Thread: The Queen Of The Skies -Retires

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).

Originally Posted by vulindlela

Still the coolest looking plane out there!

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

Originally Posted by vulindlela

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

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.

Originally Posted by vulindlela

Still the coolest looking plane out there!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.


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