The incredible Pan Am Experience at Air Hollywood
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, LH Senator *Gold, AA EXP OWE Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,552
The incredible Pan Am Experience at Air Hollywood
A few weeks ago, Mrs. SFO777 made the mistake of asking me what I wanted to do for my birthday.
So... tonight we're off to "The Valley" and Air Hollywood, one of the movie industry's biggest suppliers of aviation props, airplane interiors, seating areas, fusilages for film scenes. Air Hollywood is owned by aviation geek Talaat Captan who teamed up with fellow geek and Pan Am obessed memorabilia collector Anthony Toth to recreate the glory days of Pan Am. The result is The Pan Am Experience, a wonderful 4 hour step back in time that includes a nostalgic Pan Am museum, Hollywood show and dinner on board an actual 747-200 rescued from the desert. The experience takes place every other Saturday evening at Air Hollywood's studios in Pacoima. This is one hard ticket to get and I lucked out when I discovered that someone had canceled their Upper Deck reservation on Friday. So we're off up the 405 for the 90 minute drive.
Inside is a wonderful Pan Am museum and lounge for guests to mingle prior to "boarding". First stop was check-in where we selected our seats on the Upper Deck.
We enjoyed a cocktail and met some other people including a couple (she works for Lufthansa in NYC) that flew in from New York just for tonight.
In addition to the actual old Pan Am seats, there was some wonderful Pan Am memorabilia on display.
Cabin crew was announced and they made their entrance before boarding to prep our service tonight.
Boarding began around 7:30p. We boarded last as we stayed back to chat with amiable CEO Talaat Captan.
For more information on this fun experience, visit panamexperience.com
And for more pics and an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com where I've posted the onboard and dinner installment.
The Pan Am Experience on the Upper Deck of a 747-200
Will post to FT as soon as possible.
So... tonight we're off to "The Valley" and Air Hollywood, one of the movie industry's biggest suppliers of aviation props, airplane interiors, seating areas, fusilages for film scenes. Air Hollywood is owned by aviation geek Talaat Captan who teamed up with fellow geek and Pan Am obessed memorabilia collector Anthony Toth to recreate the glory days of Pan Am. The result is The Pan Am Experience, a wonderful 4 hour step back in time that includes a nostalgic Pan Am museum, Hollywood show and dinner on board an actual 747-200 rescued from the desert. The experience takes place every other Saturday evening at Air Hollywood's studios in Pacoima. This is one hard ticket to get and I lucked out when I discovered that someone had canceled their Upper Deck reservation on Friday. So we're off up the 405 for the 90 minute drive.
Inside is a wonderful Pan Am museum and lounge for guests to mingle prior to "boarding". First stop was check-in where we selected our seats on the Upper Deck.
We enjoyed a cocktail and met some other people including a couple (she works for Lufthansa in NYC) that flew in from New York just for tonight.
In addition to the actual old Pan Am seats, there was some wonderful Pan Am memorabilia on display.
Cabin crew was announced and they made their entrance before boarding to prep our service tonight.
Boarding began around 7:30p. We boarded last as we stayed back to chat with amiable CEO Talaat Captan.
For more information on this fun experience, visit panamexperience.com
And for more pics and an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com where I've posted the onboard and dinner installment.
The Pan Am Experience on the Upper Deck of a 747-200
Will post to FT as soon as possible.
#2
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,181
I never really liked Pan Am. I preferred TWA. I first flew them in 1966 from London to New York on a DC-8 because TWA was on strike. The meals were mediocre in economy. I will never forget the Swiss Miss desert they would serve in economy. A joke.
I did fly in First from New York to Honolulu in the mid 1980s. Nothing spectacular. However in F they offered complimentary helicopter service to JFK from the heliport on 61st street and 1st Avenue on New York Airways which was fun. Interesting exhibit.
I would have loved to fly on their Stratocruiser and a Flying Boat. I remember your report about this when you were in Ireland.
I will never forget Lucy on a Pan Am DC-7 from Rome to New York with a baby doll, pretending it was a real baby but it was cheese. It was one of the funniest Lucy shows I have ever seen.
http://lucille-ball.info/wp-content/...-love-lucy.png
I did fly in First from New York to Honolulu in the mid 1980s. Nothing spectacular. However in F they offered complimentary helicopter service to JFK from the heliport on 61st street and 1st Avenue on New York Airways which was fun. Interesting exhibit.
I would have loved to fly on their Stratocruiser and a Flying Boat. I remember your report about this when you were in Ireland.
I will never forget Lucy on a Pan Am DC-7 from Rome to New York with a baby doll, pretending it was a real baby but it was cheese. It was one of the funniest Lucy shows I have ever seen.
http://lucille-ball.info/wp-content/...-love-lucy.png
Last edited by Bretteee; Sep 10, 2017 at 7:39 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: St. Paul, MN
Programs: Delta Platinum Medallion, IHG Gold, HH Silver
Posts: 448
Very cool, SFO777! Thank you for sharing. My wife and I when we were on vacation in Los Angeles last year thought possibly about doing this, but didn't once we discovered the price ... but it's something I definitely want to do sometime! Looks like you had a great time!
#6
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London-Venice
Programs: BA Gold, *A Gold
Posts: 189
I used to fly Pan Am a lot, in the late seventies, in the eighties and in the very early nineties before it sold its European Routes to Delta. The photos brought back a lot of memories.
Thank you and Happy Birthday
Thank you and Happy Birthday
#11
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,301
Looks like a super cool experience, SFO777.
You'll be happy to know that Pan Am will be still flying in the year 2049, at least according to the Blade Runner movie anyway.
You'll be happy to know that Pan Am will be still flying in the year 2049, at least according to the Blade Runner movie anyway.
#12
That's a very nice experience and great way to spend the evening for an aviation enthusiast!
Good to know how your wife is so accommodating for it as well! Hope she enjoys that experience as you did!
Good to know how your wife is so accommodating for it as well! Hope she enjoys that experience as you did!
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, LH Senator *Gold, AA EXP OWE Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,552
I never really liked Pan Am. I preferred TWA. I first flew them in 1966 from London to New York on a DC-8 because TWA was on strike. The meals were mediocre in economy. I will never forget the Swiss Miss desert they would serve in economy. A joke.
I did fly in First from New York to Honolulu in the mid 1980s. Nothing spectacular. However in F they offered complimentary helicopter service to JFK from the heliport on 61st street and 1st Avenue on New York Airways which was fun. Interesting exhibit.
I would have loved to fly on their Stratocruiser and a Flying Boat. I remember your report about this when you were in Ireland.
I will never forget Lucy on a Pan Am DC-7 from Rome to New York with a baby doll, pretending it was a real baby but it was cheese. It was one of the funniest Lucy shows I have ever seen.
http://lucille-ball.info/wp-content/...-love-lucy.png
I did fly in First from New York to Honolulu in the mid 1980s. Nothing spectacular. However in F they offered complimentary helicopter service to JFK from the heliport on 61st street and 1st Avenue on New York Airways which was fun. Interesting exhibit.
I would have loved to fly on their Stratocruiser and a Flying Boat. I remember your report about this when you were in Ireland.
I will never forget Lucy on a Pan Am DC-7 from Rome to New York with a baby doll, pretending it was a real baby but it was cheese. It was one of the funniest Lucy shows I have ever seen.
http://lucille-ball.info/wp-content/...-love-lucy.png
Amazing to see them promoting it as cutting the travel time to Asia from 28 to 7 days! Some of those old Lucy shows were hilarious.
Thank you very much Martina70.
Thank you benjahman.
Looks like a super cool experience, SFO777.
You'll be happy to know that Pan Am will be still flying in the year 2049, at least according to the Blade Runner movie anyway.
You'll be happy to know that Pan Am will be still flying in the year 2049, at least according to the Blade Runner movie anyway.
Thank you jlemon. I appreciate it.