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 home to the upper deck of the 747 (registration G-CIVM) , which is around 3 hours from London. I was stunned to come across the fact that the founder, Dan, had actually purchased the upper deck of the B747-400 (G-CIVM ) before it was scrapped for parts after being retired from service by British Airways. He had then engineered the cockpit to work as a fixed base simulator and the rest of the cabin for passenger experience. It took his team three years to achieve that.
I was privileged to sit in the left seat and was taught how to fly the aircraft by a former 747 captain himself from British Airways. 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 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 that allows 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 home to the upper deck of the 747 (registration G-CIVM) , which is around 3 hours from London. I was stunned to come across the fact that the founder, Dan, had actually purchased the upper deck of the B747-400 (G-CIVM ) before it was scrapped for parts after being retired from service by British Airways. He had then engineered the cockpit to work as a fixed base simulator and the rest of the cabin for passenger experience. It took his team three years to achieve that.
I was privileged to sit in the left seat and was taught how to fly the aircraft by a former 747 captain himself from British Airways. 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 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 that allows 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 home to the upper deck of the 747 (registration G-CIVM) , which is around 3 hours from London. I was stunned to come across the fact that the founder, Dan, had actually purchased the upper deck of the B747-400 (G-CIVM ) before it was scrapped for parts after being retired from service by British Airways. He had then engineered the cockpit to work as a fixed base simulator and the rest of the cabin for passenger experience. It took his team three years to achieve that.
I was privileged to sit in the left seat and was taught how to fly the aircraft by a former 747 captain himself from British Airways. 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 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 that allows 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!