Riding in a 747

[Morgan3820]

Nobody wants your smart ass crap. I’m just telling you as it is.
Keep your immaturity to a low level.

You see, I like smart ass. I thought that it was creative and took some talent and effort. I like creative, thoughtful abuse, even when it is aimed at me.

 

[skier]

I just don't think I'll ever get worked up about flying on any airliner. Yeah, they look different form the outside, but on the inside I know I'm going to be crammed between the world's most obese traveler and noisiest toddler no matter the airframe.

I feel that way about every other airliner in production, but the 747 is such an icon.

I'm sure reading "747: Creating the World's First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures from a Life in Aviation" by Joe Sutter (the chief engineer on the 747 program) has also colored my appreciation for the beast. It's a great book: https://www.amazon.com/747-Creating-Worlds-Adventures-Aviation/dp/0060882425

 

[mscard88]

Wow...

He probably just got home after a 4 day trip....it gets ya.

 

[Clark1961]

Nobody wants your smart ass crap. I’m just telling you as it is.
Keep your immaturity to a low level.

Speak for yourself.

 

[Morgan3820]

He probably just got home after a 4 day trip....it gets ya.

Hmmm, ok. I will be more sympathetic.

 

[jkaduk]

Maybe someone should swing a curve ball one day and call it "the bridge" when maybe a PA announcement. Cue Picard

View attachment 59530

PS, I still can't believe in Season 1 they had Deanna Troi in that outfit. Seemed very "un Star Trek"

Are you kidding? Have you seen the the original!? Some of those outfits would be banned in some countries.

 

[Piperboy]

Always wanted to sit in the forward most seat on the main level. I understand that due to the curvature of the nose/angle of the window you can actually look forward and see where you are going.

Alas I could never afford the seats that were usually located in that area.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

I jumped on good old Pan Am number of times between NY and Frankfurt in it's day, and on the 747 they would put me in the first class, right in the nose of the airplane. You could see some 20 to 30 degrees forward indeed. Pan Am always put us up in the highest class they had on a given bird.

 

[kyleb]

Always wanted to sit in the forward most seat on the main level. I understand that due to the curvature of the nose/angle of the window you can actually look forward and see where you are going.

Been there, done that. Seoul-Auckland and return. For whatever reason first class was empty on the flight and they told us to sit where we wanted. I remember the nose sweeping in and reducing the size of the footwell.

 

[Paulie]

You can see the cockpit, but it’s far from the most impressive cockpit out there. Certainly a bit small for my taste, as the Airbus has by far the largest cockpits overall.

Really? The A300-600 is the size of a DC-9 cockpit. You are really comparing a teensy A321 with a 747? The old Braniff -100 had two full size jump seats besides the three crew seats.

 

[Kritchlow]

Really? The A300-600 is the size of a DC-9 cockpit. You are really comparing a teensy A321 with a 747? The old Braniff -100 had two full size jump seats besides the three crew seats.

Well, you can call it whatever you want, but the A320 cockpit is anything but teensy.
Yes, bigger than the 747’s I have seen.

 

[FormerHangie]

While I can certainly see the historic aspect of flying in a 747, I've been on a few and I can't say it's particularly any different from flying on any other widebody. At least not from where I was sitting, which was coach.

13 hours in a coach seat is no fun, historic aircraft or not.

 

[Everskyward]

While I can certainly see the historic aspect of flying in a 747, I've been on a few and I can't say it's particularly any different from flying on any other widebody. At least not from where I was sitting, which was coach.

13 hours in a coach seat is no fun, historic aircraft or not.

I have done a few long-distance flights in the past year, on 747s, a 777, and an A380. The 747s were the most uncomfortable. I think the seats were harder because the cushions had been compressed by many butts.

 

[Clark1961]

While I can certainly see the historic aspect of flying in a 747, I've been on a few and I can't say it's particularly any different from flying on any other widebody. At least not from where I was sitting, which was coach.

13 hours in a coach seat is no fun, historic aircraft or not.

At least the 747 didn’t vibrate on departure like a DC-10...I thought the lav was going to come adrift it was shaking so bad...and I was seated downhill from the lav!

 

[Paulie]

Well, you can call it whatever you want, but the A320 cockpit is anything but teensy.
Yes, bigger than the 747’s I have seen.

Do you also have your wife convinced that this "--------------" is six inches?

 

[redtail]

I have done a few long-distance flights in the past year, on 747s, a 777, and an A380. The 747s were the most uncomfortable. I think the seats were harder because the cushions had been compressed by many butts.

Of all my flights on airliners (about a dozen), including a DC-10, the 747 was the smoothest and most comfortable. I was 20 or 21 years old, and it was my one and only flight on a 747 (coach).
Newark to Chicago, then off to Japan (I got off in Chicago). Too bad I didn't think to ask to see the cockpit.

However, while working at EWR around the same time, I had to setup portable lights around a C-141 during a visit by President Clinton. After we were done, I was talking to the crew and mentioned how much I've always wanted to become a pilot. They saw the excitement in my eyes and invited me to the "flight-deck". After allowing me to take pictures with my disposable Kodak camera (I asked permission first), the Commander told me to sit in his seat while he snapped a picture of me. Then asked if I wanted one from the First Officer's seat. That was an impressive pit for sure!

Took my "discovery flight" and first lesson five years later

 

[Zeldman]

I have only been on a 747 once. It was going from Incheon to Manila. The plane looked a little dated inside, but the ride was nice. I really enjoyed the Korean flight attendants walking up and down the aisle with a bottle of red and a bottle of white looking for empty glasses....

 

[jonnyjetprop]

The 747 cockpit is suprisingly small due to the slope of the windows. I had to lean way back to see the overhead panel with my glasses. However, the upper deck made for a nice mobile party palace on the 400 freighter.