Talk about your first time taking a plane.

[diamondcutter]

If I want to know someone’s travelling experiences, can I say all these sentences?

1. Talk about your first time taking a plane.
2. Talk about the first time you took a plane.
3. Talk about the first time you have taken a plane.

 

[tedmc]

You can say 1 and 2, but not 3.

 

[diamondcutter]

But we say this. Am I right?

Last summer I went to France by plane. It’s the first time that I’ve taken a plane.

 

[5jj]

No.

It was the first time that I’d taken a plane.

 

[emsr2d2]

In BrE, we don't usually use "take a plane". I associate it with AmE.

Tell me about the first time you travelled by plane.
Tell me about the first time you flew on a plane.
Tell me about the first time you went on a plane.

 

[Skrej]

I'd just say "Tell me about your first time flying."

 

[diamondcutter]

If Tom says, “It’s the first time I’ve flown on a plane.”

When and where can Tom say this? I mean whether it’s necessary for Tom still to be on the plane.

 

[Tarheel]

If I say "It's the first time I've flown on a plane" I'm probably on the plane. (What else would make sense?) If I'm talking about an upcoming trip I might say, "It will be my first time flying on a plane."

 

[diamondcutter]

Could I say "It's the first time I've flown on a plane" when I've just stepped off the plane?

 

[Tarheel]

Could I say "It's the first time I've flown on a plane" when I've just stepped off the plane?

Yes, that would work.

 

[emsr2d2]

If I'd just stepped off the plane, I'd say "That was the first time I'd ever been on a plane!"

 

[diamondcutter]

According to #10 and #11, could I say there’s a little difference between AE and BE?

 

[5jj]

It's the first time I've flown on a plane.
That was the first time I'd ever been on a plane.

I see a few differences there.

 

[diamondcutter]

My question:
Could I say "It's the first time I've flown on a plane" when I've just stepped off the plane?

Tarheel’s reply: Yes, that would work.
Emsr2d2’s reply: If I'd just stepped off the plane, I'd say "That was the first time I'd ever been on a plane!"

My guess about the use of the tenses in that context:
Maybe in BE, we can only use the past tenses like Emsr2d2’s sentence:
That was the first time I'd ever been on a plane!

And in AE, using the present tenses is also acceptable like this:
It's the first time I've flown on a plane.

I’m most likely to be wrong. It’s just a guess. And I appreciate any comment.

 

[Tarheel]

I think you're making a mountain out of a mole hill.

 

[5jj]

My question:
Could I say "It's the first time I've flown on a plane" when I've just stepped off the plane?

Tarheel’s reply: Yes, that would work.
Emsr2d2’s reply: If I'd just stepped off the plane, I'd say "That was the first time I'd ever been on a plane!"

I would not use your original sentence for several reasons:

I'd be more likely to begin with 'this' rather than 'it'',
I'd use 'is' during the flight, 'has been' while leaving my seat and stepping off the plane, and 'was' (afte 'that' rather than 'this') any time after that.
I would not say 'flown on a plane'. I'd say just 'flown' or 'This is/has been/That was my first flight.

 

[Tarheel]

Who you are saying something to is relevant.

Just because I wouldn't argue with you about something doesn't mean I would say the same thing.

I agree with everything my colleagues have said in this thread.