Jumbos, the planes which put the exotic within reach
First Concorde and now the 747. It seems we are going backwards instead of upwards in the world of aviation. Aeroplanes are now slower and smaller than ever before and as British Airways retired the last of its Boeing 747s early we are now left in the hands of innocuous looking things made out of plastic!
Even the amazing, giant Airbus A380 isn’t being built any more and airlines have started to withdraw them.
The 747 cannot be matched for her beauty.
She is a graceful swan compared to the duck-billed platypus A380.
Did you ever get to fly in a 747? Where did it take you?
I bet wherever it was you had an amazing, unforgettable time. You see, this long-hauler took us to many an exotic destination.
I almost flew in one once. I got on it, but after half an hour had to get off it again as the captain was about to announce a delay in departure due to a slight technical fault.
Imagine the scene, a packed British
Airways 747 loaded for Orlando, a stunning bungalow booked in Kissimmee and a Pontiac Firebird hire car standing by for the two-week holiday.
But I knew something wasn’t right the week before we were due to fly as I wasn’t sleeping because of anxiety.
My doctor prescribed Diazepam.
On the way to Gatwick I popped three but still my heart was racing.
As we checked in, I started to melt down. Things weren’t going well.
We boarded, made our way right to the back... and then I spotted my seat. It looked like an electric chair in a high security American prison. I started to hyperventilate.
Then surprisingly we were upgraded. A steward friend had surprised us and upstairs into the bubble we went. Champagne in glasses, proper cutlery on the tray, ‘I could do this,’ I thought.
Then the captain’s announcement of the delay and off I bolted.
The plane left for Orlando without us and then the six Diazepam tablets I’d taken kicked in.
If only I knew then what I know now, I would have flown on that 747.
I knew something wasn’t right the week before we were due to fly as I wasn’t sleeping