Looking back at my QANTAS JUNIOR V-JET CLUB logbook, my first flight on a 747 was VH-EBC, City of Sydney, SYD-MEL 22/12/1972. Prior to that it was the 707.
As a 18 month old, fair to say I don't remember much of that flight, but have many fond memories of the Jumbo up until my last flight almost 39 years later on a QF -400 in Nov 2011 SYD-SIN.
My dad was a QF engineer (Ground), so we were lucky enough to travel regularly, and for a long time the 747 was the only aircraft I remember traveling on, up until the introduction of the 767. It was 1988 before I went on an Airbus, Air France A300 LHR-CDG.
I was lucky to be airside for the arrival of the -400 into SYD after its non-stop flight from LHR. No ASIC or Hi-Vis required.
Many visits to the flight deck, with a stern warning from my father to always address the Captain correctly, Captain or Skipper, and be polite and don't touch anything.
I really wanted to be a Flight Engineer, (an Uncle was one on B727, A300, B747) but that wouldn't work out. Posters on our walls as kids were the cut away of the JT9D and the RR RB211
My brother was fortunate to fly the 747-400, and I have flown the 787. The A320 is my ride now, it's a practical machine, but nothing commands the attention or respect of the "Queen of the Skies".
VH-EBC Boeing 747-238B