BA Retires Entire 747 Fleet
 

Entire BA 747 Fleet to be Retired Immediately

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.

Pretty impressive considering you're only 44!

My name isn't Clareprop either :)

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.

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

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....2582d77b26.jpg

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

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.

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

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.

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!

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 !

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.

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".

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.

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

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:

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....470dd67f21.jpg
Here is another of the 744, taken a bit earlier with the moon and Venus.

:ok: Now you should have one.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ebe026f482.jpg

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.