Posted on 12/30/2018 9:48:00 PM PST by Simon Green
About a year ago, a Boeing 747 operated by Delta Air Lines DAL, took off from Atlanta for a three-hour flight to Pinal Airpark, a boneyard for unwanted aircraft in Arizonas Sonoran Desert.
The once celebrated giant of the sky, which had transformed international travel with its size and range, had flown its last flight for a U.S. airline.
Delta has replaced its fleet of jumbo jets with Airbus A350s, one of a new breed of smaller, ultraefficient long-range airliners. Nearly every other airline in the world is doing a version of the same thing, replacing huge jets with smaller ones.
The newer planes, which include the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, are redrawing the map for global air travel. They can fly just as far as the jumbos, but often are less expensive to operate on a per-seat basis. They allow airlines to offer multiple flights on routes that once justified only a single big aircraft. That helps fill seats and boost profits.
For passengers, this is a mixed blessing. As planes get smaller and flights more frequent, long-haul travel is taking on some of the cattle-car characteristics of domestic travelinexpensive tickets, cramped seats and no free meals.
(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...
They were called C-117 ‘s in the Marine Corps. The designation C-117 was given to two very different versions of the DC-3, first to a more comfortable version of the basic C-53 and then to the Navys fleet of R4D-8 Super DC-3s.
We got about to El Paso and had to turn around and come back to DFW to fix a hydraulic leak. FYI, my dad was a pilot for Braniff so we flew first class everywhere. Even as kids, we had to wear suits. We also got to go up in the cockpit just like Joey in Airplane! It was a different time, fer sure.
The more space the merrier....I’m claustrophobic. Doesn’t matter to me anymore though because I refuse to go through the BS “process” associated with air travel.
Nope, no sign of Peter Graves.
Regarding your handle, I just read that again last week.
And a beautiful plane, to boot. Just beautiful.
Good link, thanks...
One of my best coach flights was in a 747. On my way to Egypt I mentioned to the FA that I was very tired and didn't want dinner. She said, come with me and she took me upstairs. It was empty and I was able put up the arm rests on a row of seats and sleep the entire night. (I missed two meals and it was worth it.)
The airlines are moving to more efficient two engine travel for long range flights. I think the four-engine planes are going to become a thing of the past. Airbus is not moving many of it's A380s either compared to its twin-engine models.
I jumped in my car and drove up the road, and saw this in a large field:
I have heard that the airframes on these are so robust that they have actually retrofitted them with turboprop engines...:)
Love it. Just love it.
I never got to ride on a 747. Most others but never on a 747.
Looks like I never will. Unless President Trump invites me for a ride, that is. Here’s hoping. :)
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