Nice Flight and Back

Due to W’s connections as a Physician and possible collaboration with our company we were invited with our wives to a ‘Verkaufsfahrt’ [Ed: Promotional trip] over 2 days in Nice.

What made this excursion different was instead of the typical mode of transport being a bus/coach it would be a flight in a private 727-100!
The flight was going to be from Munster; so W picked us up and drove to the airport. Munster airport is not that big and as we parked the car we could see the plane in its distinctive white colour parked next to the runway.

Security and baggage control was as always and on boarding we found a 2 by 2 with table near the front of the plane. The pictures from the brochure give you an impression of the layout. I’ve never seen an aeroplane with such a spacious interior! Totally different from commercial flights in the same model that I experienced in the past or since. One had the impression that the plane was much bigger then it was with the view down the aisle. The flight was uneventful apart from having time to sit up front with the captain (he was English) and watch him manoeuvre around storm clouds before landing in Nice.

On arriving we were all taken by coach to the hotel to check in. There was a bottle of champagne in our room and a lovely view of the sea. Lunch was on the roof garden followed by the first day promotional session. H took the time to wander around the town visiting the market as W and I was sitting it out in our business suites trying not to fall asleep due to lack of fresh air and boredom. The session finished about six which gave us time to change and be picked up and driven to a restaurant. We had the opportunity to sit on the ‘Captains’ table and chat and enjoy a superb meal and wine.
The next morning after breakfast on the roof garden, H was off exploring again and W and I back in the promotional meeting. After lunch we couldn’t stand another session so we all went for a walk along the promenade taking in the sun light and air. It was then pack and back to the airport for the flight home.
Again an uneventful flight back apart from the surroundings. It was quite a trip; nothing came of the excursion apart from the memories of an unusual flying experience.