Boeing 747 days are numbered

[Arnold Cunningham]

ch37 said:

Had a chance to shoot 3 on a clear night at Kemble recently, won't get many more chances to do this sort of thing. Pretty awesome sense of scale when you're stood near 3 and trying to frame them all...

Absolutely lovely pics, nice one.

[djc206]

To lower the photography standard considerably these are still parked at Suvarnabhumi looking very sorry for themselves

[Arnold Cunningham]

Do they keep them airworthy so they can fly out to be scrapped? Or would they be scrapped on site?

[Teddy Lop]

aeropilot said:

andyA700 said:

Teddy Lop said:

Speed 3 said:

Last new build one rolled off the production line last night:

I guess that's it for 4 engined civilian airliners then?

With most of the -8s freighters and airlines looking to offload a380s, will these double deck behemoths still be something you're likely to fly on or even see in ten years? Seems the end of a era, they defined the ultra long haul.

I suppose the engine tech is about ready to think about a big twin double decker but with airbus burnt from the a380 (which never realized it's potential anyway) they and boeing would be waiting for airlines to come begging before they'd consider building it.

The age of the four engine airliner is far from dead.

I think the previous poster was referring to the fact that, with the last A380 being made last year, this final 747 marks the end of all 4 engine civil aircraft production, not use.

I meant production, obviously, but I can see usage looming closer than one thinks. A340s aren't that new any more and the cost consideration of majar service/refit v. efficient new twin won't do it any favours, and I gather only about half of a380s made are currently in use, with several airlines retiring them even before covid hit - I thought the a380 would eek out a living for itself on the high density big hub routes but seems many can't make the numbers work.

[Greendubber]

Flew to NYC today, last time was a 747 and I have to say it knocked spots off the 777 we came on today. Cabin seemed comfier, seemed to have more room (both premium economy) and just felt more 'special'

Service was crap too, hardly saw any stewards so got off feeling a little bit dried out, in flight entertainment died 2 hours before landing and it was the grubbiest aircraft I've ever been on, check out this wing...



It wasn't much cleaner on the inside!

[ch37]

That's just an airline specific issue though, surely? We only fly economy and had comfortably the worst transatlantic flight we've ever had on a 747. We were upstairs and I've never known anything so cramped, if I remember correctly one of the issues was the curve of the roof and how it meant the overhead bins had to sit.

Very pleased to return home on a 777 on that trip.

[aeropilot]

ch37 said:

That's just an airline specific issue though, surely? We only fly economy and had comfortably the worst transatlantic flight we've ever had on a 747. We were upstairs and I've never known anything so cramped, if I remember correctly one of the issues was the curve of the roof and how it meant the overhead bins had to sit.

Very pleased to return home on a 777 on that trip.

Yep.

Seat config/space etc is all done to the individual airline, not the aircraft type.

However, that state of that wing is terrible, showing distinct lack of maintenance........or rather lack of staff to do anything more than the bare minimum for safety.

[Eric Mc]

Greendubber said:

Flew to NYC today, last time was a 747 and I have to say it knocked spots off the 777 we came on today. Cabin seemed comfier, seemed to have more room (both premium economy) and just felt more 'special'

Service was crap too, hardly saw any stewards so got off feeling a little bit dried out, in flight entertainment died 2 hours before landing and it was the grubbiest aircraft I've ever been on, check out this wing...



It wasn't much cleaner on the inside!

What airline is that?

[aeropilot]

Eric Mc said:

Greendubber said:

Flew to NYC today, last time was a 747 and I have to say it knocked spots off the 777 we came on today. Cabin seemed comfier, seemed to have more room (both premium economy) and just felt more 'special'

Service was crap too, hardly saw any stewards so got off feeling a little bit dried out, in flight entertainment died 2 hours before landing and it was the grubbiest aircraft I've ever been on, check out this wing...



It wasn't much cleaner on the inside!

What airline is that?

I would guess its either, BA, United or AA?

[Greendubber]

Yep BA.

[Eric Mc]

Aha - so a few years ago. I thought it was a recent flight.

[aeropilot]

Eric Mc said:

Aha - so a few years ago. I thought it was a recent flight.

He's says it was today....?
(or rather yesterday by now)

[Dr Jekyll]

aeropilot said:

Eric Mc said:

Aha - so a few years ago. I thought it was a recent flight.

He's says it was today....?
(or rather yesterday by now)

He said today was a 777, last time was a 747.

[djc206]

Dr Jekyll said:

aeropilot said:

Eric Mc said:

Aha - so a few years ago. I thought it was a recent flight.

He's says it was today....?
(or rather yesterday by now)

He said today was a 777, last time was a 747.

Yep and that’s a 777 wing

[Greendubber]

Correct, 747 4 years ago, filthy horrible 777 yesterday.

[QuadCamCapri]

A couple of 747 pics I took on a previous snowy day a Heathrow...