Last AF B747 PAX flight
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Memories of the 747
I remember my first flight in a 747, FRA-JFK on TWA in 1970. After landing I waited until the other pax had disembarked, then wandered upstairs and gazed in wonderment through the open door of the flight deck. There was not a soul around. How times have changed.
My first jumpseat landing was in an SQ 744 on 22R at SFO on Valentine's Day, 1996. I'll never forget that day. After we had departed Seoul, I asked to visit the FD. Certainly, sir, no problem. At the end of my visit, the captain asked me if I'd like to sit in on the landing. Would I? Would I?!! It was a glorious day and the approach over SF Bay was unforgettable, the captain pointing out the sights. I remain good friends with the FO and his family to this day (he's now an A380 captain on SQ).
We'll never see those days - when air travel was a special treat - again.
Rockhound
My first jumpseat landing was in an SQ 744 on 22R at SFO on Valentine's Day, 1996. I'll never forget that day. After we had departed Seoul, I asked to visit the FD. Certainly, sir, no problem. At the end of my visit, the captain asked me if I'd like to sit in on the landing. Would I? Would I?!! It was a glorious day and the approach over SF Bay was unforgettable, the captain pointing out the sights. I remain good friends with the FO and his family to this day (he's now an A380 captain on SQ).
We'll never see those days - when air travel was a special treat - again.
Rockhound
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My first jumpseat landing was on an JAL 747-400 in NRT... Won´t forget that either. The 747 was a great plane, for passengers mainly due to its shortcommings. If you used it for range, you could not use the full pax capacity, hence the space even in economy class was still quite OK. I really enjoyed the Qantas flights, no comparison to what airlines offer today on the long range flights.
Upper deck never really impressed me much, it is quite narrow and loud, mainly due to the supersonic airflow around parts of it. JAL had economy seating on the upper deck, unless when seated on the emergency exit row with a free middle seat (FRA-NRT-SYD, which was great) I was not impresed. View is not impressive either, due to the orientation of the windows, and the emergency exit row misses a window anyway. Only the extra storage below the windows is great.
Upper deck never really impressed me much, it is quite narrow and loud, mainly due to the supersonic airflow around parts of it. JAL had economy seating on the upper deck, unless when seated on the emergency exit row with a free middle seat (FRA-NRT-SYD, which was great) I was not impresed. View is not impressive either, due to the orientation of the windows, and the emergency exit row misses a window anyway. Only the extra storage below the windows is great.
Memories of 747
1978 a BA staff ticket LHR to SYD, seats allocated but occupied, properly dressed so bumped up to 1A and 1B,+ use of top deck lounge,in the night cockpit visit whilst over Afghanistan (Russians i/c).
Pan AM 747 upgrade to 1st. LHR to JFK.
Chicago to LHR 1997 BA 747 granted a visit again, called back at breakfast for a clear crisp sunny 28R landing in the jump seat.
JAL 747 top deck economy OSK - LHR, same again with Air India LHR - JFK return.
Great aircraft, certainly not a match with the 380 whale
Pan AM 747 upgrade to 1st. LHR to JFK.
Chicago to LHR 1997 BA 747 granted a visit again, called back at breakfast for a clear crisp sunny 28R landing in the jump seat.
JAL 747 top deck economy OSK - LHR, same again with Air India LHR - JFK return.
Great aircraft, certainly not a match with the 380 whale
I really liked the business class upper deck on the 747 - it gave a certain illusion of exclusiveness. And the big bins next to the windows meant you could keep your stuff immediately handy, even when the seat belt sign was on. I never noticed it was particularly noisy (although it was quite noticeable how quiet the upper deck was on a recent A380 trip 
). The view out the upper deck windows was a bit compromised, but I still managed to view some pretty spectacular scenery out of those windows (the snow covered mountains of Northwest Alaska on a sunny, clear day were simply breathtaking).
). The view out the upper deck windows was a bit compromised, but I still managed to view some pretty spectacular scenery out of those windows (the snow covered mountains of Northwest Alaska on a sunny, clear day were simply breathtaking).
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Considering the lifespan of the type there are millions who flew the plane (a few thousand hours myself 
). This is going to be a looooooong thread 
Personally I am more interested in where they are going; I understand AF's -400's are young airframes. Someone is in for a bargain...
). This is going to be a looooooong thread Personally I am more interested in where they are going; I understand AF's -400's are young airframes. Someone is in for a bargain...
Air France most recent 747 delivery was 2005 - but that's a Freighter. Most recent 747-400 passenger was delivered in 2004 - shows over 50,000 hrs. and 6,300 cycles (which is pretty young considering many 747-400s are north of 100k hours). However that one actually belongs to ILFC, so presumably they'll take it back and either find another operator, or perhaps convert it to a freighter.
The 'newest' 747-400 passenger I could find that was originally delivered to AF and still in service was delivered in 1992 and currently shows nearly 105,000 hrs. I suspect it'll be headed for the desert to be 'recycled'.
The 'newest' 747-400 passenger I could find that was originally delivered to AF and still in service was delivered in 1992 and currently shows nearly 105,000 hrs. I suspect it'll be headed for the desert to be 'recycled'.
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Flew on several AF 744 flights from North America to CDG and an AF 743 from Orly to Reunion Island of all places. Paid to be a pax on AC, TW, Pan Am, RAM(747SP), Aerolineas Argentinas, CP, JAL, and KLM.
Did do one JS landing into Tampa on a 742 a long time ago. Entered the FD below 10K. 25 some years later, I got the type endorsement and 2000 hours flight time on the queen.
It is all downhill from there I think.
Did do one JS landing into Tampa on a 742 a long time ago. Entered the FD below 10K. 25 some years later, I got the type endorsement and 2000 hours flight time on the queen.
It is all downhill from there I think.
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Happy Days...
AF B747s into Kai Tak and Papeete...ID90s.
Great memories in this thread.
Great memories in this thread.
Last edited by DCS99; 15th Jan 2016 at 06:36. Reason: Auto correct thinks I mean 777!
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Perhaps these were younger: air-atlanta-icelandic-acquires-2-boeing-747-400-aircraft-from-air-france
Saw the last AFR 747 flight yesterday. Came up from Lorient on a NE track to Mont St. Michel at FL 220, then back to Paris. Coincidentally, AFR 439 ( one of the last 747 flights, from Paris to Mexico City) passed it over Southern Normandy going in the opposite direction, now being operated by an A380 -
F-HPJJ.
F-HPJJ.
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With the current fuel prices the Queen may be around for some more years. There are facilities all around the world which are used to maintain the 747 at reasonable cost. Spare parts are no issue yet. For a 2004 airframe there should be someone who is interested in operating it for at least another 10 years. It will be interesting to see how BA is continuing the operation. It may turn into a real moneymaker again...
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When I flew to East Africa it was VC10s 
My first flight in a 747 was with Iran Airlines. All standard class and I had seat A1 so sat with my knees against the front bulkhead.
FF
My first flight in a 747 was with Iran Airlines. All standard class and I had seat A1 so sat with my knees against the front bulkhead.
FF
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747 memories
I used to fly 747s regularly, usually first or business class, I loved seat 1A as the window looked slightly forward. The great thing about the 747 as a passenger was the feeling of space around you. Funny how people remember the self importance of BA 747 crew, lots of people I speak to remember the same thing. After a long flight, having paid an enormous fare to travel first class, it still amuses me while waiting for baggage at the carousel, to see the crew bags come of first so that they can get into the limo to take them to a 1st class hotel for a few days rest, paid for by my ticket !
I was sitting in a BA 747 at Montego Bay once, waiting for a new crew to join and take the next leg to Kingston. I was travelling First Class and asked for a Drink. I saw the new crew board and knew they had come from one of the best hotels in Jamaica. The drink never did come and on departing MoBay for Kingston I asked the same cabin crew what had happened to my drink to which she replied "Sorry but the new Captain wanted a cup of tea" What a culture !
I was sitting in a BA 747 at Montego Bay once, waiting for a new crew to join and take the next leg to Kingston. I was travelling First Class and asked for a Drink. I saw the new crew board and knew they had come from one of the best hotels in Jamaica. The drink never did come and on departing MoBay for Kingston I asked the same cabin crew what had happened to my drink to which she replied "Sorry but the new Captain wanted a cup of tea" What a culture !
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Some pics of a "last flight" (in fact, two) there: Re:Re:Re:Vol AF744 à destination de Paris CDG, embarquement immédiat ! - Aéroforums
The link given is for the middle of the thread, you can go up (link just above the pic/text) and down (first link under the text) from there... Forum organization is also old timed!
The link given is for the middle of the thread, you can go up (link just above the pic/text) and down (first link under the text) from there... Forum organization is also old timed!
None but a blockhead
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Upstairs is definitely the place to be, when it's properly kitted out and there's enough time to work down the wine list.
As a special treat, you can hear all the alarms go off in the cockpit when you're halfway over the ice sheet at 2am, and spend the rest of the night not sleeping in your expensive bed wondering what the PA is going to say. (In the event, nothing. I shall never know...)
As a special treat, you can hear all the alarms go off in the cockpit when you're halfway over the ice sheet at 2am, and spend the rest of the night not sleeping in your expensive bed wondering what the PA is going to say. (In the event, nothing. I shall never know...)