That Grand Old Lady.....

[leadman]

After almost two years of flying 380/340/330/777's etc, I at last had a chance to get back on a BA 747 from DFW to LHR and really didn't realise how much I missed the Grand ol' Lady. Just the climbing up the steps to the top deck, the 180 degree turn down to your seat, the cubby-house feeling.... magnificent. Sitting on take-off with the engines roaring I don't think there is nothing better, and we had climb!!! I find the glide effect of the 380's so clinically boring, almost sterile; no grunt or effort but the 747 just powered over Forth Worth before turning towards London.

My wish would be to see the 747-8's making more sales, but it does not look too likely from the latest info from the Boeing website. Looks like more of the same Euro sterility and the Boeing equivalent, but pray the Grand old lady of the sky still has a few more years left in her before I finish my flying time.

 

[RooFlyer]

Here, hear. Doing SCL-SYD on a QF 747 next year; might be the final time I'm in one. Will make sure to mark the occasion appropriately

 

[juddles]

....My wish would be to see the 747-8's making more sales.....

leadman, I love the A380 - it is a magnificent flying machine. BUT it still has nothing on the 747!! I completely agree with you - seems 747-8´s are mainly destined for cargo duties.

A few years back I moved my family from Aus to South America - we did it in style - J with QF flying on the 747 Wunala Dreaming - that was an experience my family will never forget (even managed to get the F seats up the nose )

I doubt anything will beat the 747 for style and love. At least not to our generation

 

[OATEK]

I first went on to a 747 at a QANTAS open-day when I was about 18yo, and thought that it was the epitome of flying! So it was with great pleasure that I took my first international flight on a BA 747, and I still have a great affection for them. I try to have an occasional trip on one as they won't be with us for ever, the last time being to HKG earlier this year.

It is interesting how my flight patterns have changed since I first flew overseas in 1987. Had 747 to/from UK, next trip was DC10s and 747s, with every trip since having some double-deck flight legs. The next trip in April 2015 is for the first time since 1987 all in single deck, wide-bodied aircraft, and can't help but feel I will miss the excitement I felt with those first flights on a 747.

 

[leadman]

leadman, I love the A380 - it is a magnificent flying machine.....

I just cannot "bond" to the 380's. Don't know why, probably because they are the threat to the 747. I think they are too big and just lack something, probably character. But its an individual thing I know, but I find them too clinical too sterile.....

 

[harvyk]

I just cannot "bond" to the 380's. Don't know why, probably because they are the threat to the 747. I think they are too big and just lack something, probably character. But its an individual thing I know, but I find them too clinical too sterile.....

I'm the same, the A380's are nice to fly in, but are missing the crucial something.

The best description I've ever heard about the airbuses is that it's almost like they're popped out of a vending machine somewhere. They are all the same, boring bland and lifeless as each other (this person was extremely critical of the A320 series, and didn't have much nice to say on the A380 either). It's probably a good thing that airlines don't pick their aircraft based on looks, and to be honest, neither do pax (which is a good thing for airbus, otherwise they'd be screwed).

Personally I'm very sad that the B748's are only been run by a few operators. I see myself routing through countries which operate them for no reason other than to fly on them. (Germany, here I come )

 

[JessicaTam]

The 747 is my favourite looking aircraft. I am still annoyed that due to a delayed connection I missed my LH 748 flight recently.

 

[amaroo]

747 is a clear winner IMO ... unless you're booked F in a QF A380 and it gets subbed for a clapped out 747 F cabin.

 

[dajop]

IMHO 747's are a bit like classic cars, look great, for many provide some wonderful memories, give a sense of grandeur and provide a reminder of what majestic used to be. Great for a spin around town. But unless refitted with the latest technology (under the bonnet and inside the cabin of the car) would not want to take on a long drive up the Newell Hwy from Melbourne to Brisbane.

 

[harvyk]

IMHO 747's are a bit like classic cars, look great, for many provide some wonderful memories, give a sense of grandeur and provide a reminder of what majestic used to be. Great for a spin around town. But unless refitted with the latest technology (under the bonnet and inside the cabin of the car) would not want to take on a long drive up the Newell Hwy from Melbourne to Brisbane.

What do you mean under the bonnet? Personally I feel very safe in a properly maintained 747... One could even argue that a properly maintained older plane is as safe if not safer than a brand new type.

 

[dajop]

What do you mean under the bonnet? Personally I feel very safe in a properly maintained 747... One could even argue that a properly maintained older plane is as safe if not safer than a brand new type.

Applied to airplanes, perhaps under the bonnet is not the right term/analogy but I more meant things like fuel efficiency (it would seem older 747s do cost more too run) various factors such as engine/cabin noise, cabin conditions(humidity in plane, aircon or not in car) etc .

 

[harvyk]

Applied to airplanes, perhaps under the bonnet is not the right term/analogy but I more meant things like fuel efficiency (it would seem older 747s do cost more too run) various factors such as engine/cabin noise, cabin conditions(humidity in plane, aircon or not in car) etc .

I figured the part about "under the bonnet"...

The thing with old planes is that thanks to their maintenance schedule, they are no less safe than new planes.
The maintenance schedule makes them expensive to hold on to for an airline, esp when talking about D checks, but in terms of their ability to be in the air they are in no way unsafe.

To put this in automotive terms, it would be like doing an engine check every morning before you drove your car, and fixing any identified problems before you did, then a weekend every month pulling the car apart and replacing some of the seals, changing the oil etc, and then once every couple of years pulling your car completely apart, replacing many of the components, and even potentially placing a new engine in.

If you did this to your car you'd have no doubts in the cars ability to get you from Melbourne to Brisbane with no qualms despite the age of the car.

 

[juddles]

harvyk, but would it retain that ¨new car smell¨?

 

[Skyring]

harvyk, but would it retain that ¨new car smell¨?

Yeah, it's not the safety or efficiency I care about. Well, I take that for granted with QF/CX/AA/BA etc.

It's the comforts and room. The QF A388 is pretty spacey, even in Y. The new AA 773s are awesome in J.

But any 744 is likely to have gone around the block a few times. Some of the older Qantas and BA birds are pretty much held together with tape, it seems. Rattles and stains and older entertainment kit.

 

[harvyk]

But any 744 is likely to have gone around the block a few times. Some of the older Qantas and BA birds are pretty much held together with tape, it seems. Rattles and stains and older entertainment kit.

You've obviously never flown in any of QF's refurbs... They have all the standard features of the A380's (eg larger ovhd bins / led mood lighting / same entertainment system / same seats) with all the sole of the 747's.

About the only thing missing is an F cabin.

 

[OATEK]

You've obviously never flown in any of QF's refurbs... They have all the standard features of the A380's (eg larger ovhd bins / led mood lighting / same entertainment system / same seats) with all the sole of the 747's.

About the only thing missing is an F cabin.

Yes there is no doubt that the refurbed 747s are way ahead of the former fitout. Qf6 in 2008 was a cramped, rattling experience with overhead lockers bouncing around. Qf127 in April on the refurbed 747 was very little different in standard to the A380.

 

[leadman]

Old, new, refurbished, dilapidated, rattling; care factor zero... its a 747 (full stop)!!!!!!!

 

[Skyring]

You've obviously never flown in any of QF's refurbs... They have all the standard features of the A380's (eg larger ovhd bins / led mood lighting / same entertainment system / same seats) with all the sole of the 747's.

About the only thing missing is an F cabin.

Must have missed those. The last QF 744 I flew was QF63/64 to and from JNB.

I know JB747 has a soft spot for the old ladies, having a far more intimate connection than any passenger, but I don't really care about the airframe as such. On the outside, I think most modern airliners are tolerably ugly. I like the A340, with its sweet proportions, and the B737 with its cute bum, but the rest are pretty so-so. Whatever happened to gorgeous designs such as the VC10 and the Concorde? They were art.

 

[amaroo]

Must have missed those. The last QF 744 I flew was QF63/64 to and from JNB.

I know JB747 has a soft spot for the old ladies, having a far more intimate connection than any passenger, but I don't really care about the airframe as such. On the outside, I think most modern airliners are tolerably ugly. I like the A340, with its sweet proportions, and the B737 with its cute bum, but the rest are pretty so-so. Whatever happened to gorgeous designs such as the VC10 and the Concorde? They were art.

The last QF 747 I did was Dec ... QF107 and it was an old clapped out cabin-fit. Lucky it was a day flight...

Had a few booked earlier this year but they all morphed into A330 - that really is the pits!

 

[harvyk]

Must have missed those. The last QF 744 I flew was QF63/64 to and from JNB.

I know JB747 has a soft spot for the old ladies, having a far more intimate connection than any passenger, but I don't really care about the airframe as such. On the outside, I think most modern airliners are tolerably ugly. I like the A340, with its sweet proportions, and the B737 with its cute bum, but the rest are pretty so-so. Whatever happened to gorgeous designs such as the VC10 and the Concorde? They were art.

Won't argue about Concorde, that thing was art... So uniquely different with it's delta wings... So sad that I never had a chance to fly on one
I've also always had a soft spot for the B707... Probably because it was the first of the current modern style... (Never had a chance to fly on one either)

But the 747 is always my aircraft of choice.