Is there an end on the plane where you'd choose to sit over another?

For the best view out the window you should be as far away from the wing as possible. The seats all the way forward are best, but there aren't many of them, and they are often expensive (first class).

In the seats all the way aft you will hear more noise and feel more motion. On planes with rear engines (e. g. B-727, L-1011, DC-9/MD-80/MD-88/MD-90/B-717, DC-10/MD-11) the wings are far enough aft that they will still block a lot of your view even if you are in the last few rows.

Being over the wings somehow cuts down on the vibratyness of things.

Being over the wings puts you closer to the center of gravity, so there is less motion when the plane pitches or yaws. On the other hand, you will hear (and feel) more clunks and thumps and whirrs and whines, which some people find more scary than motion.

I like a window seat in the back. You may have to wait a little longer to get off, but you have a shot at getting your stuff in an overhead bin with a minimum of hassle. I have no idea how many times I've flown, but I still like looking out the window and I also like something to lean again. I'd also rather step over other people than have them stepping over me. I've felt pretty queasy in very small prop planes, but not in a jet. All the hard part about flying to me is on the ground, particularly these days.

(I'm a dork and booked all window seats because I want to see everything.)

I've flown countless times and I still bend over backwards to get a window seat. I still look out the airport window before I board to try and see the aircraft's name. I still tell the joke (in my head now) that I always used to tell my Mom on the taxi-way "Gee, Mom, we're so high up those people down there look like ants." "Those ARE ants, Honey." I still try and recognize places I know for as long as I can as we move further and further from the airport. I still look for angels peeking from behind the white mountains around me when we fly through cuumulus clouds because even though I know better the darn things look so solid. I still marvel at the airfoil that keeps this and every damn plane ever aloft. I'm still amazed when we ascend or descend through different weather -- my last flight I gasped aloud when the world went from beautifuly blue and white to soaking rain on a steep landing into Kennedy in a rainstorm.

And Lilty, if you do have any turbulence don't let it freak you out. You're still incredibly safe, safer than in a car, the pilot isn't going to do anything dangerous. Just enjoy the bumpies.

Lilty, you might find the book Window Seat: Reading the Landscape from the Air helpful. [link]

When I was ten I was given Science from your Airplane Window. [link] It taught me a lot, and I have fond memories of it.

e. g. B-727, L-1011, DC-9/MD-80/MD-88/MD-90/B-717, DC-10/MD-11

Somebody knows their US airliners. You got them all (of the non-commuter airliners), as Airbus planes all have wing-mounted engines.

Unless you wanna start considering Russian-built airliners....

I usually take the window seat so I can shut the shade because watching everything go by makes my motion sickness much worse.

At least part of me remembers that all I do on the plane is sleep, so window seats are best. I really envy people flying with a loved one, who can trade off shoulders for leaning. Missing that, I need to lean on the wall. I also despise airplane toilets, so sitting in the aisle doesn't avail me anything -- I'm probably not going to use them. So, for me, window seat as far from the toilets as possible.

I'm swearing off exit rows, though, because the last few I've sat in have had non-reclining seats. Did I mention my need for sleep?

I'm surprised at how much my state of mind affects my motion sickness. It's the feeling of not being in control that gets to me, especially in turbulence.

Once I felt myself starting to get motion-sick as the plane made a climbing turn, resulting in g-forces building up. But then I told myself that the reason I felt the extra g-forces what that the plane was accelerating (both straight ahead and upwards), and turning - I imagined the pilot doing the actions that resulted in the extra g-force, and suddenly my nausea completely went away.

Or maybe that's just my weird brain....

I'm swearing off exit rows, though, because the last few I've sat in have had non-reclining seats.

I like the exit rows, as I know there will be enough leg room for me. Since I'm so tall, many regular seats just aren't big enough.

Never have flown on any of the Russian models. Flew on a VC-10 once -- I left my retainers on my dinner tray, didn't realize it until our refueling stop in Amman, Jordan, and spent a frantic 20 minutes finding them in the galley. Not fun.

As for the rest, DC-9 is what came to mind, then I remembered they don't call it that anymore....