Jumbo Jet

A United Airlines Jumbo Jet I photographed taking off from Heathrow Airport

The Jumbo Jet was introduced 50 years ago, and I cherish the many flights I enjoyed on it, crossing the Atlantic Ocean towards New York, mainly in the 80s and 90s. It was Jack Waddell who flew the first flight – a veteran of World War II. A Jumbo Jet, Boeing 747 was made up of 6 million pieces and could carry 600 passengers for over 8,000 miles. Since its introduction 50 years ago, Jumbo Jets have carried 3.5 billion people, besides billion tons of merchandise around the globe. 

A Jumbo Jet carrying in piggy-back style the Space Shuttle in 1987

In the 1980s I saw a Jumbo Jet owned by NASA carrying the Space Shuttle across the USA. The first flight was officially made on February 9, 1969, and it was introduced on January 22, 1970, by Pan-American Airways. Boeing designed the 747's hump-like upper deck to serve as a first–class lounge or extra seating, and to allow the aircraft to be easily converted to a cargo carrier by removing seats and installing a front cargo door. Over 1570 airplanes were produced and delivered in the past 50 years.

A time when I was allowed to visit the Jumbo Jet cockpit in 1981