Where to post nostalgia stories ?

[Speedbird1]

I don't see anywhere where enthusiasts can post interesting stories about how easy spotting was pre 9-11. It was very different than nowadays. I often think back about those great days with nostalgia and could share with others. How about a discussion of past days, but where to post these? I bet those spotters from the 60's and 70's up to the present have stories to share and bring perspective to those who think spotting is a more recent activity. We had no internet back then to share our experiences.

[JHNA57]

This is not about 70's-80's era spotting at JFK (However I did spend spend many hours on the rooftop Pan Am parking lot in the late 70's early 80's).

I have just discovered that on Google you can read entire back issues of FLYING Magazine. The issue I highly recommend is the October 1973 issue with an article called "June 21st at JFK". It is the story of the tower dealing with a typical stormy summer day at JFK involving all the major players of the period (Pan Am, Eastern & Braniff...), and all the equipment failures, wind shifts and emergencies to be dealt with on a controllers shift.

Reading these will give the younger members a feel for what it was like to read a real magazine, with well written, informative articles by aviation writers like Ernest Gann and Gordon Baxter. The ads alone a quite fascinating, especially the "Weight and balance" calculators that cost as much as an I-Phone today, or the portable emergency radios that are the size of a briefcase. In addition there are the ads for luxury cars like the "Chrysler Cordoba with real Corinthian leather" and even cigarette ads.

I think you take the time to look these up, you will find them as informative, entertaining and addicting as I have.

[Gerard]

This is not about 70's-80's era spotting at JFK (However I did spend spend many hours on the rooftop Pan Am parking lot in the late 70's early 80's).


I remember my dad taking me to the observation deck at LGA!! Oh man what great views there!! When did they shut that down? 80s?

[Landing Lights]

You're absolutely right, we don't have a forum that sticks out as being a place for these kinds of stories. I could see them going 2 places. This forum (General Discussion) is kind of a catch all for anything that doesn't fit the other forums. I could also see them fitting in the "Spotting Planning and Review." After all, it is a review of spotting, just from a long time ago.

[megatop412]

Some of us have posted shots taken pre-9/11 which naturally invites commentary about who remembers what/where/when/etc.

See my "JFK Time Machine" thread for an example of how that started a nice series of posts

http://nycaviation.com/forum/threads/38973-JFK-Time-Machine?highlight=time+machine

Then there was Moose's beyond awesome thread: http://nycaviation.com/forum/threads/44072-Into-the-Wayback-Machine!?highlight=time+machine

So, I don't think separate area is needed for these...just post up and chat away!

[727C47]

The best spotting I ever did was from my grandparents/cousins house in South Ozone Park under the Canarsie approach about 1 mile from the 13L threshold at JFK , I was born in that neighborhood, and mia familia was there from 1956-1989, I spotted everything from the last of the big props ( Connies !!!) to the Concorde and beyond. Whenever I am on a JFK layover I walk those streets with a smile in my heart, you can go home again !!!