Four Decades of the Jumbo Jet

[cancidas]

from FlightGlobal:

Boeing 747 first service 40th Anniversary

The Jumbo Jet era began 40 years ago today, when Pan Am put its first Boeing 747-100 into service on 22 January 1970 between New York and London.

The anniversary, which is being celebrated by a special package of narrative, images, graphics and interviews, marks not only the arrival of the 747 but also a significant milestone in history. For Boeing's Jumbo ushered in the era of truly large airliners - it was the world's first widebody - and a new generation of powerplants: the "big-fan" jet engines. Over the next 20 years, Boeing's development of 747's payload/range capabilities would also go on to open up new non-stop routes across the world.

That inaugural Pan Am flight, which was actually due to be operated on 21 January 1970, was postponed due to technical problems when the original aircraft allocated to flight PA2, "Clipper Young America" (N735PA), suffered engine problems and had to return to the gate. "Clipper Victor" (N736PA) stepped in and finally left Kennedy at 01:52 on 22 January, arriving at Heathrow at 14:02.


© Boeing


In an interview six months after the introduction, Pan Am's vice-president service Harold Graham told Flight International that the two points that worried his 747 passengers most were how easily check-in could be accomplished and whether bags would arrive at the destination terminal carousel within a reasonable amount of time. In practice, few problems were experienced.

Forty years on, Boeing has just delivered the last of the original 747s, and is now preparing to begin test-flying the first of the next-generation models, the 747-8 Freighter.

[Iberia A340-600]

It would have been nice if Boeing had been able to schedule the first 747-800 flight for today.

[NLovis]

It isnt -800 its just -8. New numbering scheme. Little wierd but w/e. It would have been nice if they had an actual 747 classic flight on that route to commemorate the occasion. That would have been sweet.

[cancidas]

It isnt -800 its just -8. New numbering scheme. Little wierd but w/e. It would have been nice if they had an actual 747 classic flight on that route to commemorate the occasion. That would have been sweet.

tomAYto tomAHto i guess. for some of us it'll always be a -800. we older farts are rooted in our ways.

[NLovis]

It isnt -800 its just -8. New numbering scheme. Little wierd but w/e. It would have been nice if they had an actual 747 classic flight on that route to commemorate the occasion. That would have been sweet.

tomAYto tomAHto i guess. for some of us it'll always be a -800. we older farts are rooted in our ways.

While true i'm also fixed with the old number set its just how it is. I really dont like it either.