Farewell 747.

[red750]

[Flightrite]

Byeeeee......Airbus, way of the future???

[Old Koreelah]

Fond memories of that particular aircraft (Longreach. She took us to and from Japan on our trip of a lifetime in 2012.

[Jerry_Atrick]

I know I have lately been a little critical of QANTAS, but I recall when my father took ill and I needed to get to Melbourne in the height of peak season (15 years ago), QANTAS upped their game and got me there on time - at a price not too far off the cheapest you could get. Of course, it was a 747 (or two) that did the work. For cattle class, much better than the A380.. And yes, the CEO wasn't the same as now, but, I think if the chips were down, QANTAS would probably do it again.

 

Despite Boeing's 737 problems, for long haul (and i have done London - Singapore in business), I would take the 747 ansd 777 over any Airbus I have been in.. Of course, that is from a pax perspective, so down to the airline configuration... From the front seat, I defer to the experts. Also, on the A380, never got the pushing into the back seat feeling that one got in the 747 or 777.

 

RIP the Flying Kangaroo 747... Great service over the years.

[Cosmick]

I remember going to see the first one land in Brisbane with Mum and Dad.

[spacesailor]

On a side note !?

The sky towards Sydney is as blue as I,ve seen it, no grey haze on the horizen,

Now with the demise of four engine plane there should be less pollution & carbon in the air.

spacesailor

[Flightrite]

I found the Dugong far more pleasing than the old Beoing tractor from a SLF perspective ?

[Yenn]

I liked the 747, but the most comfortable trip I did to the UK and back had Airbus a380 between Singapore and London. I got seats right at the front, next to the stairs. Very comfortable.

[GraemeK]

Great memories, I've lost count of how many times I've traversed the Pacific on 747's, starting with the -100.

 

Vividly remember first SP returning from SFO - when we overflew Hawaii I almost called the hostie to inform the crew they'd forgotten to stop in Honolulu (SP was the first nonstop San Francisco to Sydney).

 

And the many times pre-911 I got to sit up front for takeoffs and landings, lots of fun with a couple of hairy moments etched in my memory - but overwhelming impression was the professionalism of the crews and their fondness for the Queen of the Skies. It also led to me taking up flying.

 

 

Will miss her ...

[kgwilson]

The 747 was a magnificent aircraft in it's day. I first flew on one in 1973. Now though it is getting beyond its use by date despite continuous upgrades. I think the A380 beats it hands down for comfort and quietness. Airbus just misread the changes in the market. It is just too big for most markets so was hard to fill up.

[red750]

Only ever flew in a 747 once. At Easter in 1973, TAA (remember them?) chartered a Qantas 747 to fly holiday makers from Sydney to Melbourne. It was our first Easter away from home, and when the opportunity to fly in a 747 presented itself, I couldn't resist. Pretty much knew I wouldn't get another chance.

[Flightrite]

The 747 was a magnificent aircraft in it's day. I first flew on one in 1973. Now though it is getting beyond its use by date despite continuous upgrades. I think the A380 beats it hands down for comfort and quietness. Airbus just misread the changes in the market. It is just too big for most markets so was hard to fill up.

Agree, beats the old Boeing tractor hands down.I feel for Airbus as they put pen to paper in the 80's! At that tme is looked like a viable concept to compete with Boeings now 20+ year design, the B747 so it was full steam ahead but by the time it hit the airways in early 2000's the business of flying was starting to change, bigger wasn't the "in" word not long after the Dugong really got its foot in the long haul market.

Planes come and go all the time, big 4x gas guzzlers will be relegated to the annals of aviation history!

[pmccarthy]

Lots of experience passengering in the 747 and A380. Both good, if you can be in business or at least premium. 747 always felt more solid and gutsy. I am sorry they are going, but the world has moved on and my memories are of a time past.

[Thruster88]

Not often one sees a 747 and Beech Musketeer? in the same picture. OJA's final landing at Illawarra regional airport Wollongong 2015. How Qantas plans to land a Boeing 747 near Wollongong

[RJLVFR]

 

This retired 747 was delivered to an air museum in South Africa (I believe). I've had the photo for years. No other information came with it.

[onetrack]

Here you go, RJLVFR ... the last landing of an SAA 747 at Rand Airport, to become just a public display.

 

[phantomphixer]

Byeeeee......Airbus, way of the future???

Any aircraft that has the final say in what happens to it (Airbus) is not one that I would prefer.

(licensed 20 odd years on 767s and 747-400 series)

[RJLVFR]

Here you go, RJLVFR ... the last landing of an SAA 747 at Rand Airport, to become just a public display.

 

Oh wow. Thanks for posting this onetrack. Now I know.

I wonder how much simulator time went into the preparation for this.

[Marty_d]

Excellent reporting as usual... check out the photo of the "747" they've included, which unfortunately happens to be an A380.

 

Now I know that reporters are not aviation experts (and editors for Murdoch press a bit less expert on most things) but FFS it's not difficult to see that one has a top deck that goes ALL THE WAY ALONG and the other one doesn't.

 

Boeing to cease production of iconic 747 planes in 2022