 11:07 pm
  #27  
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Originally Posted by GRALISTAIR
1. The Concorde NO
2. Boeing 747 YES
3. Airbus A380 NO
4. McDonnell-Douglas DC-10 NO
5. Lockheed L-1011 YES

I have only flown 2 of these in 1250 flights. I am almost certain I will get to fly the A380 in the near future.

My main goal now is to fly the upper deck of the 747 which despite 3 flights in (two in Business/First) I have still not done. I think my best hope is Upper Class MAN-MCO (VS but DL code share) - then onward to ATL and DAY/CVG - or the reverse of course.
My first 747 was in 1973; TWA 747 - LAX - SFO (continued TPAC from SFO): I spent most of the flight in the upper level bar (no passenger seating up there).
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Old May 24, 2016 | 6:54 am
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Non-NonRev
My first 747 was in 1973; TWA 747 - LAX - SFO (continued TPAC from SFO): I spent most of the flight in the upper level bar (no passenger seating up there).
Amazing - my first boss in the USA told me a story IIRC about a 747 he flew on and there was a piano bar ? upstairs.
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Old May 24, 2016 | 3:07 pm
  #29  
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Originally Posted by GRALISTAIR
My main goal now is to fly the upper deck of the 747 which despite 3 flights in (two in Business/First) I have still not done.
I flew UA upper deck (business class) SFO-HKG a couple years ago. For as much as Flyertalkers generally don't like UA J, this was actually a pretty good ride. The window seat was quite roomy, both in upright and lieflat modes.

It was the final gasps of the US-UA partnership. 90,000 US miles per person was enough to create a nice multi-stop North Asia itin in J. ^ One of my favorite awards in the old US award chart...
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Old May 26, 2016 | 8:32 pm
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I think that the historical, non-attainable, flights have skewed the list. What are the Big 5 today?

-747
-A380
-787
-*****
-******

What do you think?
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