Ahhhhh why not
Long time ago, when research in sims was still possible (Pre 9/11), we had a few minutes spare at the end of a slot, so we tried putting a very light 747-400 into Chicago Meigs, ( Of Flight simulator fame) with no special wind to make it simple.
It was tight, but it fitted. What was even more "interesting" was getting it out again.
I can't recall now if the fuel load was legal, but it got out, and we got it around the corner back to a more civilised size strip, but it for sure was a bit of fun.
Seriously, short field training does help refine the technique, if there's a couple of miles of tarmac ahead, it's all to easy to have a "somewhere down there" attitude, and that doesn't help when it has to be fitted somewhere small without the option.
A friend of mine sent me some very impressive pics a while back of a South African 747 being retired to a small strip, so they planned it very carefully, and made it fit there too, and very pretty it looked as well. Rand Airport, South Africa elevation 5568 feet with 4898 long x 50 feet wide runway !
The gear width on a 747 is 43 Ft
