Goodbye G-ZZZC...
 

10 years ago I placed a question on here regarding this now venerable aircraft and have occaisonally checked her whereabouts on tracking sites. Sadly only today I learnt that a month ago she flew her last flight, a short hop from LHR TO DGX, to be scrapped after clocking up nearly 50 million miles. A long life served for the 1st 200 series 777 delivered to BA.
( Yes, I'm sentimental!).

It was also the first GE-powered 777 to be delivered to any airline.

I used to fly these back in the '90s for BA - the lack of "ooomph" from the -76B engines was noticeable.

Dawn...on the day of execution.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....8fba92d6d.jpeg

Things like this make me feel old - I can remember when this aircraft first arrived. Same thing happened the other day, I was watching a trip report on youtube and they guy was taking a flight on United in their oldest 777-200 and I was working for Continental when that aircraft came in to take over from the DC-10's. The guy doing the report on youtube said he didnt mind flying on these old aircraft - 'historic' he called it..:{

Mind you I was at the RAF museum and one of the Harriers that I worked on in the 80's was parked inside - perhaps I'm historic!

Taking son around Bletchley Park some time ago, there was a display of sundry items in a domestic setting … "Dad, we've got one of those and that one over there is in the kitchen - and isn't that drawing of you by that same artist?" - it just makes you feel very very old:{

Are there details of the hours flown and the number of cycles which G-ZZZC completed ?

Just over 100,000 hours.

Thanks for the information.

My first triple trip was on this aircraft -a surprise as I was only going to Paris and it was on the usual short haul work that airlines use with new wide bodies . Being a Gold card holder back then and booked in Club Europe I sat in first class and remember how very very quiet it was on take off. Makes me feel old too.

You'll make me feel old coz I very clearly remember the series "21st Century Jet" with Alan Mullaly and the teams designing, building and testing the 777. Doesn't seem that long ago.

Indeed it doesn't. The high speed abort test (at Edwards I think) where the aircraft was brought to a stop, the fuse plugs started to pop and the brakes caught fire, whilst the fire crew had to wait (while the clock ticked-down to meet certification requirements) to put it out was a great bit of documentary TV.

20,663 cycles, further to DRUK's post and courtesy of Simple Flying https://simpleflying.com/british-air...7-200-retired/

If it was an RAF aircraft they would be just thinking about a mid life update for it now.

My personal favourite was "Granny" - Granville Frazier - P & W Propulsion - raised on the family farm in Mississippi.
His family asked; "Hey Granny, you work for that there Boeing company - are you a welder or a riveter?"
Granny: "Bit of both"

"Hey, that Granville's got himself a nice job at that Boeing" - when really he was head of propulsion and engineering the power-plants for the first 777's.
A perfect, humble, giant of a man.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....095d0bfef7.png

Bye bye ZZZC
 

I have just been checking my logbook. I flew 19 flights in command on ZZZC between June 2000 and March 2004.
Average flight duration was just 5hrs50mins.
Most flights were to Middle East and included short hops between BAH and DOH.
I am amazed it had a 100,000hour career!
Those GE 76 engines were a big limitation.

I knew Granny well, I don't think I'd use the word 'humble' or 'perfect', but he was definitely a character.
Scuttlebutt was that Granny's retirement wasn't entirely voluntary...

100,000 hrs. in about 24 years - that's over 11 hours/day since it was delivered. Not bad, not bad at all...

I know I'm old , and all previous types are in museums or scrapped ; but this ...
Boeing sent an early triple to LHR , was in an engineering hangar for staff to look at the new type . 'T 'Boi was a babe in arms , and I was 'mum with a beard' that day so off we traipsed .... He was not impressed , scared even on his 1st walk around outside and in of Boeing . Had to terminate rapidly as he was noiser that Trents ot GEs.
Perhaps that's why he's been a 'Bus 'Boi for the last 5 years and still only 25. But his 1st carried around type retired ; that will mke him feel old !

Yep ZZZC is in my last logbook a few times so I’d certainly be interested in seeing the series again.

Flew on ZZZC to Paris from LHR on one of those BA shake down trips . Either got upgrade from Y to j or J to F .

The lack of any real noise struck me, sounded as if the engines were electric powered as none of the distinctive 1011 sound or the growl from the 757s.

Flew her several more times from LGW to BDA which was pretty much a monthly trip for me.

Sad to see her go and underlines my age for me and how many different BEA/BA types if flew on from LHR to Paris. Would have been Trident 1s and 3s , 737 -200, 400, Tristar, 757,767, 777, A320, A319, A321