Although the Parker Classic Flighter had been around, as a ballpoint, since 1971, it wasn't until 1986 that Parker added a fountain pen to the range, it served to replace the very similar Parker 180. This pen carries a date code for the first quarter of 1986 so it would have been one of the first pens off the assembly line.
The term 'Flighter' was used, by Parker, for all their stainless steel bodied pens, partly as a consequence of George Parker's obsession with planes. The term is often used today for any steel pen but the only 'true' Flighters are Parkers.
The Classic is a slim and elegant yet very robust pen. The cap closes, flush to the barrel, with a satisfying and secure click. The stud at the barrel end is slightly flared so that the cap also clicks on to the barrel when the pen is posted for use. This device prevents the cap rim from coming into contact with the barrel in order to stop scratching.
The partially hooded, large, robust nib is triangular in shape, very similar to that found on the Parker 180. Although it is quite striking it looks perfectly suited to the pen in the aesthetic sense.
This pen came to me as unused, probably new old stock, and is in totally mint condition. I fitted a new Parker ink converter and filled the pen, once, for testing purposes, as new old stock pens occasionally don't write well. There were no issues here, it is quite firm and writes with a beautifully smooth line. The collar of the nib is stamped 'F' for fine but I would put it somewhere between fine and medium. It has great ink flow and is a very comfortable and easy writer. The pen is supplied with the ink converter fitted and a new ink cartridge so it is ready to write in either configuration.