End of an Era. The last 747 will roll out this evening.

[Just a civilian pilot]

I see your -100 and raise you a -400!
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Both cockpits are very cool looking ( analogue and EFIS ).

What airline is this?

 

[AutoMechanic]

I always said if I ever fly a plane I want it to be a 747. Nowadays my mindset is I’ll never get near a plane other than taking a picture or maybe sitting in one if given the opportunity. I would never go in the air in one. I’m too chicken lol. I know they say it’s safer but I’d rather risk it in a car. I especially would not want to go down in a plane in water I’d rather hit solid ground at least then I have a more likely chance to be found. Everyone thinks it’s crazy I’ve never been on a plane personally I have no desire too. My main thing is I hate heights. The only 747 I’ve seen at my airport are the military ones and they have to take off past the building next to the run way otherwise they will take the building with them lol. The other runway isn’t long enough to accommodate them.

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

I always said if I ever fly a plane I want it to be a 747. Nowadays my mindset is I’ll never get near a plane other than taking a picture or maybe sitting in one if given the opportunity. I would never go in the air in one. I’m too chicken lol. I know they say it’s safer but I’d rather risk it in a car. I especially would not want to go down in a plane in water I’d rather hit solid ground at least then I have a more likely chance to be found. Everyone thinks it’s crazy I’ve never been on a plane personally I have no desire too. My main thing is I hate heights. The only 747 I’ve seen at my airport are the military ones and they have to take off past the building next to the run way otherwise they will take the building with them lol. The other runway isn’t long enough to accommodate them.

Well, many people ( not on BITOG of coarse ) would think I am crazy because I have never changed my own oil.

 

[john_pifer]

Both cockpits are very cool looking ( analogue and EFIS ).

What airline is this?

Atlas

 

[Kestas]

Looks like a 747-100 - what year was that?

BTW - when you fly hands-on you really should be looking forward

This was around 1998 with Kalitta Airlines in Oscoda, MI.

We were contracted to do metallurgical failure analysis for Kalitta Airlines.

 

[UncleDave]

In discussion about this My boss laments it more than most. when not flying private he spent a ton of up front time in 787's

 

[Astro14]

I last flew the 747 about twenty years ago. I flew and taught the airplane for about five years. I remember it very well.

I’ve got some spare time tomorrow to reminisce, and I’ll post up a few thoughts.

I’ll reiterate what I said previously - a great airplane to fly. A real pilot‘s airplane.

 

[c502cid]

I flew on UAL's 747's a few times, mostly to/from China. My last flight on one was a bummer, I had dinner in the Air China lounge in PVG (Shanghai) before the flight and got some serious food poisoning. I was in the lav for probably 7-8 hours. What struck me as interesting, I was upper deck in business and stayed in the front lav next to the cockpit for hours, and no one even checked on me. One of the least interested FA crews I ever experieinced, and 99% of the UAL international crews are outstanding!

 

[Flashlightboy]

My nephew is an Atlas pilot and has flown N861GT, which is the first of the last four aircraft. Says the new plane smell is nice.

Eventually he will fly them all.

 

[GON]

I flew on UAL's 747's a few times, mostly to/from China. My last flight on one was a bummer, I had dinner in the Air China lounge in PVG (Shanghai) before the flight and got some serious food poisoning. I was in the lav for probably 7-8 hours. What struck me as interesting, I was upper deck in business and stayed in the front lav next to the cockpit for hours, and no one even checked on me. One of the least interested FA crews I ever experieinced, and 99% of the UAL international crews are outstanding!

C502C,

Sorry that happened to you. That is a horrible situation to have extreme pain from food poisoning on a 12-hour flight.

As for UA's upper deck business, only time I flew UA upper deck the seats were the old-style business, I had a window and could not get out to go the bathroom, as the man in the aisle slept with his seat extended. In the old configuration, the upper deck business seats at the window is not great with the curvatures of the fuselage.

 

[c502cid]

C502C,

Sorry that happened to you. That is a horrible situation to have extreme pain from food poisoning on a 12-hour flight.

As for UA's upper deck business, only time I flew UA upper deck the seats were the old-style business, I had a window and could not get out to go the bathroom, as the man in the aisle slept with his seat extended. In the old configuration, the upper deck business seats at the window is not great with the curvatures of the fuselage.

I was in exactly that same configuration in the window seat. The guy on the aisle was rightfully upset that I kept getting up, so I just stayed in the lav.

 

[4WD]

C502C,

Sorry that happened to you. That is a horrible situation to have extreme pain from food poisoning on a 12-hour flight.

As for UA's upper deck business, only time I flew UA upper deck the seats were the old-style business, I had a window and could not get out to go the bathroom, as the man in the aisle slept with his seat extended. In the old configuration, the upper deck business seats at the window is not great with the curvatures of the fuselage.

It‘s been difficult to get business class seats “just right“ up in the hump - Cathay’s fishbone could have been nice if they had not put too many up there (narrow) - I mostly took the other deck for aisle access and nobody crossing me …

 

[GON]

It‘s been difficult to get business class seats “just right“ up in the hump - Cathay’s fishbone could have been nice if they had not put too many up there (narrow) - I mostly took the other deck for aisle access and nobody crossing me …

4WD,

RGR that. I made a huge mistake when I checked in. UA offered to upgrade me from business seat to first class seat, and I declined as I wanted to try the upper deck. I blew it as it was not a comfortable seat, and I was captive in it with the guy in the aisle camped out.

I flew 747 about a half dozen times since, Cathay, Quantas, KLM, Pacifc (formally Fiji), and no avoid the upper deck. For a short flight, upper deck is fun. For a 14 hour flight- upper deck not so fun.

 

[4WD]

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.

montrealgazette.com

I found A380’s just used the same seats as other aircraft and it was a mad rush to get that many PAX to customs …
as for the A345 - very fuel thirsty - so got displaced by more efficient planes - but I did enjoy the 100 seat SQ version for several very long flights …

 

[Astro14]

4WD,

RGR that. I made a huge mistake when I checked in. UA offered to upgrade me from business seat to first class seat, and I declined as I wanted to try the upper deck. I blew it as it was not a comfortable seat, and I was captive in it with the guy in the aisle camped out.

I flew 747 about a half dozen times since, Cathay, Quantas, KLM, Pacifc (formally Fiji), and no avoid the upper deck. For a short flight, upper deck is fun. For a 14 hour flight- upper deck not so fun.

The upper deck on Lufthansa 747-400s was First Class many years ago. Very exclusive, quiet experience. Great flight attendants. Like being on a private jet. Really wonderful.

 

[4WD]

The upper deck on Lufthansa 747-400s was First Class many years ago. Very exclusive, quiet experience. Great flight attendants. Like being on a private jet. Really wonderful.

Yup - had lobster in an LH B744 … However LH Business Class got behind some that went 1-2-1 …

 

[UncleDave]

In discussion about this My boss laments it more than most. when not flying private he spent a ton of up front time in 787's

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whoops 747-8

 

[GON]

Picture taken at HND airport earlier today, in what I speculate may have been JAL's first 747 being welcomed to the JAL team, and maybe the Japanese people.

 

[wpod]

I always said if I ever fly a plane I want it to be a 747. Nowadays my mindset is I’ll never get near a plane other than taking a picture or maybe sitting in one if given the opportunity. I would never go in the air in one. I’m too chicken lol. I know they say it’s safer but I’d rather risk it in a car. I especially would not want to go down in a plane in water I’d rather hit solid ground at least then I have a more likely chance to be found. Everyone thinks it’s crazy I’ve never been on a plane personally I have no desire too. My main thing is I hate heights. The only 747 I’ve seen at my airport are the military ones and they have to take off past the building next to the run way otherwise they will take the building with them lol. The other runway isn’t long enough to accommodate them.

Go for a plane ride, Flying is incredible.

 

[wpod]

This is me at the controls of a 747.

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I had a friend that worked for an airfreight company that leased forklifts from the company I worked for and we would always take a half hour coffee break in the cockpit . It is an awesome place to be.