As the 747 Begins Its Final Approach, a Pilot Takes a Flight Down Memory Lane

[RNCollins]

As the 747 Begins Its Final Approach, a Pilot Takes a Flight Down Memory Lane

Mark Vanhoenacker/The NewYork Times/October 10, 2017

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/travel/747-airplane-jet-pilot.html

“How much do I, a Boeing 747 pilot, love the airplane that I fly? It’s tough, and maybe a little embarrassing, to answer. But as the iconic jet’s eventual retirement draws closer, I am surely not the only 747 fan who’s taking some very long flights down memory lane.

To share with you the jumbo dimensions of my 747 obsession, I could describe my wedding cake (hint: it had wings of marzipan, and four chocolate engines). I could share my Twitter moniker, @markv747. Or I could go farther back, to the day when I, an awkward 14-year-old, stood with my mom and dad atop the Pan Am terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport, and stared in wonder at the towering tail fins of the 747s all around us, as proud and promising to my wide-opened eyes as masts in a harbor....”

 

[RNCollins]

As the 747 Begins Its Final Approach, a Pilot Takes a Flight Down Memory Lane

Mark Vanhoenacker/The NewYork Times/October 10, 2017

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/travel/747-airplane-jet-pilot.html

“How much do I, a Boeing 747 pilot, love the airplane that I fly? It’s tough, and maybe a little embarrassing, to answer. But as the iconic jet’s eventual retirement draws closer, I am surely not the only 747 fan who’s taking some very long flights down memory lane.

To share with you the jumbo dimensions of my 747 obsession, I could describe my wedding cake (hint: it had wings of marzipan, and four chocolate engines). I could share my Twitter moniker, @markv747. Or I could go farther back, to the day when I, an awkward 14-year-old, stood with my mom and dad atop the Pan Am terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport, and stared in wonder at the towering tail fins of the 747s all around us, as proud and promising to my wide-opened eyes as masts in a harbor....”

Did anyone find the pack of cigarettes with one of the passengers? How about how wide the seats were back then?

 

[WinniWoman]

I was on one when I was 17 years old. Went to Puerto Rico. Pan Am. Piano bar in the back. First time ever on a plane and a wonderful experience.

Can't say the same for the flights I have taken since on other planes.

 

[geist1223]

The changes over time in Air Travel. My first flight was at age 6. California to Hawaii in a multi-engine Prop in 1960. It seemed to take all day. We left California during day light and landed after sunset. I still remember the lights of Honolulu as we came into land. Four years later returning to the Mainland was a much quicker flight. In the early 1970's flew Texas Air from Los Angeles to Corpus Christi. Champagne Breakfast. Land in Albuquerque. When we left Albuquerque it was lunch time and so Champagne Lunch. I remember flying PSA and the Uniforms for their flight attendants. Once when flying PSA from San Francisco to PDX the flight was Delayed and the Pilot ordered free flowing Champagne for all the Passengers.

 

[vacationhopeful]

I took my first flight to visit a college I was interested in attending... Spring 1970. The college mailed me directions me how to get from the airport to the campus ... walk across the 17/92 from the airport and flag down the Trailways bus and ask the driver to drop me off in front of the college gates and walk up to the white 3 story building on the left ... a dorm where I will be sleeping. And I had to make the flight reservations and PAY FOR THE FLIGHT myself with my money .. it was my first time flying and my parents were NOT interested in helping in any way. Found a travel agent in the yellow pages, went to a town I never been to before and paid cash for my ticket .. all by myself. My mother's comment was, "they sold you a plane ticket?" My older brother took me to the airport.

Only a 1000 mile flight and I knew NO ONE within 1000 miles of this college. Kids today would be scared .. no cell phones, no map quest, no credit cards, no internet ... guess I could have called home "collect"... but decided the call might be refused.

Today's kids .... are scared to drive more than 5 miles without GPS.

The college did have a driver drop me off at the airport for my return flight. And I always had to PAY all my costs to get to/from the college and all my books/expenses. Plus I had to WORK for both years at the college as part of my financial aide 'work study' during the school year (no cash to me ... plus college loans I had to take out). College costs were under $3000 yearly ... plus every summer, I took & paid for college classes back home all 3 summers while working summer jobs.

And that worked out just FINE for me ... major in Math. major in Computer Science. minor in Accounting. In 3.5 years. Loans under $3500 total.

 

[Passepartout]

I've always enjoyed 747 flights. Once, coming home from China, DW & I were assigned aisle seats on each end of the 4-wide center section. We put all the armrests up and had our own 'lie flat' bed. Sometimes even budget travel works out.

 

[urban5]

My first 747 flight was from Boston to San Francisco in the mid 70's. I still remember how amazed I was at the amount of space in the plane, even stairs up to the upper level, and how smooth the flight was. Haven't been on an Airbus 380 yet and I imagine I will be amazed at the amount of space on it. Most of my recent long haul flights have been on 777's and airbus 340's, but they don't seem to have the grand feeling the 747's do.