Comment by smohnot | Hacker News Reader

Comment by smohnot | Hacker News Reader

Sad day for me; for a plane geek, frequent traveler, son of immigrants, and someone who has been to the factory (incredible - visit the Everett Boeing facility if you get a chance), this is super nostalgic.

The "Queen of the skies" really changed air travel, and I'm a bit sad that they won't be flying much longer. The economics, size and scale of travel were drastically different before the 747. Before the 747, only the richest folks could really cross the globe at will. The 747 changed everyday notions of distance and ushered in the age of travel that we get to enjoy today. This plane shrank the world and allowed for the middle class to explore the world in a way that they never could before.

When my parents came to the US, they came on a 747. Before the 747 they probably would have had to make 5-6 stops, instead of the 2 that they came on.

Crazy enough, the 747 was designed with obsolescence in mind because when it was developed in the 60's, we thought all passenger jets would be flying supersonic... so they made the 747 with this hump to easily convert them into cargo jets (cargo would continue to fly subsonic even though passengers wouldn't).

I'm so happy my last flight was on a 747. It's truly stunning if you haven't flown on one before.

I also had the pleasure of visiting the C17 plant in Long Beach. Blew. My. Mind.

The first plane I flew on was a 747, so the whole experience was novel. I was 12, and the captain invited me to the flight deck as we were over Greenland.

I think my first and only time on an A380 might be comparable. It was huge! And so spacious, and so quiet. (Lufthansa.)

My dad took me to Frankfurt Airport observation deck to see the first 747 land.

Years later, when I worked for Boeing, the older fellows told me that the 747 lost money for years. But when it turned profitable, boy was it profitable. Whenever Boeing sold one, it was huge dump truck of cash infused into the company.

Sad to see it end.

> Before the 747, only the richest folks could really cross the globe at will. The 747 changed everyday notions of distance and ushered in the age of travel that we get to enjoy today.

Not just that though. Regulation also changed significantly in the meantime and made it possible for smaller aircrafts to fly intercontinental which brought prices down as well.

Engine quality and reliability improved, which allowed the regulation change.

And the thrust went up too. The original 747 had engines producing about 200-250 kN each, whereas the engines on the 777 produce around 440 kN each.

I flew several times in the upper deck. The experience was great, a kind of cosy place in a huge plane.

I wonder why all airlines do not put their 1st class there (Lufthansa for instance is business on the upper deck, while IIRC Thai is first)

What an interesting factoid, thank you :)

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