Lucky enough to have enjoyed a JFK-LHR sector. It was in 2003 and I was then a Classic 747 FO with several thousands hours on my logbook. However, when seeing the Beast from the terminal just prior to boarding her, I was as thrilled as I had been for my very first airplane ride as a kid ! I was seated at the very last row, besides the left hand porthole. I remember engine start-up, telling myself "Wow, big cavalry !!" T/O acceleration very powerful, I was stuck in the back of my seat, such as in the jet fighter I experienced 15 years before as a back-seater. A lot of buffet during initial climb, with combination of Delta wing and high AoA. I could even spot saturation on the wing's extrados ! On the cabin indicator showing Mach and altitude, I remember I saw very unusual combinations for the subsonic pilot I was and still am : something like M 0.72 at 13000', M0.85 at 20000', and finally M1 at 27000', up to M2 at 50000' ! Warmer temperature inside the cabin as the airplane was accelerating. And above all, Earth curvature was clearly visible, while I could spot the dark blue sky descending close to the horizon. All this as I was enjoying a glass of Corton-Charlemagne Grand-Cru, wearing my casual clothes, as people flying higher and/or faster, such as SR71 or U2 crew were wearing a pressure suit and eating junk food from something looking like a toothpaste tube !.. When puting my hand on the inside fuselage skin, I realized it was rather hot. When the airplane began to decelerate, immediately the inside fuselage became cold... On final approach I remember I was thrilled with the airplane's high pitch attitude. And finally, a very powerful thrust reverser driven breaking.
Definitly sensational flying !!
Just one regret : no way to get access to the flight deck during flight, we were just 18 months after 9/11 and BinLaden and his orchestra were still close in one's mind. Yet I shaved my beard, had my airline ID and ATPL licence with me..
But a remind I will keep in mind until my ultimate breathe !!