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The last Qantas Boeing 747

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    Topic moved from The Lounge by bevans on 22 Jul 2020 14:45
      lsrailfan Chief Commissioner

    Location: Somewhere you're not
    Today marks the last flight for the Qantas Boeing 747, it will depart Mascot at around 14:00pm, and fly between Sydney Heads and over the Opera House, it will then fly down to Albion Park airport, where there is another Boeing 747 on static display, it will "dip it's wings" in salute to this aircraft, before flying directly to the Mojave desert in California, this aircraft is 50 years old, and it's retirement is being brought forward due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, it was due to retire at the end of the year.
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 13:03

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      bevans Site Admin

    Location: Melbourne, Australia
    Slightly OT Qantas are sending their A380's to Victorville for storage they say for 3 years.

    What has been your favourite flight on a 747?
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 13:07
      lsrailfan Chief Commissioner

    Location: Somewhere you're not
    Slightly OT Qantas are sending their A380's to Victorville for storage they say for 3 years.

    What has been your favourite flight on a 747?
    bevans
    I have not been on one, I have only been on domestic planes, but no doubt there would be plenty of Aviation geeks on here.
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 13:21
      Carnot Minister for Railways

    Slightly OT Qantas are sending their A380's to Victorville for storage they say for 3 years.

    What has been your favourite flight on a 747?
    bevans
    First flight on a 747 was a short one.  Syd to Mel in the mid-1990s when Bangkok flights between BKK and MEL included a SYD stop.  Only cruised at 29000ft which was low for them.

    Fastest was Singapore to Melb in a westerly jetstream where we hit a ground speed of 1220 km/h over Adelaide.

    Best was an overnight Qantas Singapore to Frankfurt where the hostesses were most friendly and conversational.  Plane about 60% full.  I was seated in the front economy row with good legroom and near the galley Smile

    Worst was a jam-packed Lufthansa flight from Singapore to Frankfurt.  The multimedia box was at my feet, I could barely sleep, and my ankle cramped up something shocking.  Pain lingered for months.  I hated that flight more than any other.
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 13:31

    Last edited by Carnot on 22 Jul 2020 13:33; edited 1 time in total
      raudteejaam Train Controller

    I flew on Wunala Dreaming from Melbourne to Sydney in 2002 as part one of a connecting international flight to Honolulu - but the onward aircraft was just a plain-jane Qantas 747. Flew back on a 747SP I think. This was pre seatback entertainment, and I recall getting two Woody Allen movies on the way home which annoyed me no end.

    Also took a SQ 747 from Singapore to Melbourne overnight in 2005. I got an emergency exit seat - but the one right by the door, meaning I ended up with less leg room than a regular seat due to the protrusion from the door. It was not comfortable.

    I also managed one from Nadi to Sydney with Air Pacific/Fiji Air at around the time they were retiring the ex-Ansett 747s and rebranding. I'd taken a brand new A330 on the way over so I got the best of both worlds.

    Last 747 flight was last year, Thai from Tokyo Haneda to Bangkok. It was a pleasant flight with a great view of Mt Fuji. I expect that will remain the last 747 flight I take, mores the pity.

    I believe I took other 747s when I was a wee lad, but these are the ones in my living memory.
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 13:55
      Valvegear Oliver Bullied, CME

    Location: Norda Fittazroy
    There's an existing thread on this topic in "Other Transport"
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 14:17
      lsrailfan Chief Commissioner

    Location: Somewhere you're not
    As I type this, they are still fiddling around with it at Syd Airport, I expect it to depart fairly soon.
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 14:34
      route14 Chief Commissioner

    When I first went to Australia it was a 747 SP.  It was possible to see the main land of Australia emerging in the morning.  Last year when I revisited, it was a 787.  The darkness of window tinting is now adjusted electronically and the flight attendants keep them locked at the darkest setting throughout the night until well into daylight.  The 747's 2+4+2 seating was quite friendly to passengers travelling as a couple or friends of two.  The 787's 3+3+3 seating will mean it's almost certain that there will be a stranger sitting beside a couple for quite a few hours.  It can be annoying if that stranger is arrogant and spreads his legs too far apart, and there are plenty of those people on the route we travelled.
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 14:54
      bevans Site Admin

    Location: Melbourne, Australia
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 15:35
      petan Chief Commissioner

    Location: Waiting to see a zebra using a zebra crossing!
    Today marks the last flight for the Qantas Boeing 747, , this aircraft is 50 years old,
    lsrailfan

    Presume you mean this aircraft type (B747, not a B747-400) is 50 years old as the aircraft that departed today, B747-438ER VH-OEJ is a 400 series version and the original was a 100 series version.  Qantas' original was a B747-200. VH-OEJ, todays plane, rolled off the Boeing production line at Everett (Paine Field) - June 06, 2003, so only 17 years old. The first 747-400 was rolled out on January 26, 1988
    http://www.aussieairliners.org/b-747/vh-oej/vhoej.html
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 16:12

    Last edited by petan on 22 Jul 2020 16:21; edited 5 times in total
      bevans Site Admin

    Location: Melbourne, Australia
    Today marks the last flight for the Qantas Boeing 747, , this aircraft is 50 years old,

    Presume you mean this aircraft type (B747, not a B747-400) is 50 years old as the aircraft that departed today, B747-438ER VH-OEJ is a 400 series version and the original was a 100 series version.  Qantas' original was a B747-200. VH-OEJ, todays plane, rolled off the Boeing production line at Everett (Paine Field) - June 06, 2003, so only 17 years old. The first 747-400 was rolled out on January 26, 1988
    http://www.aussieairliners.org/b-747/vh-oej/vhoej.html
    petan

    17 years hardly seems old?
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 16:26
      lsrailfan Chief Commissioner

    Location: Somewhere you're not
    I watched the channel 7 feed of it today via Facebook, it was great to see, it did a "lap" of the airport, the airport fire trucks were there with their water cannons to give it a final salute, then it took off over Botany Bay and did a flyover of Sydney Harbour, then it flew down the coast to Albian Park airport, it did a flyover there, before heading out to sea, now it is on it's way to the Mojave Desert in California.
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 16:42
      route14 Chief Commissioner

    There were A380s withdrawn a few years after entering service.
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 16:59
      bevans Site Admin

    Location: Melbourne, Australia
    Here is the track looks to be returning to Sydney

    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 17:06

    Last edited by bevans on 22 Jul 2020 17:29; edited 2 times in total
      lsrailfan Chief Commissioner

    Location: Somewhere you're not
    Here is the track

    bevans
    I have heard that there are now problems onboard this aircraft, he appears to be dumping fuel off the coast, he will most likely return to Mascot, he's speed has dropped right off.
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 17:26
      route14 Chief Commissioner

    That's a lot of fuel, 9 tons per hour for about half a day.
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 17:33
      raudteejaam Train Controller

    Have another look at Flightradar 24 Smile
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 17:46
      lsrailfan Chief Commissioner

    Location: Somewhere you're not
    Have another look at Flightradar 24 Smile
    raudteejaam
    Yes I know, he appears to have come back in to do the Qantas Logo over the coast, it is on it's way now though. I thought that there must have been something wrong with her, obviously not.
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 18:02
      Carnot Minister for Railways

    A very fitting finale. Some nice tight turns to make that logo. Impressive.
    Posted: 22 Jul 2020 18:06

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