Last Classic 747 operating for a US airline retires

[z987k]

Oh man, the 400 is my love. It's difficult to explain. But after flying other airframes for many years, she to me was the ultimate in her time. The systems and the multiple redundancies for her were so innovative and brilliant for their era. It's may sound weird, but I am telling you that the 400 wanted nothing but to be in the air. She could land and take off in the crappiest and most interesting of circumstances and fields, and fly in some amazing wx. She just wanted to be free of the earth. She felt that marvelous, that sure, that powerful and that graceful in her climb out. You gain a bond and a feel when you spend enough time in any aircraft. But the feel of the 400 was something very special. She always without hesitation or issue, did everything that you asked of her. She was comforting, you knew her sounds. I could fly in cruise in my socks because she had a foot heater. lol She had so many features and systems that I had never experienced before. She was such a safe aircraft and so steady and comfortable to fly. She was as beautiful sitting on the ramp as she was in flight. You never had to manhandle her, ever. She took me all over Asia for many years.

The 747-8. IMO it's much more refined than the 400.

 

[A Life Aloft]

The 747-8. IMO it's much more refined than the 400.

I know/understand that, no doubt there. The 8 can fly further and higher. The systems have very much been improved and been upgraded. Fuel use, redesigning of the wings, larger payload, etc., I get all of that, I really do. But I flew in a different era and in a different time. I flew regularly into one airport that does not even exist today. (Kai Tak) So in my time and the airframes used for international flying, the 400 was the ultimate for me and a very special time and aircraft. Lots of wonderful experiences and nostalgia attached to her. At that time, she still attracted a lot of attention where ever she flew. Just a wonderful experience. It's a history/back in the day thing that is probably not as understandable/known to younger pilots. It was an entire package that was also related to that experience. You often flew with the same crews (at least way more often than what happens currently) it was like a family in a sense. That plane afforded you the most wonderful of layovers and time with other 400 Captains from all over the world. Much as changed since then, and much of it in the industry- not always for the better.

It's not a contest of what is better now, it's the story of what flying the 400 was like for me and some others back in the day, the history of such a wonderful plane, the 747's that predated her and how they came to be.

 

[Screaming_Emu]

UPS has 14 firm and 14 options on the -800.

It is called "the ocho" and you will address her as such.

 

[Screaming_Emu]

I might be in minority, but I'll take the -8 any day over the 400.

I like the ocho better, but I feel vastly more comfortable in the 400 simply because I see it more often.

I also don't like how you use every inch of every runway in the -8 because of how much it can derate. I took off from AMS with a takeoff N1 of 81.8% Just feels weird.

 

[Screaming_Emu]

I know/understand that, no doubt there. The 8 can fly further and higher. The systems have very much been improved and been upgraded. Fuel use, redesigning of the wings, larger payload, etc., I get all of that, I really do. But I flew in a different era and in a different time. I flew regularly into one airport that does not even exist today. (Kai Tak) So in my time and the airframes used for international flying, the 400 was the ultimate for me and a very special time and aircraft. Lots of wonderful experiences and nostalgia attached to her. At that time, she still attracted a lot of attention where ever she flew. Just a wonderful experience. It's a history/back in the day thing that is probably not as understandable/known to younger pilots. It was an entire package that was also related to that experience. You often flew with the same crews (at least way more often than what happens currently) it was like a family in a sense. That plane afforded you the most wonderful of layovers and time with other 400 Captains from all over the world. Much as changed since then, and much of it in the industry- not always for the better.

It's not a contest of what is better now, it's the story of what flying the 400 was like for me and some others back in the day, the history of such a wonderful plane, the 747's that predated her and how they came to be.

What Kai Tak is now. There is a park with a few plaques up, but it's hard to picture what went on there. There are a few patches of pavement where you can still see taxi lines, but in my opinion they did a pretty poor job on the park. But at least it's something.

(I'm on a plane so the pic might not have uploaded. If there's nothing there I'll fix it when I'm on the ground)

 

[Cal Goat]

I might be in minority, but I'll take the -8 any day over the 400.

I'm sure, but I've never flown it so I can't make the comparison.

 

[Screaming_Emu]

I'm sure, but I've never flown it so I can't make the comparison.

It's basically what you have now except it doesn't want to descend, makes any approach look like an ILS, has taxi charts in the onboard ND, and takes 10 minutes to start.

 

[Cal Goat]

It's basically what you have now except it doesn't want to descend, makes any approach look like an ILS, has taxi charts in the onboard ND, and takes 10 minutes to start.

What's up with the start time?

 

[A Life Aloft]

It was a special time in a special place. The approach and landings were like no other.

The checkerboard for the approach to 13.

 

[MikeD]

@A Life Aloft

Excellent history write up on this amazing jet you did, thanks for that.

Didn't airlines have some kind of qual program for crews to fly into Kai Tak?

And design question for you: was it because of the -400s stretched upper fuselage that the -400 was designed with a straight staircase to the upper deck, vice the spiral staircase of the -100/-200/SP? I'm
not sure if the -300 had a spiral or a straight.

More classic 747s that are flying, the KC-747 tanker jets of the Iranian Air Force.

 

[MikeD]

In that vein, here's always a weird pic: Iranian AF KC-707 refueling USAF F-111A Aardvark fighter-bombers.

 

[A Life Aloft]

@A Life Aloft

Excellent history write up on this amazing jet you did, thanks for that.

Didn't airlines have some kind of qual program for crews to fly into Kai Tak?

And design question for you: was it because of the -400s stretched upper fuselage that the -400 was designed with a straight staircase to the upper deck, vice the spiral staircase of the -100/-200/SP? I'm
not sure if the -300 had a spiral or a straight.

More classic 747s that are flying, the KC-747 tanker jets of the Iranian Air Force.

Kai Tak was a Captain's only approach and landing. You had to fly with another trained Captain for several trips, and be fully checked before you could perform it on your own.

The 300 was the first 747 to have the straight staircase because Boeing had stretched the upper deck to be able to carry more seats/pax. That carried on into the 400. They had a lounge up there in the early models and a slightly larger deck minus the lounge was available on one of the early variants if more seating was ordered/needed. They also played around and offered different numbers of windows up there and different configurations for the seats and aisles.

 

[A Life Aloft]

In that vein, here's always a weird pic: Iranian AF KC-707 refueling USAF F-111A Aardvark fighter-bombers.

View attachment 38533

Hmmmm..........that IS interesting for sure. Wonder what the story behind that is and what time frame that is. I think I remember reading that Iran had the only active plane that was a tanker.....wait I think they had two. Did they have two? Did our AF ever have one or did they go with the KC-10 only?

 

[MikeD]

It's a 1977 pic. I believe the Iranian AF received two KC-707s and two KC-747s.

 

[Screaming_Emu]

It was a special time in a special place. The approach and landings were like no other.

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The checkerboard for the approach to 13.

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Kai Tak Runway Park in Hong Kong by Screaming Emu, on Flickr

Kai Tak Runway Park in Hong Kong by Screaming Emu, on Flickr

Kai Tak Runway Park in Hong Kong by Screaming Emu, on Flickr

Sad. I'm glad I went out there to see it, but I think they could have done a better job at showing what it used to be.

 

[A Life Aloft]

Ouch, that is beyond sad. Cathay, Air HK Limited, Dragonair and HK Airways all had a base there. At one time in the 90's, it was the third busiest field on the planet and it had only eight pax gates and one separate freight terminal.

Even the Concorde flew there.

Large crowds used to gather on the roof of the car park to watch the landings and takeoffs. Kowloon was a marvelous city, very exotic for the time. Great bars and restaurants, shopping, parks....there was just so much to explore and there were crews from all over the world hanging out together.

Others would gather on the jetty.

 

[Adler]

I found the board last time I was there, such a pain in the ass to get to.

 

[Cal Goat]

I found the board last time I was there, such a pain in the ass to get to.

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Trespassing!

 

[Cal Goat]

What I don't understand about that situation is that the wall itself is clearly intact. It would only take a couple of dedicated enthusiasts to keep it clean and maintained. Why not perserve since they haven't built over it yet?

 

[Screaming_Emu]

I found the board last time I was there, such a pain in the ass to get to.

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Yeah. I was pretty sure I was either going to be arrested or bitten by a cobra.