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The end of British Airways 747s

QANTAS have 'retired' their Boeings and airframe #1 did a farewell tour this week, I think there are only two left to be flown off to Arizona shortly.
:wavey:
 
I wonder how many, if any, actually flew with the mythical cocktail bar up top that was touted in the rollout. (A bit like the shopping malls, etc, in the Airbus 380)

My pal's father took a retirement holiday to SA on one of the first flights, first class, and headed upstairs as soon as the wheels were up, to be horrified when he saw rows of folk sitting there, and no bar. He threatened to sue the airline !
 
When I was a kid, we'd go to Hawaii every year for vacation. It was handy having a father who was a UAL pilot!

Anywho, when United got their first 747's, of course one of their main routes was San Francisco to Hawaii. Since my father was based out of KSFO, and flew DC-8's all over the world from there, especially Hawaii when he could, we were right there.
One year, actually, for several years running, we were slated to fly on the 747 over and back to Hawaii. Since we flew Space Available, if there was an open seat, or 4, those were what we got, whether it was first class, or whatever. Heck, half the time my father rode in the cockpit jump seat.
There were a number of times that, no matter where we were assigned to sit, once the plane got up and cruising, we could pretty much go hang out wherever we wanted. The upper deck was set up as a lounge sort of thing, bar at the aft bulkhead, and different seats, small couches, tables,and so forth. No I couldn't get alcohol when I was that young (from about '70-'77 time frame. I was 10-17 then), but I spent a LOT of time up there. Playing cards with my younger sister, or just solotaire, chatting with others up there, including the stewardesses, listening to the stories the various pilots on the flight swapped back and forth, whatever. Especially on the red-eye flights we often got.
Even, one year, it so came about on our last flight on a 747, that my father and I wound up on the red-eye back from Hawaii. Dad was once again in the cockpit jump seat, and I got stuck in one of the farthest aft rows in coach. They weren't the microscopic, cattle-car, seats they are now. Back then, they were actually fairly comfortable, with plenty of leg-room.
There was a good sized bar in the far aft area, with space to move around, and the toilets spread around the curve of the aft bulkhead. Once everything settled down, and 90% of the passengers were asleep, Myself and one of the stewardesses wound up back there. She was a bored as I was, so we spent MOST of the flight chatting. Just whatever came up. Seemed, however, she had a fantasy of inducting a virgin, on a plane. Mile-high Club sort of thing. Turns out I got to be the lucky guy that she selected :) I was 15 or 16 at the time, but it didn't seem to matter. To her. It sure mattered to ME!

Made for a wonderful flight experience, although when we arrived, and my father showed up, I just acted like I had slept the whole way.

I loved the United 747 fleet, while it lasted :D
Pat☺
 
For once, this morning, I got a headline notification on my phone which made me click on it - the immediate retirement of BA's Queen of the Skies. Even though we can all see some of the writing on the wall in these crazy times, it was still sad to see.

PhantomTweak said:
... Turns out I got to be the lucky guy that she selected :)Pat☺
Click to expand...

As of now you've made at least one red-blooded, straight male rather jealous! Oh, I'm jealous of your flying trips too. :cool:
 
My brother and I flew on the "big orange" Braniff 747 from Los Angeles to Honolulu in 1982. It did have the lounge up top but being younger at the time, was not that interested.
 

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As of now you've made at least one red-blooded, straight male rather jealous! Oh, I'm jealous of your flying trips too. :cool:
Click to expand...

To me, they were just a normal part of my year. Middle of winter sometime, get my suit out and cleaned up, find my tie, black socks, etc, etc, etc. In other words, get ready to fly over to Hawaii. Yes, my parents made me wear a suit-n-tie to fly. Anywhere.
But I tell you, to me, there was nothing like the scent that greeted me when I climbed off the plane. No jetways then, not in Hawaii. Rarely at Honolulu, but then we'd get a 727, usually to fly over to Kauai, but a couple times to Maui. Climbing out that rear airstair onto the tarmac at Lihua, and just trying to do nothing but inhale. It didn't work, but I sure tried! :)
The combination of jet exhaust, fuel, my father's cologne, my mother's perfume (there's a combo for you!), and the sea/island scent were all mixed together. It was heaven to me, and I lived normally lived in a redwood forest, which smelled beautiful, and unique, too.
Of course, then going to the place we'd be staying, a little cottage on the golf course of the Waiohai Hotel, as my father and mother knew the manager, named Rose. Beautiful Hawaiian woman. Let us rent it for the United Pilots rate, which was cheap, then. Of course, out to the beach right off, and get a good sunburn :D
I'm lucky, I burn, but then tan out by the next day or so.

One year we did go to Majuro and Panape. Beautiful islands. Gorgeous white sand beaches, palm trees, great people, really good little mom-n-pop cafe's. On Panape, you can sit in one place on the beach, and watch the sun come up over the ocean. Then, about noon, turn around, still on the same beach, and watch the sun go down over the ocean. Maybe see the green flash, if you're lucky.
I only did once, when I spent a summer working on a family friend's fishing boat down in Panama. Kinda neat.
And one year, a fascinating diving trip to Truk Lagoon. Absolutely incredible.

Like I said, though, the way I grew up, this was all normal to me. I figured everyone did something similar. Then I grew up, literally, and figuratively. And lost the UAL pilot's low cost tickets.

Have fun all!
Pat☺
 
PhantomTweak said:
..... In other words, get ready to fly over to Hawaii.....
Click to expand...

Yeah, the good old days. If you lucked out, you were greeted on final approach with a beautiful blue sky, bright white clouds, a deep deep blue ocean, and lush green sugar cane and pineapple fields. Sad to say that lush green sugar cane and pineapple fields are a thing of the past, replaced by sprawling paved over housing developments or just a lot of dead abandoned fields. Many of my friends not longer come to Hawaii, choosing to vacation elsewhere in less developed island nations.

Tommy
 
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