6 1/2 Magic Hours (1958) - Pan Am Jet Clipper Service

Aviation Film about Pan Am Flight 1000 Boeing 707 Jet Clipper Service
Producer: Kahlenberg
Sponsor: Pan American World Airways
"World's Most Experienced Airline"
Click to subscribe! bit.ly/subAIRBOYD #AIRBOYD #AvGeek

[@saxmastergq]

Ah, the golden age of jet travel. I wish I lived in this romantic era, where anything seemed possible. An era full of optimistism and that "can do!" attitude. I'm glad they made movies like this so us youngsters could have a feel and sense of what it was like way back when.

[@bernardboka4277]

Yes. Flying was a magical experience and they treated us like kings. The flight was better than the destination. No stress, no restrictions... just customer service perfection

[@lisalu910]

@@bernardboka4277 But also many more crashes and fatalities. Today's safety record is many times greater than it was back then, in many ways due to what was learned from those previous incidents.

[@bernardboka4277]

@@lisalu910 yes, you are absolutely correct. Aviation rules and regulations are written in blood.

[@bernardboka4277]

@@lisalu910 my parents and I landed in New Orleans July 9 1982. Just ahead of the thunderstorm that caused the crash of Pan Am 759. Microbursts and wind shear were not well understood and there was no sensor at the time to alert the pilots of the impending danger. That crash and also Delta 191 lead to warning sensors on all commercial aircraft and we all are safer as a consequence of those tragedies.

[@Martmns]

Great video! Thaks for putting it up! It's seems 1that 1958 was not just the start of, but sadly, also the pinocle of passenger jet air travel, too. Since then, travel times have remained just about static and service, comfort and amenities all have been drastically educed. Air travel has regressed since 1958!

[@johnscanlan9335]

If I may I would have to somewhat disagree with your assertion. While today's flights are truly terrible, they certainly didn't reach their apex with the introduction of the Boeing 707. As to the overall level of comfort and luxury, I would argue the top point came in the early 1970s with the introduction of the 747. I was fortunate to repeatedly fly in first class on multiple jumbo jet flights and they really were very enjoyable!

[@rllang01]

what a wonderful video.... i remember the 707s as a kid, and when the newer 727s came out i still wanted to fly in the 707s. they were magic.

[@bernardboka4277]

When they dimmed the cabin lights, the large light domes shone faintly blue and were filled with twinkling stars. A subtle but magical effect I still remember

[@spence767]

"No engine warmup," "no vibration," "hardly any sound"..... Having several years' experience flying the 707, I can say that the above statements are typical marketing lies.

[@usmale4915]

What a beautiful plane. The 707 really is my favorite jetliner. Thanks for sharing!

[@ford9572]

I would've LOVED to have been around during that time!!!!

[@AllanVictoriaA]

Hey, I spotted one of my pieces of lost luggage on this video!!!!

[@boneheadvideo]

great vid. my dad flew 707's for p.a.a. back in the day.he was based out of miami.

[@bigtampabear]

Great video..I started with National Airlines in 1974...was with Pan Am till 1984...Now retired with American Airlines after 22 years...My dad was a mechanic with Eastern...I was on the ramp in Tampa, Fla. and Houston, Texas...Thanks for the memories.

[@TheVineyarder]

magic hours!..yeah yeah thats what they were...magic..but you know I really do miss those days

[@GustavoDeSantaFe]

Marvelous! I thought I was the only one born in the wrong era :) Thank you for sharing.

[@katyu16]

It was sort of like that on my first flight from LAX to London-LHR with Pan Am in 1981. Food was great and they made you feel special for being aboard their "747 Clipper:"

[@Psychedelia1969]

Idlewild........i love it!!

[@quigleybrown]

I'm am sure glad I was able to take a London to New York flight in one of these back in the 80s.What an ultra-cool plane!

[@LuxuriousLuxembourg]

i love these things.

[@drav1dan]

1958: "The travail has been taken out of travel". 2008: "The travail has been put back into travel - and some".

[@adityahibare]

Todays seen at airport......every hour hundreds of flights take off and land quitely......but what we are missing is those roraring and screeming sound of turbo jet engines.........Pan am 1 great airline.to history......we miss u Pan am.

[@thedreamliner2012]

Thank you. I just can't stand the way life is today sometimes. I look around at the lack of personnel pride, the casual disregard for common courtesy. My son walk into a store and let the door close on an old lady right behind him. He said he didn't look behind him and didn't know. I told him that you ALWAYS check behind you when entering a building. Hold the door open for ANYONE who's right behind you, no matter who it is. He just looked at me like I was nuts. That's what bothers me.

[@frbjoernLA]

I just checked your age, your a Baby!! I came to the USA in 1963 on a Ship, the SS America at age 22. Within 3 Months I joined the US Army and after 6 months was stationed in Europe. After my military discharge I flew back on A Pan AM B707 and flew Pan Am commercially for many years after. It is a shame that Pan Am did not survive in the competitive commercial Aviation industry. It was a great historic American Airline! I wouldn't be surprised if it was the official Airline in Heaven!!

[@greenpointguy]

"you feel as if you haven't traveled at all"...I dunno, when I fly from NY to London, I feel like my ass was kicked...and that 's on even faster, quieter planes than 1958...

[@okee7]

I remember seeing PanAm 747's as a kid. How did this nostalgic icon and of commercial aviation collapse !!!!

[@davidLw15]

@PanAm812 I was aboard Clipper flight 812 from Sydney-Nandi-Honolulu-LA, May 30, 1963, a flight I'll remember so very well aboard a Boeing 707. I still maintain my old passport indicating arrival through INS on that day and I still have the ticket receipt. I was on flight 811 going down the same route on Feb 3, 1963 and arrived on Feb 5. Your call sign ":PanAm812" must mean you knew that flight and route!? Regards to a fellow 707 lover.

[@gabrielegian]

Simply WOW!!!!

[@lasuvidaboy]

What some people don't know is that air travel was reserved for the upper and weathy classes in those pre-deregulation days. The new jet service (introduced in 1958) was priced far higher than a ticket on the remaining prop planes and even the tickets on a prop plane was very high-out of the reach of most people.

[@c-028]

3:20 We missed this terminal, R.I.P Pan Am Worldport.

[@aztlaxpuroazul]

fantastic vid! i love historic clips showing a snapshot of that time frame; hehe @ the announcer "jet clippA" and weathA...shoot, who u kiddin they had flow even back then :)

[@fsx767]

Who doesn't want to fly with Tom & Jerry music?!!

[@ismrez1]

Loved it!!!!

[@Davenbeach]

I am SO with you!!!!

[@SPECTRE1961]

Sensacional !

[@davidLw15]

@Ms11565 Good observation! I had the pleasure of boarding dozens of Pan Am and QANTAS Boeing 707s in the very early sixties and well into the seventies. The flights were much less crowded due to fewer seats. Don't forget, jet kerosene fuel cost only $0.10 per gallon! I have great personal memories of boarding the 707 and still feel it was Boeing's best product. I miss the 707 and the golden age of commercial jet service. Thanks reminding me of those days.

[@xetalq]

Did anyone else notice that at 9:19 of the vid, on approach to London Heathrow that the aircraft is going past the Houses of Parliament and St Paul's Cathedral in the wrong direction? :) Still - very evocative of the era, though ... I flew as a child during the 1960s from England to Australia several times, but with BOAC (the fore-runner of BA), and you're all quite right - it was pure magic.

[@evoGage]

lol it's was a compliement to you. I'm glad you use the metric system. Anyway back on topic, good to see some vintage footage of 707 and Pan Am.

[@ZacharyKosub]

This makes me want to go and fly in a 707!

[@xetalq]

If you're talking about 5:15 and 7:15 of the vid, it is an FO (and not a Captain) talking into a microphone, as he has three gold bars on his sleeve ( a Captain has four). As he is using the microphone, he is certainly talking to ATC and not making a PA, as PA's were (and still are) made using the interphone handset, which hangs on the console between the pilots. The actual voice of the Captain is certainly merely a voice-over.

[@mikel1982]

I watch these for the music,... and the lack of HSBC logos on the jetways.

[@boeingman777]

@ChorltonM21 This is not John Travolta's 707. His 707-138B was built in 1964, constructed at Boeing Seattle and has Boeing Construction Number 18740 Line 388. It never flew for Pan Am (and would not have been in this video if it had) but did fly for Braniff International and its final service was with Qantas. :)

[@MoilAndToil]

9:14 9.16 I can see the WW2 bombed site where the hi-rise apartment building I live in is; which was not built until 1960. I can see the Westminster School Playing Field, which exists the same today and which appears so, in this vt. . Très intéresting ! . Also visible are the extensive areas of WW2 bombed land that is cleared and waiting development around the St.Paul's Cathedral Building. .

[@SFConifer]

Was this the start of the first jet-age mile high club?

[@GracieAncelotti]

It's been a while since I've been on a 707

[@msk7046]

@MsTimelady71 -- I remember the older adult men usually wearing a shirt and tie and, in general, "business casual" would be a good way to describe my memories of flying in the late 60's through early 70's. Nowadays, many dress like they were in a bus. Then again, WE - the customers - were treated with respect then. I remember during a layover in Atlanta on a L-1011, the captain let me IN the cockpit UNATTENDED and I was taking pictures with my new 35-mm camera! Some great memories!

[@JeffGR4]

You didn't make a mistake. It's tacitly understood that your comment was a response to a troll, because your comment immediately followed his. My point is that the troll was looking to incite the rest of us that were enjoying the video, by attacking a particular race.

[@Koide9]

Having traveled to many countries on countless planes, I cannot imagine a trans-Atlantic flight in a suit a tie!!!

[@skyblazer7]

53 years later and we're still stuck at sub-sonic for air travel...sad. Travel speed hasn't been this stagnant since before the mid-19th century.

[@chanctonbury63]

I only ever flew on a 707 once. From Chicago to Dallas. It was so noisy I couldnt hear a thing for 3 days.

[@dpurdue]

Jet clipper rules! Just look at the room (not just the exit rows that are hard to book today)!

[@combustercan]

I remember flying on a 737/200 from Manchester to Palma de Mallorca back in 1978, & when we landed at palma a photographer would take your picture as you came down the airstairs, i was about 11 and my brother was about 9, he was scarred sh*tless & hanging on to my grandmothers coat-tails as we walked across the tarmac, & i was trying to get a look at the port engine, yeah the end of the seventies, that was when the golden age of air travel ended in my opinion.

[@frankfishman3523]

we will all definitely miss Pan Am. It was the icon of the United States government which turned its back on the airline.

[@msk7046]

@ford9572 -Yes, you would have! May I ask when you were born? I did a lot of flying in the 60s and 70s. WHAT a difference. People actually DID get dressed up to fly.

[@BorokoK]

Watching this from future

[@spence767]

@frbjoernLA No, actually, the "above" statements were made as advertising copy for the promotional film and are part of the audio... and yes, I have flown frequently on the Electra, and also the Vickers Viscount - - early experiences on these aircraft led to a military and civilian pilot career. Turbojet aircraft, like recips, require warmup, are plenty noisy, and while there is less vibration and related harmonics, they are certainly far from free of such.

[@ford9572]

@msk7046 My Date Of Birth is: September 5, 1972, I can remember flying mostly on 727s and DC-10s, Yes people did get dressed up to fly!! Times have sure changed!!

[@skyblazer7]

LOL. Seriously. You'd think in 50 years we would cut that time in half in general, but it wasn't to be. Speed wise, we've been stuck in in limbo for 40 years. Those were innovative times. We need those times again.

[@Mr2pint]

if only we could keep the population at a steady level, enjoying the benefits of progress with the impossible challenge of unsustainable numbers of people. nice video, seems such a romantic era, certainly not as stressful

[@kirgiz1981]

it's wonderful! so nastalgic...

[@kerryincolumbus]

If I could thumbs up your comments a THOUSAND times, it still wouldn't be enough! Every great American (I'm assuming you're from the US) should live by these comments!

[@kbs1212]

I couldn't agree more.

[@kamiyamakenji1776]

Very nice!

[@Rich72James]

Incredibly evocative. How long did it take immediately before, by air?

[@frbjoernLA]

@spence767 You Obviously Never flew frequently on commercial flights in a DC3, a DC4, a DC6 or an Electra as some of us had the joy of doing. The "above statements" were obviously made by a veteran flyer who knew the difference from experience and enjoyed flying in all types of commercial Aircraft.

[@Flies2FLL]

Today, that same "spacious cabin" is the cabin of a Southwest Airlines 737. You see, the 707 in that video has the same fuselage as the fuselage in the latest Boeing 737-900. The current -900 carries the same passenger load while using only 60% the fuel burn~

[@Tampa0123456789]

Wow! I did think it look sort of small.

[@ericwright1966]

+Flies2FLL thank u didn't know that.

[@jbrian80]

Back in 1968, if a seer had told me that one day a 737 will cross the Atlantic with the same passenger capacity of a 707-320, I will burst in laughter! From my observation, the DC-9 is outselling the 737 by a large margin and there is little room for upgrade, the ground height is too low for accommodate extra take off weight, larger engines and longer fuselage.

[@dougball328]

You sure got that all wrong! @@jbrian80

[@johneddy98033]

@ChorltonM21, actually it did, N707PA "Jet Clipper America."

[@tirolausa]

@mrkprice: They didn't know about jet lag yet! ;) And I guess compared with the discomforts of flying with a prop liner, jet lag would have been just a minor inconvenience.

[@Ms11565]

yeah cigarettes on a plane made it smell---but at that time it seemed no one really seemed to notice...I'd ride in one again, because when I was on them in the early 60's coach had LEGROOM and seats that really RECLINED!!! Comfort...what a concept! And REAL meals-- I was on a PanAm 707-321B and a Northwest Orient 707-351B and coach then was better than first class now. You won't find this on a 777, that's for sure.

[@jenikaybee8979]

I want the little girl's Clipper Coloring Book!

[@martincpeterson]

haha stewardess lights the guy's smoke

[@AllanVictoriaA]

01:58 I am certain that is my bag...now I know what happened to it...

[@londonsharK]

Musics are like Thuderbird. lol

[@DJSHaKa]

They were serving coffee out of silver pots, has large powder rooms, served Lobster (from what it looked like) Those expenses took a toll on their operating costs. Now planes are packed like sardines and they still have trouble making it.'

[@antimatterXXXIII]

"Hardly any sound" - RIGHT!!!

[@FFlyDDrum1]

cool to see this.

[@bottlerocket61]

AND EASTERN'S 720 AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS LIKE THE 707..SHE GOT STUCK DOING SAN JUAN TURNS SINE SHE WAS A JUNIOR NY STEW (BASED IN NEWARK,LIKE MY DAD WAS).HE WENT FROM DC9 CAPTAIN TO A300 CAPTAIN!

[@CentsTwo]

wow the food

[@burgundyyears]

What I learned from this video was that 11 year old girls love 10 piece puzzles and coloring books.

[@qazme]

ell how cool is that. Too bad the airlines aren't all about customers like that now. Of course flying isn't considered a luxury now, just another commodity. Thanks for sharing.

[@LegoLord712]

Back then the got fancy and comfortable planes. Now we get stuff to entertain us on the now uncomfortable airplanes of the 21st century.

[@MsTimelady71]

@msk7046 I'm about your age and I don't remember getting dressed up to fly. However, I do know that no one would have worn sweat pants or flip-flops on the plane. As children, the stewardess always talked with us and gave us a deck of cards and those plastic pilot wings! And if you were really lucky, you'd get a peek into the cockpit! It was wonderful to fly then and it was part of the experience. Nowadays, between all the rules and regulations, I'd rather be beamed up a la Star Trek

[@bottlerocket61]

MY MOM WAS A STEW FOR EASTERN IN THE 50'S AND SHE HAD TO CARRY MATCHES TO LIGHT PASSENGERS CIGARETS! AND A BEAUTY MANUAL! HE WOUND UP MARRYING A PILOT!!

[@doulasc]

look at the food.I flew continental recently all I got was a muffin and no butter.

[@ChorltonM21]

The featured 707 in this film doesn't have a "Clipper" name on the front like Westward Ho or Red Rover etc.

[@ChorltonM21]

Is this the 707 that is now owned by John Travolta formerly N707PA now N707JT?

[@robinbrannon1]

I remember being able to board the aircraft from the front or rear doors....

[@MealyMouthedLeach]

@mikel1982 The HongKong & Shanghai logo is not so bad, it is the lettering of the name that is much more commonly seen.

[@mrkprice]

II always have jet lag what were they doing right???

[@bagelboi66]

Look at the seats, they only come up to your shoulder, even in first.

[@DYLAV8R]

@EinkOLED um that has something to do with traffic of today, possibly quadrupling since the 50's, new procedural requirements, NAT Tracks... the list could go on and on...

[@itsmegp46]

Wow, hot food is being prepared and served, in coach even! Now we're lucky if the stewar....er... I mean the flight attendant throws a bag of peanuts at you.

[@ford9572]

"You feel as though you haven't traveled at all." "You arrive without feeling fatigued.", Yeah, Right!!! I've flown from Atlanta to Amsterdam, Chicago to London and Atalanta to Johannesburg & back, And let me tell you, I felt MORE than a little fatigued!!! Not a bad marketing strategy though.

[@bottlerocket61]

BEFORE jetways were invented!!

[@0611930024838]

nice

[@thedreamliner2012]

That's not what I mean, and you know it. There are many, many things that are so much better today. But there are many things that are not. I would never want to regress, but why cannot we have them both?

[@itsmegp46]

@skyblazer7 Perhaps a bit slower today in the interests of fuel economy. But, on the flip side, air travel is many, many times safer today than a half century ago even with many more flights in the air.

[@TJ347]

"...To prepare for the advent of commercial flying by jet CLIPPA..."

[@PictureVlogs]

"Delicious food" ~ hahaha Ya RIght.

[@WestSideModSquad]

A wonderful time & exceptional airline (miss PanAm) but did he say "air-conditioned but draft free???" Makes you wonder what flying was like before the jet age...lol.

[@bobsutton4320]

It's sad that the Pan Am terminal at JFK, under construction at the time of the release of the film, is now being torn down. A pity.

[@joebatters6508]

Quite tragic. And I am royally pissed at Delta for not making the effort to try and preserve some element of the terminal. Delta happens to be the airline that, after saying they would give us, Pan Am, money, withdrew that aid and caused us to shut down in 1991. Not been a fan of Delta since.

[@sax003]

I never knew that. Delta seems to be quite the aggressive company... They used to be partnered with Alaska Airlines until they wanted too much of Alaska's revenue and was told no. Now they're out to bury Alaska by taking over all of their routes and destinations, and ultimately stealing their customers. I'm not a big fan of Delta either.

[@evoGage]

The Americans tend to use fahrenheit instead of celsius. If it were 64°C then most people would not be able to survive.

[@alfredopilot172]

El catering de esos vuelos es identico al que tiene actualmente CONVIASA, VENEZUELA!! JEJEEJJEJEJEJEJE

[@ErnestJay88]

That is the time when "Flight" is about luxury and enjoyment, not like today where flight attendant threat us like a sardines and give us a terrible food to eat.

[@Jeteaime65]

Since 9/11, the travail has been put back into travel.