Boeing 747 days are numbered
Discussion
alangla said:
CAPP0 said:
Dog Star said:
That's sad - I've never ever been on one 
(That said, despite making on average a couple of flights a month I've never been on a four engined jet and I've never flown anything "posher" than economy!)
No, nor me although have always wanted to. Have also done a lot of flights but far more short haul than long.(That said, despite making on average a couple of flights a month I've never been on a four engined jet and I've never flown anything "posher" than economy!)
I might seriously have to look at where I can go to just to get a flight. Anyone any suggestions for the most cost-effective vs interesting option?
Would welcome some more suggestions for a worthwhile flight on a Jumbo, bearing in mind that MrsC hates flying to the point where she simply won't do it, so wherever I go, I'll be going on my own!
I was on one twice this week, including overnight last night (BA LHR-San Diego and back) and thought it felt a bit of a vintage experience. They always seem to smell of chemical toilet and feel cramped and dingy. The newer jets, especially the A380, are just a much more airy and luxurious. I won't be sorry to see them mothballed, personally.
Was very lucky a few years ago to marshal a 747 onto stand as part of my initial Airside Operations training at Heathrow. Remember standing at the front of the stand and seeing it taxi slowly towards me getting bigger, and bigger and bigger! Another controller had to stand at the bottom of the stand off to the side to let me know when the tail had crossed the line as you can't see the edge of the stand 80m away! Absolutely beautiful aircraft. Was able to fly on a half pax half cargo KLM 747 to Seoul a year later. Was built in the mid 90's so was a little tired by then and creaked and rattled constantly but just added to character I thought! 
Edited by Dannyboy85 on Thursday 9th November 20:41
Edited by Dannyboy85 on Thursday 9th November 20:41
Ayahuasca said:
Dr Jekyll said:
JakeT said:
There's something so right about the look of the 747, and
+1Looks like a scaled up F86.
I always thought the 747 fin had particularly pleasing proportions.
surveyor said:
Be around for a while. BA appear to be trying to run the oldest fleet in the world (yes I know they have newer stuff too....).
Only flying in the back I would make efforts to avoid their un-refurbished fleet.
I’ve read 2024 is the retirement date for the last of their 747’s.Only flying in the back I would make efforts to avoid their un-refurbished fleet.
Eric Mc said:
Others have said that as well. There is vague resemblance I suppose. The 747 has quite a high wing sweep[back as well (37.5 degrees) which does give it the look of a fighter. Modern airliners have much lower wing sweep angles.
“Loved by pilots for its handling qualities and seemingly infinite reserves of getaway, the 747 handles like a fighter and at first glance even looks like one. In fact it looks a lot like the old F-86 Sabre, with its flight-deck bulge perched right forward like a Sabre's bubble canopy and the same proud angle to its tail feathers. On the ground the 747 is perhaps a bit fussy underneath, like a house being moved around on a lot of roller skates, but when it gets into the air, cleans itself up, and pours on the 100,000 plus horsepower of its turbofans, there is nothing less awkward or lovelier aloft. Unless you had been told, you would never think of it as having 400 people on board. It looks as if there is only one man in there, having the time of his life”Clive James
I do think the 747 is one of the best looking passenger aircraft ever - it just looks so 'right' in a way the A380 doesn't; it's such an elegant design. I've seen the 'first' 747 at the air museum in Seattle (plus a sad-looking Concorde), and been to see them being made at Everett a couple of times (although more 787s there the last time I visited).
I've flown cattle, premium and business on many occasions including seat A1 once (in a config where that was strangely enough an economy cabin) from LA to SF at night in the summer of '85 where the pilot got a lower than normal flight plan so we could get a better look at the forest fires up the coast...as only US carrier would do I guess and it we great having the down/forward view. Memorable to this day. I always wanted to get 'upstairs' though, but despite doing business a few times it was always lower deck
But...and burn the heretic...it's not a plane I like to fly in and I'd actively avoid it.
Despite being a very frequent flyer (and a BA gold) I'm not a happy flyer and I just don't like the 'feel' of the 747. There's a sort of 'shunt' that goes through the airframe at times, especially on the take-off roll, and that first turn with the flaps out just doesn't feel right...scares the sh!t out of me; it just doesn't feel like it should be in the air. The A380 just feels so much more 'solid' in the air (ignoring being nicer/quieter inside) and the last few flights to SF I've chosen the times for the A380 or 777 to avoid one. And I much prefer the 'feel' of a 777 or 787...not been in an A350 yet.
I really will miss watching 747s take off and land as they're just so elegant and impressive - but I won't miss being a passenger. It's not the seats/decor/entertainment/whatever as that varies from airline to airline, I just don't like the big floppy-wing shunty 'feel' of the thing hanging in the air like a brick doesn't.
I've flown cattle, premium and business on many occasions including seat A1 once (in a config where that was strangely enough an economy cabin) from LA to SF at night in the summer of '85 where the pilot got a lower than normal flight plan so we could get a better look at the forest fires up the coast...as only US carrier would do I guess and it we great having the down/forward view. Memorable to this day. I always wanted to get 'upstairs' though, but despite doing business a few times it was always lower deck
But...and burn the heretic...it's not a plane I like to fly in and I'd actively avoid it.
Despite being a very frequent flyer (and a BA gold) I'm not a happy flyer and I just don't like the 'feel' of the 747. There's a sort of 'shunt' that goes through the airframe at times, especially on the take-off roll, and that first turn with the flaps out just doesn't feel right...scares the sh!t out of me; it just doesn't feel like it should be in the air. The A380 just feels so much more 'solid' in the air (ignoring being nicer/quieter inside) and the last few flights to SF I've chosen the times for the A380 or 777 to avoid one. And I much prefer the 'feel' of a 777 or 787...not been in an A350 yet.
I really will miss watching 747s take off and land as they're just so elegant and impressive - but I won't miss being a passenger. It's not the seats/decor/entertainment/whatever as that varies from airline to airline, I just don't like the big floppy-wing shunty 'feel' of the thing hanging in the air like a brick doesn't.
CAPP0 said:
That would be a bit like getting a pax flight with my mate who flies the Westray > Papa Westray route!
Would welcome some more suggestions for a worthwhile flight on a Jumbo, bearing in mind that MrsC hates flying to the point where she simply won't do it, so wherever I go, I'll be going on my own!
Nearly got you around the world! Might still be able to do it totally on a Jumbo??Would welcome some more suggestions for a worthwhile flight on a Jumbo, bearing in mind that MrsC hates flying to the point where she simply won't do it, so wherever I go, I'll be going on my own!
BA Jumbo London to Cape town
BA (Comair) B734/B738 Cape Town to Johannesburg
QFA Jumbo Johannesburg to Sydney
QFA Jumbo Sydney to San Francisco. Might be on one of the only -400ER passenger planes.
BA Jumbo San Francisco to London
I travelled first class on PanAm 1 (747) in 1968 and James Garner was in the seat behind me. Also done a couple of around-the-worlds in business class on QANTAS and BA in 1985 and loads of trips to S Africa/Kenya/Far East/Middle East/Australia and Trans Atlantic over the years 1968 to 1995, on BA the best business class seat was 64K upstairs but you had to be quick to grab this one when the flight opened up for booking.
EGCC to MCO still running with a 747-400. See it most days departing mid morning and in the summer. I suspect they will continue to run this service for a good while yet. Done the flight myself many times, always something I would look forward too although they have been showing their age. I understand they did an interior upgrade a while back but not seen it myself.
Perik Omo said:
I travelled first class on PanAm 1 (747) in 1968 and James Garner was in the seat behind me. Also done a couple of around-the-worlds in business class on QANTAS and BA in 1985 and loads of trips to S Africa/Kenya/Far East/Middle East/Australia and Trans Atlantic over the years 1968 to 1995, on BA the best business class seat was 64K upstairs but you had to be quick to grab this one when the flight opened up for booking.
You couldn't have flown 1st class in a 747 in 1968 with any airline.The prototype made its first flight in 1969 and the first 747 service - which was Pan Am, of course, commenced in January 1970.
Dr Jekyll said:
Boeing are still making the 747 I believe, is it mainly Freighter versions?
They are making the newest version which is called the 747-8. It is recognisable because of its larger diameter engines. It is available as both a passenger and freight version (like most previous versions) Over the decades there have been six distinct sub versions of the 747 - 747-100
747-200
747SP
747-300
747-400
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747-8
There have been variations within these major sub-types.
Eric Mc said:
You couldn't have flown 1st class in a 747 in 1968 with any airline.
The prototype made its first flight in 1969 and the first 747 service - which was Pan Am, of course, commenced in January 1970.
You are right, got my dates entirely wrong there. Mrs Perik informs me it was the year we got married which was indeed 1970, the trip was late summer and we got married in October that year and the flight was JFK-LHR-FRA and I was going to do some work at a US Base near Zweibruken and changed planes in FRA to get to Saarbruken.The prototype made its first flight in 1969 and the first 747 service - which was Pan Am, of course, commenced in January 1970.
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