My visit to the 744 Experience in UK
“She handled magnificently. She’s a pilot’s dream.”
I visited the 744 facility in Chester,UK which is around 3 hours from London. I was stunned to come across the fact that the founder, Dan, had in-fact purchased the upper deck of the B747-400 which belonged to the last delivered 744 to British Airways, registration G-BYGG, and the cockpit section was from the aircraft bearing registration G-CIVM, before they were scrapped for parts after being retired from service by BA. Over the next three years, he and his team engineered the cockpit to work as a fixed base simulator and the rest of the cabin for passenger experience.
I was privileged to sit in the left seat and was taught how to fly the aircraft by a former 747 captain himself from BA. I started with flying a few circuits out of Heathrow. It didn’t take me much time to fall in love with the aircraft. I can only imagine how much the pilots must have loved flying this airplane in real life. There was a lot to learn. I asked a lot of questions since there was so much to know. There is a certain sense of intimacy in getting to know an aircraft up close. I was surprised to find out that a single engine rundown on a 747 would invoke no emergency to return back. In-fact you could continue flying as long as you managed the failure and the fuel balance well.
To me this experience invoked a deep sense of respect and admiration for the passion Dan has for this aircraft. He truly loves it and he has kept its spirit alive even though the airline retired her from service back in 2020. It was inspiring to come across such an initiative. To pull this off must have been no easy feat. It tells you a lot about having a passion for flying and loving it so fondly.
I wish for more people to know about this. This industry needs people like him who invest in their vision, thereby allowing people like me to come and be a part of it. I am grateful that I got to be there and to meet such passionate individuals who still live and breathe the legacy of the queen of the skies. I highly recommend you to book the experience (https://www.744experience.co.uk) if you are in the UK. There is nothing like it.
Long live the queen of the skies!
I visited the 744 facility in Chester,UK which is around 3 hours from London. I was stunned to come across the fact that the founder, Dan, had in-fact purchased the upper deck of the B747-400 which belonged to the last delivered 744 to British Airways, registration G-BYGG, and the cockpit section was from the aircraft bearing registration G-CIVM, before they were scrapped for parts after being retired from service by BA. Over the next three years, he and his team engineered the cockpit to work as a fixed base simulator and the rest of the cabin for passenger experience.
I was privileged to sit in the left seat and was taught how to fly the aircraft by a former 747 captain himself from BA. I started with flying a few circuits out of Heathrow. It didn’t take me much time to fall in love with the aircraft. I can only imagine how much the pilots must have loved flying this airplane in real life. There was a lot to learn. I asked a lot of questions since there was so much to know. There is a certain sense of intimacy in getting to know an aircraft up close. I was surprised to find out that a single engine rundown on a 747 would invoke no emergency to return back. In-fact you could continue flying as long as you managed the failure and the fuel balance well.
To me this experience invoked a deep sense of respect and admiration for the passion Dan has for this aircraft. He truly loves it and he has kept its spirit alive even though the airline retired her from service back in 2020. It was inspiring to come across such an initiative. To pull this off must have been no easy feat. It tells you a lot about having a passion for flying and loving it so fondly.
I wish for more people to know about this. This industry needs people like him who invest in their vision, thereby allowing people like me to come and be a part of it. I am grateful that I got to be there and to meet such passionate individuals who still live and breathe the legacy of the queen of the skies. I highly recommend you to book the experience (https://www.744experience.co.uk) if you are in the UK. There is nothing like it.
Long live the queen of the skies!
I visited the 744 facility in Chester,UK which is around 3 hours from London. I was stunned to come across the fact that the founder, Dan, had in-fact purchased the upper deck of the B747-400 which belonged to the last delivered 744 to British Airways, registration G-BYGG, and the cockpit section was from the aircraft bearing registration G-CIVM, before they were scrapped for parts after being retired from service by BA. Over the next three years, he and his team engineered the cockpit to work as a fixed base simulator and the rest of the cabin for passenger experience.
I was privileged to sit in the left seat and was taught how to fly the aircraft by a former 747 captain himself from BA. I started with flying a few circuits out of Heathrow. It didn’t take me much time to fall in love with the aircraft. I can only imagine how much the pilots must have loved flying this airplane in real life. There was a lot to learn. I asked a lot of questions since there was so much to know. There is a certain sense of intimacy in getting to know an aircraft up close. I was surprised to find out that a single engine rundown on a 747 would invoke no emergency to return back. In-fact you could continue flying as long as you managed the failure and the fuel balance well.
To me this experience invoked a deep sense of respect and admiration for the passion Dan has for this aircraft. He truly loves it and he has kept its spirit alive even though the airline retired her from service back in 2020. It was inspiring to come across such an initiative. To pull this off must have been no easy feat. It tells you a lot about having a passion for flying and loving it so fondly.
I wish for more people to know about this. This industry needs people like him who invest in their vision, thereby allowing people like me to come and be a part of it. I am grateful that I got to be there and to meet such passionate individuals who still live and breathe the legacy of the queen of the skies. I highly recommend you to book the experience (https://www.744experience.co.uk) if you are in the UK. There is nothing like it.
Long live the queen of the skies!