The Queen Of The Skies -Retires

It's the end of an era, after a 50+year production run, Boeing has rolled out it's last 747 - a 747-8 freighter for Atlas Air, with delivery in 2023. Of course when I think back on the 747 I don't see a freighter, I see a double decker plane with a hump in the front and in the back (in coach) there was a piano bar area, where you could stretch your legs and just relax - AA called this luxurious airplane a.... "Luxury Liner" :cool:

AA https://youtu.be/tOnvXRYvhaM

Delta https://youtu.be/Sjqu0q041Qg

Japan Air https://youtu.be/okisNSbwVkI

Pan Am https://youtu.be/9CtpEK8yX6o

TWA https://youtu.be/xyjnWJJB1N8

Still the coolest looking plane out there!

This got me thinking about which 747s I have flown on.

I never got to fly on a -100. I was set to fly a TW -100 but got to LGW late and had to jump on an AA 767.

For the -200 I flew Japan Airlines(LAX-NRT), Kitty Hawk Air Cargo(SEA-IND-SEA), Pakistan Airlines(JFK-MAN), and Virgin Atlantic(SFO-LHR).

I only flew on one -300 which was Swissair(PHL-BOS-ZRH).

For the -400 I flew British Airways(JFK-LHR and LHR-SEA), Cathay Pacific(SFO-HKG-SFO), Delta(DTW-AMS), Japan Air Lines(NRT-HKG), Lufthansa(SFO-FRA and MUC-SFO), QANTAS(LAX-SYD-LAX), United(HKG-SFO), Virgin Atlantic(SFO-LHR-SFO and LAX-LHR-LAX), and South African(JFK-JNB-SID-JFK and MIA-CPT-MIA).

I flew one SP version which was Iran Air(GVA-ORY).

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Originally Posted by vulindlela

Still the coolest looking plane out there!

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Agreed. Concorde and the DC-10 round out the top 3 for me.

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Originally Posted by vulindlela

I flew one SP version which was Iran Air(GVA-ORY).

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Never got to ride the SP or 100 but have flown on the -200, -300 and -400. Hope to one day catch a ride on the -8.

If anyone visits Paris, be sure to visit the museum at Le Bourget airport where you can climb on board an AF 747-100 on display. The DL museum in D2’s hometown of ATL also has a -400 on display as well as a 767.

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Originally Posted by vulindlela

Still the coolest looking plane out there!

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My top three coolest looking planes, the 747, the Concorde and the SR-71. BTW, the Concorde did land at LAX once (Oct. 1974) on a promotional world tour - residents near the the airport said it was very noisy and environmentally unfriendly. The Concorde never came back. :(

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Originally Posted by Migflanker

My top three coolest looking planes, the 747, the Concorde and the SR-71. BTW, the Concorde did land at LAX once (Oct. 1974) on a promotional world tour - residents near the the airport said it was very noisy and environmentally unfriendly. The Concorde never came back. :(

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The SR-71 is way cool!
The first time I saw one was a fly by at Point Mugu airshow. I was in awe.

I remember they would offer a nonrev flight on the Concorde for $800 each way. I was making $5 an hour so it was way over my budget. In retrospect, I wish I had just done it.

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Originally Posted by vulindlela

The SR-71 is way cool!
The first time I saw one was a fly by at Point Mugu airshow. I was in awe.

I remember they would offer a nonrev flight on the Concorde for $800 each way. I was making $5 an hour so it was way over my budget. In retrospect, I wish I had just done it.

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I saw the Blackbird at the Air & Space Museum. It's an impressive aircraft.

Video of the last flight of the SR-71 at Edwards AFB Open House Airshow October 9, 1999. Unfortunately we had planned to go to the show the next day - the show was cancelled - why I don't remember, what I do remember is there was a lot of crying.:rolleyes:


SR-71
https://youtu.be/I5URVG8nFBg

A BBC documentary (1969?) introducing the wonders of the new jumbo 747 and the preparations needed for the "airplane of tomorrow".
There were questions: #1 Would pax want to fly in a long gray tube with 500 other people?
Of course the airlines looking at the bottom line also wondered about the cost of new larger hangers , special tow tractors, not to mention new giant staircases and concerns about the Jumbo jet's blast blowing out windows at the airport. Plus, there were major safety concerns - 500 people and emergency slides? I have to say, after looking at the slide demo -I can see why they made improvements.
There's also talk about computers and drive-up windows in airport parking lots for making flight reservations (and you thought mobile check-in was something new). Running time about 40 minutes

Enjoy

https://youtu.be/OhvqEwveBv4