My first memory of jet travel was a transatlantic flight on the beautiful 707. However, that was 1968 when I was 10, and I had already heard about the glorious new 747. Imagine, a plane with two decks and seating for more than 400!

It was 1976 before I was able to fly on one. I'll never forget walking into that cabin. My breath was literally stolen from me at the sheer size of it. The cabin seemed to be endless! I could walk around the plane like I could my own school building.

I've always been partial to this beauty. My business now affords me the opportunity to travel across the country and around the world. Much of my time now is spent in the new "efficient" 777, but as efficient and "nice" as the "triple 7" is, it does NOT have the romance of the 747.

I'll never forget the first time I was able to sit "upstairs." I always wondered what the world at the top of the little spiral staircase was like. I'll never forget the experience. It was an unforgettable taste of "the good life."

No matter if the 747 ever goes out of service completely. It will still rank as the most beautiful fleet to grace the skies in my eyes. To watch one land still takes my breath away.

--Mike

I flew the 747's in first class during the early, mid and late Super7Os when the upper deck was STILL the extra space devoted to FIRST CLASS. My first SHOCK when the upper deck was converted to seat/mile occupancy was on a flight from MILAN back to New York. I finished my gourmet meal and went up the stairs to relax, have a FREE CIGARETTE (!) and a snifter of brandy. Imagine my utter surprise when I saw rows of seats filled with...OTHER PEOPLE! I returned to my main deck forward cabin seat disappointed and a bit angry. That was the first indication of the reduction in service, elegance aloft and the general deterioration of the flying experience in this incredible aircraft.

--Syd Mead

I first flew a 747 from Houston to Amsterdam (KLM, naturally). It was a very full flight and I was in coach, but I never felt uncomfortable. I was awe-struck at the sheer size of the plane, and still am. I love watching the big birds take off, and it never ceases to amaze me at its slow speed as it gracefully comes in for a landing. Boeing can be proud of the 747.

--Anonymous

Absolutely thrilled. Every time I see one on the ground or in flight. First flew to Ireland in a 707 and was so impressed. Had three or so trips then boarded the 747. Too big to fly but taxied like a scolded dog. Wonderful. Wonderful. Later after retirement, flew to Australia, later to Germany and to Rome, and ended up in Singapore, home via Hong Kong, Tokyo, Alaska and Chicago. What a wonderful thrill. just to go back over the history and memories is teary and wonderful. Saw the Boeing plant in Seattle on our trip to the Canadian Rockies and Alaska inland water way. One big thrill of my life after the Corsair in WW2. Thanks to Boeing.

--Paul Norderhus

I should explain that I grew up in Winnipeg, Canada, and 747s rarely landed there at the time. As I recall, Air Canada brought their first 747 thorough Winnipeg for a promotional tour, on a weekday, during school hours. (A lot of good that did me!) Anyway, in 1971 my parents took my brothers and I to Chicago for spring break. One of the places my brothers and I insisted on seeing was O'Hare Airport, where maybe we could see a 747.

This was in the last days before airport metal detectors were installed, and you could actually walk up to the gates without having a ticket. (Talk about more innocent times!) There we were gawking at a plane through a window, right next to the gate. My father asked the United Airlines official if we could have a quick tour of the plane. He tried, but they were just about to board the passengers, and it wasn't possible.

I had never been on any plane to that point, and it would have been incredible to see the inside of any jet aircraft, let alone the awe-inspring 747.

That summer an uncle who lived in Los Angeles invited me to visit and I'd be going by plane. The first leg of the trip was on a Northwest 707 from Winnipeg to Minneapolis. The Mppls-L.A. flight was on a 747. I still remember the wonderment I felt as I entered the plane. I couldn't believe that such a big enclosed space could leave the ground and was thrilled when it did. At the time people wandered around the plane, amazed that there was room to wander. I had a sense of wonderment that never left me. I was fortunate enough later to travel overseas and flew on the jumbo at least another six times. I never lost that sense of awe.

--artmc

My first flight on a 747 was on March 21, 1977. The airplane was CFDJC, the "PHIL GARRETT" a 747 100 operated by Wardair Canada, a charter airline. My family and I were travelling with friends to Honolulu, and I was terrified! I had flown before, in 1970 at the tender age of two, again to Honolulu on a CPAir DC863, however I was too young to remember much of the flight. Now at the age of 8, I was more aware of what was going on, and I was so frightened to get on board that airplane, but was too ashamed to admit it to my family. We experienced a two hour delay when the jetway failed to adjust its height during boarding and damaged the door, but after some pressurisation tests it was determined safe! I ws glad I wasn't sitting anywhere near that door. When we entered the cabin, my nerves were soothed by the colourful pink, blue, and orange seats. The airlane seemed so large, and I remember I kept asking my mum if we had taken off yet, while we were still on the gate!!

(On previous flights my mum had always said "the flight was so smooth you couldn't even feel it take off or land!") We taxied out, and I thought "this isn't so bad", until we lined up on the runway, and those mighty engines roared and shook the airplane. I felt as though I was pinned to my seat by the acceleration, and gripped my armrests for dear life! I remember my brother, who was sitting next to me, was scolding me and telling me to quit stealing his armrest! After about five minutes my dad got me to relax, and the pretty ladies came around asking me if I wanted this and that, and I soon fell in love with flying! After three weeks in Honolulu, I couldn't wait to return home, again on Wardair, this time 747 CFFUN "ROMEO VACHON". The flight was wonderful, but the headphones were all full of water, obviously from the cleaning method they used back then, but I remember thinking that the plane must have made a water landing recently!!! (I had just seen Airport 77 while I was in Hawaii)! I am now 35 years old, have worked in the airline industry for 15 years, and have been a flight attendant for Qantas for the past three. Things have changed a lot since 1977, and unfortunately, Wardair is no longer with us, but I am still excited every time those engines roar on our 747 400s and we take off, landing 12 hours later half way around the world.

--Anonymous

While I have flown on 747's numerous times, the most memorable occasion was as a 15 year old, sitting in the waiting lounge at Logan airport, waiting to board a TWA 747 flight from Boston to London Heathrow. My parents, who lived in Kuwait at the time, told me "if the flight is overbooked, hop off and get a free ticket. " Well, I listened and offered my seat up. After everyone boarded the flight, the gate attendant thanked me for offering my seat, and changed my row seat number from 38B to 3A, FIRST CLASS! There, sat one wide-eyed 15 year old sipping champagne and eating beef tenderloin on the 7-hour flight "across the pond". I will never forget that experience.

--Jeff Jones

I remember going to Honolulu from Vancouver in 1978. I was more excited about going on a CP Air Boeing 747 than going to Hawaii itself! I was 8 years old at the time, and I was so happy to be going on the huge, orange jetliner! I remember asking my Mom if we could go on the 747 instead of the crummy old DC-8!!! I would count the days until we would leave on our trip. I remember seeing the huge entry door and that certain airplane smell, kind of a mixture of disinfectant and cigarette smoke. The "stewardesses" (as they were called then) let me see the cockpit. It was amazing going "upstairs". What great memories. Hawaii was a lot of fun, too! I still get excited when going on a Boeing 747 today. Although the seats are not as comfortable and the airline food isn't as good as it was before. The 747 just seems to float in the air. An amazing airplane!

--Sammy

I was just 10 years of age when I first flew on a Boeing 747 B-model belonging to SAS called 'Huge Viking' from JFK to Copenhagen back in December 1971, when my family and I were going to spend the Christmas holidays with family in Norway and Denmark. I was amazed of its behemoth size and comfort, and took a great liking to this enormous plane. I even ventured to the first class lounge in the uper deck with my dad. Since then I have flown several times with the 747, mainly with Pan Am. The best 747 flight I experienced was aboard TWA flight 711 from Chicago to Las Vegas back in April 1972 at age 11. There were roughly thirty passengers aboard and plenty of empty seats - enough room for my younger brothers and I to play hide-and-seek. There was also a wet bar and lounge - other than the upper first class deck - on the main deck behind first class with club seating. On another TWA flight from L. A. to Boston later that same month my family and I got to visit the cockpit after we landed and parked at the gate. The captain seated one of my brothers in the pilot's seat, pulled a lever, and the seat moved forward. My brother was wide-eyed when he felt the controls rushing up toward him. Even today, now at age 43, the 747 still remains my all time favorite. 

--Harald A.