BA Retires Entire 747 Fleet [Archive]

clareprop

17th Jul 2020, 07:22

Entire BA 747 Fleet to be Retired Immediately (https://www.bbc.com/news/business-53426886)

In 1970 as a youngster, I saw from the Queens Building the first of these beautiful aircraft at Heathrow in BOAC colours. Little did I know then that, according to BA, over 27 years, I would fly to many destinations around the world travelling some 680,000 miles doing so. At the beginning of my career in economy, then later Club and finally, First. The majority of time I was travelling on business but also, with the benefit of air miles, we had some wonderful family holidays as well. Australia, Tokyo, Miami, Singapore...the list of destinations bring back so many memories. My BA flight path tells me I flew on BA 747's 130 times to various places around the world. I guess that's why I feel more than a touch of sadness at this news today. Farewell to the Queen of the skies - and also to my favourite seat of all time...64K.

AircraftOperations

17th Jul 2020, 09:58

clareprop

17th Jul 2020, 10:04

Pretty impressive considering you're only 44!

My name isn't Clareprop either :)

SpringHeeledJack

17th Jul 2020, 11:23

You're not that oik who threw an icecream on my head from the spotter's terrace in 1976 are you ?

Those 747's looked SO majestic as they paraded past the Queens Building it has to be said! Yes, a sad day for those who flew them, flew on them and watched them.

I remember waking up by chance around 5am about this time of year in 1989 and on going outside onto my roof terrace seeing two British Airways B747-400's going over the city side by side at 3500ft to land parallel to each other on 27L and 27R on their delivery flights. My apartment was bang in the middle of the two runways, so it was an impressive spectacle visually.

Who knows, some will live on as ad-hoc steeds or freighters, rather than the scrapper.

clareprop

17th Jul 2020, 11:39

You're not that oik who threw an icecream on my head from the spotter's terrace in 1976 are you

Not guilty - I was there about 5 years earlier. The interesting thing is that is was possible to throw ice-cream on someones head :)

PAXboy

17th Jul 2020, 13:13

I have been on all passenger variants over the years, including the LuftHansa -800 using points to get myself upstairs.
Last trip was in February, we came back from CPT to LHR in WT+ and it was lovely to feel that solid machine all around you, with the familiar rattles on the take off roll. :}

I took this picture at dawn on the way home.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/northbound_2_resize_a749077f4ccdc52cec477373cb3e592582d77b26 .jpg

Arfur Dent

17th Jul 2020, 21:48

Passengers loved them almost as much as the aircrew. Almost……..

S.o.S.

18th Jul 2020, 01:08

From the my first sector on a 741, in the mid 1970s,, I loved this machine. I have gone out of my way to travel on this reliable aircraft that was so wonderfully 'old school' and built like a good brick ****house should be.

Mr Mac

18th Jul 2020, 07:01

S.o.S.
I have also flown many miles in 747, mostly 200model onwards. Always liked sitting upstairs as it was like a private club with better staff to customer ratio, especially when it was BA back in the day. However times change for both 747 and BA. I will still fly on 747-8 with LH as they are used on some routes I am currently (hopefully !) going to be using, indeed my last 747 flight was on an series' 8 earlier this year. I have to say the 380 is a better AC as a passenger experience, though in a historical context the 747 was a game changer which the 380 will never be.
Kind regards
Mr Mac

ATNotts

18th Jul 2020, 11:05

In 1970 as a youngster, I saw from the Queens Building the first of these beautiful aircraft at Heathrow in BOAC colours.

I seem to recall that the first 3 741s (G-AWNA, B and C) were parked up on the BOAC maintenance area for months because of wrangles between BALPA and BOAC. The good old 1970s!! At least in those days enthusiasts had somewhere in the central area of LHR where they were welcome. I know it's a changed world, securitywise, but it's such a shame that our young grand kids can't any longer get up close and personal with aircraft in a sanctioned public area at many of our airports.

PAXboy

18th Jul 2020, 23:35

Our trip back in Feb (as per illustration above) was delayed. The old queen had an engine sensor that stopped sensing. So, with all on board and doors closed - after nearly an hour, it was everyone off and into hotels. A full 24hour delay due to crew rest. As the flight was 99% (estimate) full, and we all had to be put up and fed AND all received the EU.261 (just over £500 each) it was a really costly delay.

But, as I have said, you always felt secure. It seemed to me that, if there had been a ground incident or some such, the machine would have been a good one to be in. From my point of view, I would choose a 20 year old 744 over a brand new 787 any day. And have done so!

armchairpilot94116

19th Jul 2020, 01:09

My first sight of the majestic 747 was when I was having a good ol punch up with my best friend out in the school yard after school. It was a silly disagreement and not even over a girl. We stopped punching each other when the 747 came into view making its approach. That was a sight to remember. After it passed we carried on, I won, I think but i busted a little finger so I think i actually lost as his nose remained intact. Eric if you are reading this.. I'm sorry really !

It has been my favorite plane all these decades. Happy to have flown numerous times in the 747 SP, 200, 300, and of course the 400. Have yet to try the 800. Sad i may never get to fly the A380 because they are being grounded left and right. The A380 never really de-throned the true ruler---the Queen !

armchairpilot94116

19th Jul 2020, 01:29

That is a beautiful sight Paxboy that is going the way of the dodo bird. From now on its going to be only one engine on the wing.

DaveReidUK

19th Jul 2020, 20:00

Have yet to try the 800.

Being pedantic, there is no such variant as the "747-800". While you can certainly fly on a 747-830 of Lufhansa, or a 747-85L of Air China, etc, the family name (and also the variant name for Korean's last 3 aircraft) is simply "747-8".

eckhard

19th Jul 2020, 20:22

I used to be similarly pedantic when parking the 787. At some airports, the Stand Guidance System would proudly display “787-900”.
I would tease the co-pilot, asking him/her to request a marshaller, as we were in a different model;
the 787-9.

But back to the subject of this post. I spent 14 happy years and about 9,000hrs as a co-pilot on the -400 and am very sad to see them go. That’s 36,000 engine-hours with only one incident; when one of the RB-211s didn’t quite produce enough EPR on take-off, which was then rejected.

BalusKaptan

19th Jul 2020, 20:24

Opps, that photo is a B744 wing. The -8 has an entirely new wing and no winglets.

martine

19th Jul 2020, 20:45

I...but it's such a shame that our young grand kids can't any longer get up close and personal with aircraft in a sanctioned public area at many of our airports.
Yes I often think of the time I spent as a child on the enthusiasts viewing area at Heathrow - clutching radio and aircraft spotters book...and very sad kids (or adults) pax aren't allowed up front as well for a quick peak and chat.:rolleyes:

PAXboy

19th Jul 2020, 20:59

Sorry if you thought that was a -8 wing. As I referenced CPT and WT+ and it has blue engines, I thought that was enough to convey it was a 744. Checking my records, I did not take any wing shots of the -8.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1500x2000/20200219_075640_resize_9541964054f27853f103999b24e724470dd67 f21.jpg
Here is another of the 744, taken a bit earlier with the moon and Venus.

BalusKaptan

19th Jul 2020, 21:09

:ok: Now you should have one.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/748_wing_5e4190a48ca94a3c9c4a0243d376caebe026f482.jpg

IBMJunkman

20th Jul 2020, 13:17

Don’t know how I knew but I remember in 1969 driving out to ORD with my mother to see a UA 747. Ah, the good old days when you could go to a gate without a ticket. I was amazed at how the nose just filled the window of the boarding area. It was BIG.

malanda

31st Jul 2021, 09:13

Avionker

1st Aug 2021, 14:28

Only ever flew in a 747 for 2 sectors, LHR-KUL-MEL.

I did, however, work on them for 4 years, -200, -300-, -SP’s, -400 and -400ER. And a little on -400F’s. Still my favorite aircraft to work on.

PAXboy

1st Aug 2021, 18:11

What a pity you could not enjoy the Queen more!!! Such a solidly built machine. Even towards the end of her life, I always felt during the take off roll, that the rattles and creaks were reassuring! Never felt she was going to let us down. Built as the original 'Brick House' that may contain human elements ...

GBOAA

3rd Aug 2021, 15:50

Has anyone else bought 747 bits available online?

SpringHeeledJack

4th Aug 2021, 12:03

I know someone who purchased a beautiful table made out of part of the wing of an ex-Lufthansa 747. It was curved and I'm guessing some section of the leading edge, polished aluminium and rivets/fasteners. Very cool looking in their living room, more an objet d'art than practical tbh, also very expensive. Others have bought gauges and so on from the -200's.

wiggy

4th Aug 2021, 12:12

Haven’t bought any bits but like I suspect a few around here I’ve got a key fob made from part of the skin of ‘NLJ……..

That, and some very small parts of an F-4M in a box in the garage are the limits of my collection ……….:}

GBOAA

4th Aug 2021, 15:50

Haven’t bought any bits but like I suspect a few around here I’ve got a key fob made from part of the skin of ‘NLJ…

Me too. Yet to find a red one though. Did see one once but seller wanted over £100.

Musket90

4th Aug 2021, 21:44

My only BA 747-400 flight was to/from Nairobi in 2018 in Club which was a very comfortable experience. The highlight being when taxiing out for take-off from Nairobi the cabin manager announced over the PA to other cabin crew "seats for landing" which created a lot of laughter amongst fellow passengers.

tdracer

5th Aug 2021, 20:45

Has anyone else bought 747 bits available online?

If you go to the Boeing on-line store, they sell various bits of old 747s - windows, engine spinner based tables, that sort of thing. Not cheap though.
An example:
https://www.boeingstore.com/products/boeing-747-kit-natural-window
Go to boeingstore.com and search "747".

SpringHeeledJack

6th Aug 2021, 11:57

This product can expose you to the chemicals including hexavalent chromium, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

tdracer, would you know how the product (beautifully polished 747 window) could lead the purchaser to be exposed to the above ? I hadn't realised such a danger existed, and it makes me wonder about assembly staff and Mx staff over the years.

Less Hair

6th Aug 2021, 12:29

BA has signed a long term maintenance contract with LHT for their entire A380 fleet.

PAXboy

6th Aug 2021, 18:55

I bought a few Concorde items when they were decommissioned but the 747 items currently on offer are not very exciting.

tdracer

6th Aug 2021, 21:10

tdracer, would you know how the product (beautifully polished 747 window) could lead the purchaser to be exposed to the above ? I hadn't realised such a danger existed, and it makes me wonder about assembly staff and Mx staff over the years.
You need to understand California - they've labeled damn near everything as cancer causing, to the point that their warnings have become next to meaningless.
Seriously, California went as far as banning small (i.e. young person) off-road motorcycles and ATVs because they contained lead. Specifically lead-acid batteries... Because everyone knows that kids routinely open up lead-acid batteries and eat the contents :ugh:

SpringHeeledJack

7th Aug 2021, 05:08

Thanks for the perspective. Sounds like a legally motivated move, rather than a realistic hazard. I remember many years back being surprised//shocked at large signs on the entrance doors to supermarkets in the US warning that diet-colas contained some sweetener that had been shown to cause cancerous growths in laboratory animals.

I think it's great that re-purposed parts of old aircraft are being offered for sale to the general public. Gauges and so on are for the aviation enthusiasts, or aviation themed establishments in general.

GBOAA

7th Aug 2021, 11:19

A couple of weeks ago I saw the nose cone and upper deck of a BA 747 being carried north on the M6 in Cheshire. Anyone know where they were destined?

I'd never appreciated quite how big they were until scaled against motorway architecture.

That would have been BYGG. I've no idea where it was going though. Some money bags bought it for their garden perhaps?

ATNotts

7th Aug 2021, 16:53

You need to understand California - they've labeled damn near everything as cancer causing, to the point that their warnings have become next to meaningless.
Seriously, California went as far as banning small (i.e. young person) off-road motorcycles and ATVs because they contained lead. Specifically lead-acid batteries... Because everyone knows that kids routinely open up lead-acid batteries and eat the contents :ugh:

Don't fret, the UK isn't far behind California in being risk averse, to the extent the bags of peanuts show the warning "may contain nuts"!! I for one would be disappointed if they didn't!!

DaveReidUK

7th Aug 2021, 21:54

Don't fret, the UK isn't far behind California in being risk averse, to the extent the bags of peanuts show the warning "may contain nuts"!! I for one would be disappointed if they didn't!!

They don't - peanuts don't belong to the nut family, they're legumes. :O

tdracer

7th Aug 2021, 23:12

They don't - peanuts don't belong to the nut family, they're legumes. :O
And yet they still call being allergic to peanuts a "nut allergy". :hmm:

Bergerie1

8th Aug 2021, 06:15

ATN, DRUK and tdr, Love your three posts above!! The problem with so many issues these days is that people (1) don't read the facts; (2) don't understand statistics; (3) don't know the real meaning of risk; and (4) are swayed too often by illiterate influencers and conspiracy theorists.

wub

8th Aug 2021, 10:46

I have a few small metal tags in the form of 10:10, made from 747-200 G-BDXH, the BA aircraft that flew through the volcanic ash cloud. They were sold to benefit the 10:10 charity.

Cymmon

8th Aug 2021, 10:47

I recently bought a coffee, Americano. On the cup it clearly stated that the contents maybe hot!!
They had better be, I didn't order an ice, fratte, latte, caramel double iced coffee! 😛

GBOAA

8th Aug 2021, 16:10

I have a few small metal tags in the form of 10:10, made from 747-200 G-BDXH, the BA aircraft that flew through the volcanic ash cloud. They were sold to benefit the 10:10 charity.

I'd like to see those.