The important thing - which makes this a very challenging hobby - is that I only collect the aircraft and liveries that I've actually flown myself. This is often quite difficult, as the models are produced in limited quantities - and I often fly a particular aircraft long after the model has sold out from most suppliers. I often find models on ebay, and exciting bidding rounds result. I've also found myself trawling the back alleys of Hong Kong to find that particular little shop that's rumored to have a last sample of a particular model.
Another dimension to this hobby is that it's sometimes very exciting to see which aircraft actually shows up at the gate. Has a last minute aircraft change sent me the one aircraft type of a certain carrier that I have never flown? Wil my flight be on a plane with the old or new livery? Some airlines do not have two aircraft with the same livery - making it even more exciting to see excactly what colors will grace my skies today.
Well, you get my point. Here are my "babies". I worked hard for them :-)
The very first aircraft I ever flew!
Spanish charter airline Spantax brougth many a Norwegian family from harsh winters to friendly southern shores. The first flight of my life was onboard this beauty - a Convair 990 Coronado, sporting this simple yet distinct livery.
My first flight: Stavanger-Las Palmas-Stavanger.
This particular one, B747-400 HS-TGJ named Hariphunchai took me from Phuket to Bangkok in first class - actually seat 1A :-)
Funnily enough my flight was on the day of the first opening of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport, and this plane had earlier that day been one of the first two to land there.
A true workhorse of the THAI Airways fleet is the Airbus A300. The type has taken me between Chiang Mai and Bangkok a load of times, as well as a flight from HongKong to Bangkok and from Yangon (Myanmar) to Bangkok.
In the bacground we see the excact same type of aircraft - with the excact same livery - but for the closer one bearing the insignia of the King's 60th anniversary on the throne. That's how crazy I am!
Let's stay in Thailand for a while!
NOK Air is partly owned by THAI Airways and mostly operates domestic flights out of old Don Mueang airport, Bangkok.
This particular aircraft, Boeing 737-400 HS-DDH, named Nok Sabai, took me from Bangkok to Krabi and back.
Here is a sister of the above one.
HS-TDA named Songkhla has taken med from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and back, as well as from Bangkok to Phuket.
Bangkok Airways - Asia's boutique airline - a full service airline with a fleet of very colorful aircraft.
This is a Boeing 717 - and it once took me from Bangkok to Samui island.
Bangkok Airways used to have a weird cooperation with Siem Reap Airways of Cambodia, hence the titles on the right-hand side of the fuselage. On the left-hand side it carries Bangkok Air-titles.
Lufthansa A320. Big brother A321 in the background.
Lufthansa is an ideal choice for getting around Europe - they even provide free food and beer :-)
Summer 2003 i lived in the Algarve, Portugal.
My summer holiday went to Thailand, and SWISS Air Lines was a great bargain from Lisbon via Zurich to Bangkok on an A321 and a fabulous McDonnell Douglas MD11!
AirChina's Boeing 747-400 was my first ever flight in a Jumbo Jet! And what a flight! Back in the days when smoking was still allowed in the rear section of the cabin!
A truly memorable flight from Beijing to Copenhagen, and a stormy night in CPH that left us stranded at the SAS-hotel.
The Tupolev 154 sadly is a very uncommon sight in the western skies.
I managed to get a flight on this Aeroflot beauty.
Actually I flew from Bangkok to Moscow onboard an Ilyushin 96 (why don't they make a model of that one?), and onwards to Oslo with the TU-154. Quite an experience.
Our friends from the Alps - Austrian - provide an interesting range of aircraft types, as well as beautiful liveries. Here is the "Wiener Philharmoniker". Yes, that's the name of the plane - and this very special livery promotes this world famous orchestra.
It took me from Bangkok to Vienna.
Another flight from Bangkok to Vienna, this time on a beautiful Boeing 777-200.
One of the world's best airlines they say. Well, I've experienced much better economy classes than the one that belongs to Singapore Airlines.
Not a very comfy airplane, this old Boeing 747-400. However - it may not have been the coolest plane to fly, but it's a cool plane to have flown :-)
Oh - let's not forget it's cousin - the Boeing 777-200LR in the background.
Journey: Bangkok-Singapore-Sydney and return.
Oh - the Aussies! They know how to fly! Your very own Snack bag on economy class - packed with chips, crackers, mints and other cool stuff to keep you going through the nigth.
And the night was 12 hours long - from London to Bangkok and back.
By the way: Let's not forget their good night drink: Hot chocolate with marshmallows :-D
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