It was a great airplane to fly. Good handling. An honest jet with excellent performance. They’ll be around for a while longer but as the OP said, after 50 years in production, this is the end of an era.
End of an Era. The last 747 will roll out this evening.
- Thread starter PimTac
- Start date
In 1982 I was early in my career for a high tech company. I had to make a trip to Frankfurt. At the time the company allowed for first class travel on international flights. On my return I flew on a BRAND NEW Lufthansa 747 (it was just 2 or 3 flights old).
While boarding I was greeted by the most attractive flight attendants on Lufthansa's entire payroll. I remember them beaming with pride over their new airplane. I remember the Captain making an announcement, welcoming us to their new airplane.
It was so new I remember it had a new car smell. The first class laboratory was so spotless I could have sipped water out of the sink basin with a straw and not fallen ill.
I will never forget that flight.
Scott
We flew on one at least twice, once a return trip from Saskatoon, Canada to London in June 1985.
While we were in Britain, the Air India bombing (also a 747) had taken place which made our return flight a bit nervous making. The news cameras were rolling as we got off the first (post bombing) flight from Britain to Saskatoon.
And on the return flight we brought a new aluminum boom (+/- 9' long) for our sailing dingy as carry on. We got it into the overhead bin somehow.
While we were in Britain, the Air India bombing (also a 747) had taken place which made our return flight a bit nervous making. The news cameras were rolling as we got off the first (post bombing) flight from Britain to Saskatoon.
And on the return flight we brought a new aluminum boom (+/- 9' long) for our sailing dingy as carry on. We got it into the overhead bin somehow.
Flew them dozens of times mostly KLM West coast to Amsterdam. Several of these upstairs in business.
I sleep on that beautiful gal like I do at my house. Nothing like the security of a 4 engined bird even if imagined.
I met the King of the Netherlands on one of these flights he popped out of the cockpit for a stretch and I happened to be up at the upstairs snack counter and mentioned that this person looked exactly like King Willem and he chuckled and said "thats because I am King Willem" - super cool person. I dont think he was captain, but part of the flight deck crew.
Ill miss her.........
I sleep on that beautiful gal like I do at my house. Nothing like the security of a 4 engined bird even if imagined.
I met the King of the Netherlands on one of these flights he popped out of the cockpit for a stretch and I happened to be up at the upstairs snack counter and mentioned that this person looked exactly like King Willem and he chuckled and said "thats because I am King Willem" - super cool person. I dont think he was captain, but part of the flight deck crew.
Ill miss her.........
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GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
I have flown on the 747 from Auckland to Hong Kong, Dallas to Sydney, Los Angelos to Nadi, and Chicago to Tokyo The Chicago to Tokyo was on UAL. The other flights were on foreign air carriers.
I took a picture of this 747 earlier today that appears to have put out to pasture. Not far from this queen of the sky were two A380s that also appear to be put out to pasture. Unlike the 747, the A380 series appears to be living a very short life. Maybe this 747 will be converted to a freighter and get a second life.
And for note- the best seats in the 747 are typically in the nose of the aircraft of the main floor, not the upper deck. PimTac mentioned he flew economy on the upper deck of a 747, I know Fiji Airlines flew that configuration, I am not sure who else configured a 747 with the upper deck being economy.
I took a picture of this 747 earlier today that appears to have put out to pasture. Not far from this queen of the sky were two A380s that also appear to be put out to pasture. Unlike the 747, the A380 series appears to be living a very short life. Maybe this 747 will be converted to a freighter and get a second life.
And for note- the best seats in the 747 are typically in the nose of the aircraft of the main floor, not the upper deck. PimTac mentioned he flew economy on the upper deck of a 747, I know Fiji Airlines flew that configuration, I am not sure who else configured a 747 with the upper deck being economy.
The 777 was a very nice plane too. When I last flew on one of those the company had relegated us from first class to business class. Still, very nice accommodations.
Scott
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Agreed. The A380 won’t be winning any beauty pageants ( on the outside …..great Cabin inside I am sure ).
Very curious how each plane differs in performance ( cruise Mach, climb performance , etc ).
As far as I am concerned, any pilot who was fortunate enough to fly the 747 , Concorde , was a very lucky pilot.
My airline sold It’s 747s sometime around 2005?
Edit: Air Canada last 747 flight was October, 2004. They bought their first 747 in 1971 when AC was a govt run airline.
A340 replaced the 747 at my airline ( under powered except the super powerful , fantastic A340-500 ).
montrealgazette.com
Very curious how each plane differs in performance ( cruise Mach, climb performance , etc ).
As far as I am concerned, any pilot who was fortunate enough to fly the 747 , Concorde , was a very lucky pilot.
My airline sold It’s 747s sometime around 2005?
Edit: Air Canada last 747 flight was October, 2004. They bought their first 747 in 1971 when AC was a govt run airline.
A340 replaced the 747 at my airline ( under powered except the super powerful , fantastic A340-500 ).
History Through Our Eyes: March 22, 1971, Air Canada's new Boeing 747
Montrealers flocked to Air Canada's maintenance facility in March 1971 when the airline held an open house to introduce its new acquisition.
montrealgazette.com
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I haven't flown on a 747, although I would really like to. I've been on an A380 five or six times and I really like flying on that plane.
This was economy on the main deck up front. Usually that is First or Business class. This was on a Philippine Airlines 747. The Japanese had some 747’s as I recall with high passenger capacity. They used them on flights from Tokyo to Osaka for example.
ANA has their A380’s that carry well over 500 passengers. They use them on the Tokyo-Honolulu route.
4WD
$50 site donor 2024
Aside from the flip noses - those KLM combi’s (pax/cargo) have flown many a $100k drill bit from IAH to AMS …
747 has much greater wing sweep angle than the 380. Actually, I’ve read that it’s the most extreme wing sweep angle of any airliner.Agreed. The A380 won’t be winning any beauty pageants ( on the outside …..great Cabin inside I am sure ).
Very curious how each plane differs in performance ( cruise Mach, climb performance , etc ).
As far as I am concerned, any pilot who was fortunate enough to fly the 747 , Concorde , was a very lucky pilot.
My airline sold It’s 747s sometime around 2005?
Edit: Air Canada last 747 flight was October, 2004. They bought their first 747 in 1971 when AC was a govt run airline.
A340 replaced the 747 at my airline ( under powered except the super powerful , fantastic A340-500 ).
History Through Our Eyes: March 22, 1971, Air Canada's new Boeing 747
Montrealers flocked to Air Canada's maintenance facility in March 1971 when the airline held an open house to introduce its new acquisition.
It’s the fastest airliner flying currently, I believe.
Maybe @Astro14 could chime in here.
I’d enjoy hearing him elaborate a bit more on what it’s like to fly the Queen of the Skies (he already has, quite a bit, which I greatly appreciate)!
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Yes, very true about the extreme wing sweep.
Thats another design feature that make’s it so beautiful.
Edit: It must have a very high Min clean speed when close to MTOW on departure ( 250 knot speed limit below 10,000 exemption for safety consideration when pilots advise ATC ).
The A321 ( much less sweep but small wing ) is very close to 250 knots min clean speed when heavy so I would expect the 747 to be much higher.
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We flew from Seattle to London on a Pan Am 747 in September 1978. It was a comfortable flight in an incredible airplane. The first 747s cost a lot, about $ 21 million. The list price for a 747 is now $ 419.2 million.
Kestas
Staff member
This is me at the controls of a 747.
Looks like a 747-100 - what year was that?
BTW - when you fly hands-on you really should be looking forward
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And no seatbelt.Looks like a 747-100 - what year was that?
BTW - when you fly hands-on you really should be looking forward
Must be a very smooth pilot.
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