Just as I’m obsessed with miles and points, I also have an unhealthy interest in commercial aviation. That’s to say that I love learning everything about planes, including those that I’m flying on, as well as those I just see overhead.
Continue reading: Airfleets: Track History Of Planes With This Website
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I recently learned as I was cataloging my flights and going through pictures that a seaplane I flew on was later involved in a fatal midair. I also was on a UA777 (IIRC, 5th 777 ever built) which later became the subject of interest when the engine cowling came apart over Denver.
Most of your posts I agree with Lucky, but I beg to differ on this one: Airfleets has a horribly outdated and hard-to-use UI, and it turns me off. A far superior website, to me, is Planespotters.net: its UI is much more modern-looking and the website is just as comprehensive in its fleet data, not to mention it’s also got a huge photo database, like Jetphotos. I think you really should try out Planespotters.net — I’m not doing any promotion on this one; this is my honest opinion — and see for yourself how it compares to Airfleets’ 2000s-era website. You’re welcome to report back on your experiences.
Hi Ben,
quick question not specifically related to this post.
Do you know if there is a website where i can choose and purchase a specific airfare class by its letter?
for example, Air europa business class lowest fare starts with letter ''O'' which doesnt allow any redemption on any frequent flyer program. There is a way select a higher tariff anywhere without calling the airline/travelling agency?
Thank you
Ben, surprised you did not mention adsbexchange.com. When my incoming plane is delayed at origin airport, you can track when it starts taxiing for takeoff.
Ben, surprised you did not mention adsbexchange.com. When the inbound plane is delayed at origin airport, it will show the plane taxiing for takeoff.
For some reason Airfleets does not seem to support any information about the 727.
In the case of the Boliviana B 767, there is something wrong: Varig died well before 2008 and it certainly never flew B 767s. This was Brazil's flag carrier (from being a regional airline in Rio Grande do Sul) at the time of the B707s and 727s (I think it even had a few Caravelles) and it took over from Panair Do Brasil in 1965, so I suppose it inherited Panair's DC8s.
Hey Pierre,
VARIG definitely flew the 767. I can remember flying a Varig 767 from Sao Paulo to Miami in the early 2000's.
There were a few incarnations of VARIG. As you mention the 'old Varig' went out of business before 2008 (I think 2006?) but then some other companies brought the rights to the name along with some of the aircraft and operated the 'new Varig' until around 2008.
Exactly. Planespotters.net is the best website to search fleet data, in terms of both the accessibility and the amount of information they have.