So less and less of 747

billie1b

Tenger wrote: »

Opps..my mis-read.

OT: I managed to get a chance to get inside the Soviet shuttle test vehicle OK-GLI back in 2001 when it was in Sydney. Very cool experience. Must try to find that pic of me in the cockpit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OK-GLI

I'd say that was some great experience, pics would be good

Tenger

billie1b wrote: »

I'd say that was some great experience, pics would be good

I have 1 polaroid that was taken by the Russian tour guide of me in the lefthand seat. No pics were allowed inside the vehicle itself.

Here it is with a silly hat over my face. Note the big happy head on me, great value for AU$20 back in 2001!

Sitting in a MIG-25 ejector seat1 by tearbringer, on Flickr

billie1b wrote: »

Great pic, id have a big happy grin on me too, for some reason the hat looks photoshopped

awful flickr editing tools

smurfjed

Sitting waiting on my passengers to show up, have watched 5 747's taking off in the last hour listening to the flight numbers I have a good idea where they are going and if they are cargo or pax, it's fun to watch the -200 cargo use all of the 12000 feet available, while a 777 is using about 9000 feet. I still think that the 747 is he queen of the skies, even the fugly -SP
Here comes #6....passenger charter flight...used about 10,000 feet.

billie1b

Tenger wrote: »

I have 1 polaroid that was taken by the Russian tour guide of me in the lefthand seat. No pics were allowed inside the vehicle itself.

Here it is with a silly hat over my face. Note the big happy head on me, great value for AU$20 back in 2001!

Sitting in a MIG-25 ejector seat1 by tearbringer, on Flickr

Great pic, id have a big happy grin on me too, for some reason the hat looks photoshopped

billie1b

smurfjed wrote: »

Sitting waiting on my passengers to show up, have watched 5 747's taking off in the last hour listening to the flight numbers I have a good idea where they are going and if they are cargo or pax, it's fun to watch the -200 cargo use all of the 12000 feet available, while a 777 is using about 9000 feet. I still think that the 747 is he queen of the skies, even the fugly -SP
Here comes #6....passenger charter flight...used about 10,000 feet.

Counting the days to my first 747-400 journey, its in 211 days and im already as excited as a kid at Christmas

the_monkey

I just watched this documentary

Excellent, highly recommend it , some interesting things - apparently the 748 is the most fuel economic plane per passenger + it has a longer range - I'm surprised Lufthansa are the only airline to use it as a pax carrier.

Also they mentioned the engines are the same as the 787 dreamliner - but afaik they are Rolls Royce engines ?

The 748 use GE engines ....

Anyway, great doc have a watch and enjoy !

smurfjed

Chatting to my boss yesterday about the first time that i met him, he was Captain on a -SP, i was a passenger, we landed on RWY23 in London Heathrow, its always funny that older people can remember age old events, but nothing about yesterday

How may of you remember RWY 23 in LHR?

EchoIndia

smurfjed wrote: »

Chatting to my boss yesterday about the first time that i met him, he was Captain on a -SP, i was a passenger, we landed on RWY23 in London Heathrow, its always funny that older people can remember age old events, but nothing about yesterday

How may of you remember RWY 23 in LHR?

An enjoyable read here:
http://www.pprune.org/atc-issues/375566-last-usage-runway-23-lhr.html

suasdaguna2

smurfjed wrote: »

How may of you remember RWY 23 in LHR?

I remember it well for all the wrong reasons....they used rwy 23 when the weather was pure shoite. So if you were using 23 the winds were usually howling from the south and it was a white knuckle approach. Not today or yesterday Smurf!

Tea 1000

tawnyowl wrote: »

One crash was very public - at the 1973 Paris Air Show.

Later on, some used to train cosmonauts for Buran shuttle programme. (Buran made one automated flight, but was cancelled after collapse of Soviet Union. Hangar collapse destroyed Buran in 2002.)

It was trying to avoid a Dassault Mirage at the time wasn't it? It was just finished it's display, and a Mirage was on the way in, something happened like the Mirage pilot flew close enough for a look or something, and the TU-144 pilot took avoiding action and couldn't recover. I think there was a discussion about him not actually needing to take avoiding action at all, I don't remember the details.

Foggy43

smurfjed wrote: »

Chatting to my boss yesterday about the first time that i met him, he was Captain on a -SP, i was a passenger, we landed on RWY23 in London Heathrow, its always funny that older people can remember age old events, but nothing about yesterday

How may of you remember RWY 23 in LHR?

Yes! Parts of it still there. I wonder have they taken down that infamous 'LHR' signpost for pilots on approach to RWY 23

Terrontress

Foggy43 wrote: »

Yes! Parts of it still there. I wonder have they taken down that infamous 'LHR' signpost for pilots on approach to RWY 23

Is that on the gas tank near Southall?

I've seen that recently although it just says LH and has an arrow.

Foggy43

Terrontress wrote: »

Is that on the gas tank near Southall?

I've seen that recently although it just says LH and has an arrow.

Probably is. I suppose why pay when mother nature will bring it down for you. I've been at LHR some years now and can only remember RWY 05 being used one time only. RWY 23 a few times. When RWY 23 was used the B747's still had to use RWY 27L. KLM's F27's had to abort the approach and return to Eindhoven.

If anyone is interested another of BA's B747-400's was withdrawn from service. On Aug 11, G-BNLI went to CWL for all useful cabin components to be removed. On the other hand, possibly BA's last B777-300, G-STBL, entered service the following day.

billie1b

Foggy43 wrote: »

If anyone is interested another of BA's B747-400's was withdrawn from service. On Aug 11, G-BNLI went to CWL for all useful cabin components to be removed. On the other hand, possibly BA's last B777-300, G-STBL, entered service the following day.

How many 744's does that leave them with now? Any idea when the entire fleet of 74's will be gone?

zone 1

as of today they say 57 boeing 74-400

Foggy43

billie1b wrote: »

How many 744's does that leave them with now? Any idea when the entire fleet of 74's will be gone?

BA have 46 B747-400's in service. There is still a few more to be withdrawn. The remainder will stay in service until the 2020's.

billie1b

Foggy43 wrote: »

BA have 46 B747-400's in service. There is still a few more to be withdrawn. The remainder will stay in service until the 2020's.

Cool thanks

Foggy43

Below is the withdrawl list for the next 2 years. One of them may get a repreive as G-BNLL was not on the planned withdrawl list but has been forced in to early retirement.

G-BNLF - Sept 2014
G-BNLG - July 2015
G-BNLU - Oct 2015
G-BNLV - Nov 2015
G-BNLW - Oct 2014
G-BNLX - Nov 2015
G-BNLZ - Jan 2016

billie1b

Foggy43 wrote: »

Below is the withdrawl list for the next 2 years. One of them may get a repreive as G-BNLL was not on the planned withdrawl list but has been forced in to early retirement.

G-BNLF - Sept 2014
G-BNLG - July 2015
G-BNLU - Oct 2015
G-BNLV - Nov 2015
G-BNLW - Oct 2014
G-BNLX - Nov 2015
G-BNLZ - Jan 2016

Thats great thanks dude

adam88

Foggy43 wrote: »

Below is the withdrawl list for the next 2 years. One of them may get a repreive as G-BNLL was not on the planned withdrawl list but has been forced in to early retirement.

G-BNLF - Sept 2014
G-BNLG - July 2015
G-BNLU - Oct 2015
G-BNLV - Nov 2015
G-BNLW - Oct 2014
G-BNLX - Nov 2015
G-BNLZ - Jan 2016

Why early retirement

westdub

adam88 wrote: »

Why early retirement

It sustained a lot of damage when it collided with a building at Johannesburg.

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/6004994

Tenger

Foggy43 wrote: »

Below is the withdrawl list for the next 2 years. One of them may get a repreive as G-BNLL was not on the planned withdrawl list but has been forced in to early retirement.

G-BNLF - Sept 2014 ............ -Dlvrd Feb 1990
G-BNLG - July 2015 ............ -Jan 1992
G-BNLU - Oct 2015 .............-Jan 1992
G-BNLV - Nov 2015 ............ -Feb 1992
G-BNLW - Oct 2014 ............ -Mar 1992
G-BNLX - Nov 2015 ............ -Apr 1992
G-BNLZ - Jan 2016 ........... -Sep 1993

I added in delivery dates to show the age of these soon to be retired airframes.

Definitely a 'beginning of the end' sense that we will see less and less of the B747 over the next 5-10 years. BA were always proud to be known as the biggest operator of B747;s in the world.

EDIT: Anyone else see this article?
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=905

Foggy43

In BA the story goes on. A new B787-8 G-ZBJH arrived from Paine Field on August 16. Today, August 18, a B767-300 G-BNWH retired. Off to CWL and soon heading for the retirement home in Victorville.

circular flexing

BA have announced a cabin refresh to 18 747s

http://www.thebasource.com/british-airways-announces-b747-400-cabin-refresh-program/

British Airways today announced that eighteen Boeing 747-400 aircraft will go through a cabin refresh program which will commence in August 2015 and be completed by August 2016. The aircraft will be fitted with the Panasonic eX3 IFE system in all classes. The World Traveller and World Traveller Plus cabins will be fitted with new seat foams and covers to match the A380, Boeing 777-300ER and refurbished B777-200/200ER fleets, and new carpets and curtains will be fitted in all cabins. Additionally Economy passengers will have access to a Universal Power Socket and a USB Port.

Stinicker

circular flexing wrote: »

BA have announced a cabin refresh to 18 747s

http://www.thebasource.com/british-airways-announces-b747-400-cabin-refresh-program/

Good to hear, the Queen of the Skies will ply her trade for a good few years yet. Also the IFE on some older BA 747's is crap!!

smurfjed

And some days people get lucky, not one, but two identical B747-SP's at the same time:)

http://www.planepictures.net/netsearch4.cgi?srch=Three+Forty&srng=2&stype=name

Rotunda Shill

Dose that Evergreen 747 still practice training in and out of Shannon?

pclancy

As the dreamliners begin arriving Air New Zealand retire their last 747

http://m.smh.com.au/travel/travel-planning/travel-news/last-air-new-zealand--boeing-747400-takes-final-flight-20140912-3fftg.html

circular flexing

pclancy wrote: »

As the dreamliners begin arriving Air New Zealand retire their last 747

http://m.smh.com.au/travel/travel-planning/travel-news/last-air-new-zealand--boeing-747400-takes-final-flight-20140912-3fftg.html

Here is that 747-400 in SFO in April this year

Tenger

Happened to see this B747 close up only 10 days ago. (Walking past its boarding gate) If I had of known I would have made the effort to snap a shot. ( I was going to but said to myself... "sure its just another B747")

pclancy

Qantas finally retiring VH-OJA, the record breaking first 747-400 that flew non stop between Sydney and London....somehow its managed to escape the Mojave desert and is going to a museum.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/qantas-to-donate-first-747-400-to-museum-408421/

Its flight from Sydney to its new home will be incredibly short...1 minute cruise!

homerjay2005

are boeing still making new 747-8's or is their order book empty?

do they have plans in place for a new super jumbo or is it something they are not looking at?

Captain Chaos

homerjay2005 wrote: »

are boeing still making new 747-8's or is their order book empty?
?

They only have about another 30 left to deliver and then the order book is empty. The freighter version may have a bit of a future. A combination of the 777 and 787 have killed off the 747 and 767.

smurfjed

We had winds from the south last week so it resulted in aircraft taking off over the city (not ireland), I loved the sound of Classic 747's struggling into the sky during heavy weight takeoffs, so so different to modern airliners In these things a rate of 500 fpm with ALL engines was common

man98

It's a pity Boeing messed up with the -8i. You know you have a problem when not even BA buy your new Boeing.

pclancy

I'm wondering what Qantas will do longterm. Being based down in New Zealand they have been my airline of choice for many years and i've clocked up a lot of miles on the 747s. They have refurbished several of them with the A380 interior so they're not showing their age at all.

The A380s really don't feel as solid, they rattle and shake during takeoff and landing even though they are much much younger, they seem to suffer turbulance more and the crews differ greatly being on a different employment contract. I'll be sad to see them go but I wonder what they will replace them with. They seem to have snubbed the 777/787 for A330/80s, maybe they'll focus on the A350.

Tenger

man98 wrote: »

It's a pity Boeing messed up with the -8i. You know you have a problem when not even BA buy your new Boeing.

I would not say that they 'messed up' as such. The potential threat of the A380 (which has not materialised) forced their hand into an update of the hugely successful B744. While Boeing publicly stated that they thought the future was in point to point rather than mega hubs they had to do something to protect their dominance of the 'jumbo' market.

At the same time their designers were improving and enlarging the B777 into the B777-300ER which is a huge success.

I would agree with the prevailing view that it was the success of the B777 and the under development B777x that has killed off the B747, not the A380.

man98

Honestly I'm not a fan of the -8i, but I think aviation is really moving on from status (planes that stand out) and into the identical twin jets which are being released. Even the A340 is gone, I imagine the A380 will only have so long, same with the 747 (unless there's a -500 or -900 to replace it with more safety exits).

Reoil

afatbollix wrote: »

That is at the top gear test track. It was used in the James Bond film and left there. They were trying to sell it for ages but now used as a Film set for Films and TV programs.

Sorry for the size of the photo (not mine) but that's clearly a real B474 vs a photoshop...

Tenger

Reoil wrote: »

Sorry for the size of the photo (not mine) but that's clearly a real B474 vs a photoshop...

Indeed it is, it is mocked up with the twin engine pod and outboard fuel tank? for its part if the Bond movie. (not Skyfall)

Pat Dunne

Tenger wrote: »

Indeed it is, it is mocked up with the twin engine pod and outboard fuel tank? for its part if the Bond movie. (not Skyfall)

If I recall correctly, it was used in Daniel Craig, version of Casino Royale.

BeardySi

Yup, Casino Royale...

http://jamesbond.wikia.com/wiki/Skyfleet_S570

postitnote

Read in a news article yesterday that Belfast International has reopened it's viewing gallery. It mentioned that in the summer, Virgin are due to run a once weekly service to Orlando.

Upon further digging on the Airport's website I found this nugget from last year:

"A Boeing 747-400 aircraft will operate the seasonal service on Thursdays in June and July, commencing on 25th June 2015."

From Virgin:

Flight VS161 departs Belfast at 12.35 on Thursdays...This route will operate from 25 June 2015 to 16 July 2015.
Flight VS162 leaves Orlando at 18.35 on Thursdays, arriving in Belfast at 07.25 local time. This route will operate from 02 July 2015 to 23 July 2015

Reoil

Yep, the viewing gallery has re-opened. It plays the atc contact through speakers and has FlightRadar24 screens.

Great news about the Virgin flight too!

Dardania

Reoil wrote: »

Yep, the viewing gallery has re-opened. It plays the atc contact through speakers and has FlightRadar24 screens.

Great news about the Virgin flight too!

That sounds really cool...brings the excitement of aviation back

ozzy jr

Article here on the work going into restoring the first ever 747,

http://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/from-rust-bucket-to-showpiece-volunteers-are-rescuing-the-first-boeing-747/

Turbulent Bill

Saw what I think was a 744 climbing out of Dublin just after 0900 yesterday (Tues). All white, with a large red mark (Chinese flag?) on the tail. Any idea what it was?

I see countless 330s and 777s going in and out, but actually stopped and looked at the 744. Incredible presence for an aircraft, it's a shame they're so rare in Ireland now.

Cessna_Pilot

Turbulent Bill wrote: »

Saw what I think was a 744 climbing out of Dublin just after 0900 yesterday (Tues). All white, with a large red mark (Chinese flag?) on the tail. Any idea what it was?

I see countless 330s and 777s going in and out, but actually stopped and looked at the 744. Incredible presence for an aircraft, it's a shame they're so rare in Ireland now.

Taxied past it Monday evening while it was being towed. Think it had something Bahrain written down the side.

Tenger

Turbulent Bill wrote: »

Saw what I think was a 744 climbing out of Dublin just after 0900 yesterday (Tues). All white, with a large red mark (Chinese flag?) on the tail. Any idea what it was? .....

Cessna_Pilot wrote: »

Taxied past it Monday evening while it was being towed. Think it had something Bahrain written down the side.

Royal Bahrain B747 in for repainting.