AA737-823 From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 5334 posts, RR: 11 Reply 1, posted (5 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1687 times:
My thought and opinion is that open-ended threads with no informational content (such as this, and all your other Boeing-centric thread starts of the last few hours) belong in the "polls and prefs" section.
Skydrol From Canada, joined Oct 2003, 859 posts, RR: 11 Reply 3, posted (5 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1630 times:
Quoting AA737-823 (Reply 1): this, and all your other Boeing-centric thread starts of the last few hours
That's fine Max Q did this because Boeing rules.
Now to comment about 747... beautiful airplane, but -100 and -200 are the best with the spiral stairway and small upper deck hump. These were the original details which made the apperance of the 747 one of a kind, inside and out.
Too bad the original 747, RA001 has been allowed to become derelict, and apparently homeless people were getting into it and using the aft section of the airplane as a toilet. How sad... this historic airplane deserves better than that.
DocLightning From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 16807 posts, RR: 57 Reply 6, posted (5 months 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 1552 times:
Quoting Skydrol (Reply 3): beautiful airplane, but -100 and -200 are the best with the spiral stairway and small upper deck hump.
I disagree. I find the 744 to have much more graceful lines. The upper deck doesn't look like a blister, but like part of the plane. The winglets and the bend of the wing suggested a yearning for flight and added grace to her power.
The 748i is a pretty lady in her own right, and a rightful successor to the Throne, though. But the 744's sharp angles on the wings and engines to me are more appealing than the curved, organic forms on the 748.
Skydrol From Canada, joined Oct 2003, 859 posts, RR: 11 Reply 7, posted (5 months 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 1507 times:
Quoting Max Q (Reply 5): Climbing that spiral staircase to the upper deck and numerous visits to the Cockpit as a youngster was and is a cherished memory.
Thinking back 20 to 30 years ago...
Many times I was seated in the upper deck, and even though there was a lavatory on the 'second floor', I would always use the lavatories on the main deck, just to go up and down the stairway extra times. The FAs didn't seem to mind if upper deck pax went down the stairs, but they would usually ask if you were seated in the upper deck if they noticed someone attempting to go up the stairs inflight.
Another cool feature Boeing added is a concealed lamp shining down on each step of the spiral [seen in the photo below]. If I recall correct, these were difficult to relamp. As great as this stairway was, most mechanics, service employees (cabin services), and many flight attendants hated it because of the difficult logistics.
Skydrol From Canada, joined Oct 2003, 859 posts, RR: 11 Reply 9, posted (5 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1393 times:
Quoting Max Q (Reply 8): Yes, going up and down those stairs was a great and magical experience.
Especially to a youngster nuts about aviation.
Just remembered a short video of the upper deck, and going down the stairs. Years since I watched this, but after searching ''Boeing 747 stairs'' on YouTube, it's still there. Too bad it's not in HD or longer, to show more of the airplane. There doesn't seem to be any other videos like it either. .
Max Q From United States of America, joined May 2001, 3288 posts, RR: 19 Reply 10, posted (5 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1379 times:
Quoting Skydrol (Reply 9):
Just remembered a short video of the upper deck, and going down the stairs. Years since I watched this, but after searching ''Boeing 747 stairs'' on YouTube, it's still there. Too bad it's not in HD or longer, to show more of the airplane. There doesn't seem to be any other videos like it either. .
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21460 posts, RR: 24 Reply 14, posted (5 months 2 days ago) and read 1047 times:
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 6): Quoting Skydrol (Reply 3):
beautiful airplane, but -100 and -200 are the best with the spiral stairway and small upper deck hump.
I disagree. I find the 744 to have much more graceful lines. The upper deck doesn't look like a blister, but like part of the plane. The winglets and the bend of the wing suggested a yearning for flight and added grace to her power.
I prefer the -100 and -200. As with many other things (cars for one) the original is often the best looking. As one example, after 48 years of production, I've never considered that any Mustang has ever looked as good as the original.
One exception was the 727 where the stretched -200 has always seemed more attractive than the -100. The 722 still ranks as Boeing's most stylish product in my opinion.
Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 14): I prefer the -100 and -200. As with many other things (cars for one) the original is often the best looking. As one example, after 48 years of production, I've never considered that any Mustang has ever looked as good as the original.
I don't think there's any 200s left flying pax except for IR
I caught a video of an Evergreen 742 landing yesterday. It was so loud and graceful.
jetblueguy22 From United States of America, joined Nov 2007, 2021 posts, RR: 1 Reply 16, posted (5 months 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 1024 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW FORUM MODERATOR
Sadly I only have three flights on this beautiful bird. All on QF's. I'll never forget the takeoff and fulfilling a dream since I was a child! Though I have to admit the flight from SYD to LAX made me nervous! That was one long takeoff roll! I hope they are still around for sometime. It's sad that Boeing can't sell many non freighter versions anymore. Seems like the only ones in town that will have them are LH and KE. I wish DL would grab a couple. But then again with their business plans lately they might pick up the old ones!
Blue
Professor Foltz: You push down on that yolk, the houses get bigger, you pull back on the yolk, the houses get bigger.
NWADTWE16 From United States of America, joined Jun 2012, 242 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (5 months 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 1016 times:
747-400 all the way..its gorgeous in VS|old BA|CX|KE|QF|CP and more im sure im not thinking of...
I know DL mgmt couldnt wait to get their hands on NW 744's, they painted one right away and flew it in and out ATL with pride. Im very glad to see they are keeping the 16 going strong but i agree they really should order some of the 748's. People say passengers dont care or notice the plane their on. As a long time Gate Employee i can assure that they do notice and if its a 747 they are simply awe'd...
Btw, i can only imagine your minor terror with a long roll out of SYD, prob right at the weight threshold. NW Daily to NRT was always like that until they extended the runway..it used every inch, and i was on my way from AMS-DTW Sept 2001 and we rolled and rolled finally lifting ever so barely in the last hundreds of feet, didnt really get lift for the first couple of minutes but then we gained altitude and so did my heart...
CXB77L From Australia, joined Feb 2009, 2182 posts, RR: 4 Reply 18, posted (5 months 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 1001 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW CHAT OPERATOR
The 747 is simply an icon of commercial aviation. Its place as the Queen of the Skies will never be challenged. Oh, there might be bigger or more refined aircraft, or aircraft that have sold or will sell in greater numbers than the 747, but none will be as iconic as the 747 has been. As my signature suggests, I do love the 777 ever so slightly more than the 747, but that doesn't take anything away from the 747. Its place in aviation history is secure.
As for my favourite of the 747 family, it has to be the 747-400. I think it's the most elegant of the lot. I can't think of an angle from which the 747-400 doesn't look pretty. It remains the best looking subsonic commercial airliner ever built. The first time I saw a 747-400 was at Kai Tak airport. It was painted in CX's old green and white stripe livery, which suited the aircraft particularly well, in my opinion, particularly with that green and white stripe logo painted on both sides of the winglet. I think that, along wth BA's Landor livery, remains the best livery/aircraft combination I've ever seen.
Personally, I've flown on the 747 a total of eight times: thrice on the -200 and -400, and twice on the -300. My very first flight was on an SQ 747-300, and I remember, as a 9 year old kid at the time, being absolutely in awe of its size and presence. Hopefully, one day I can get to fly on the 747-8.
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