The high point of my career, that aeroplane. I never flew with Qantas (they knocked me back when I was 19!) but I completed both my classic 747 and 744 command training with them. I found their courses excellent and all their Instructors first class.(Shaun Gibb, Ray Dempsy, and on the 400, Pettingell and Jones). 15 years on type with two different operators and on reflection, the safest aeroplane I have ever flown. All the systems were so well designed. If you flew by the book you were always covered. Easy to fly and one of the nicest aeroplanes to land. Fast and great in turbulence, plenty of fuel, you could not ask for more. My only criticism, was no cockpit windows that could be opened and the cockpit itself was no larger than the 727/737.
I have just recently finished my long career on the 737. Typical Boeing, almost idiot proof, but a dog to fly in comparison. Pitch sensitive and very busy for some reason and painfully slow. I salute the Queen, nothing will ever replace that aeroplane. End of an era. Even though I miss line flying, nothing currently flying as the 'latest and the greatest' interests me in the slightest. Plastic fly-by-wire aeroplanes with no soul is the future. The next step is pilotless aircraft (I'll be going to the old folks home via electric bus). So lucky to be in the right spot at the right time. Good Bye Queen and thanks for the memories and thanks to the Boeing Engineers, they got that one just right.