No, the jumbo had no unusual handling qualities. It was simply a joy to fly. The original Piper Seneca had the rudder and ailerons interconnected which was interesting to say the least!!
I just flew out of Incheon South Korea yesterday and saw two Asiana 747s taxing and several Korean Air 747s at gates so yes they are still being used commercially but they are definitely on the way out sadly!
I know a commercial pilot who is super into pc gaming. I asked him this same question and he replied “would you want to play a simulated game of what you actually do for a living?” Of course all I could say was no. Ha
Flying into Mexico on three engines with thunderstorms all around the volcanoes with two junior copilots who had never been there before. I enjoyed my second beer that night!
This may be sort of a wacky question, but I’ve wanted to ask the 777 pilots this at work for a while except social anxiety and what not. Does it ever feel weird (especially back when you first started) to go from piloting something that massive to driving a car?
I personally have never felt it as they are just such different activities. Flying is the one "that feels weird" at first because it's just such an alien experience with all new sensations.
If aviation is in your blood then do everything you can to achieve your dreams! I have around 26,000 hours on the jumbo. I flew the 747-100 747-200 and the 747-400. The 400 was my favourite, is was simply a joy to fly and operate.
You are more likely to be killed in your bed by an aircraft crashing into your house than you are likely to be on the aircraft that crashes into your house!
That is a brilliant question! I think the best advice would be to not over control, the QOTS flies beautifully, just let her do the job she was built for.
I know this is a dumb one, but I'm coming close to CFI and so thinking about the future because it looks incredible. How hard is the training and Handbook memorization for such a complex aircraft?
If we have time we love to see anyone either before or after the flight. I always put the children in the pilot seats and take photos of them with their parents. It’s a small thing but can really make a difference
Have you ever done that thing that they show in the film Up in the Air where a famous pilot congratulates a frequent flyer on reaching 10,000,000 miles or whatever?
At 50 feet make sure you are over the runway, look at the far end of the runway and at 30 feet gently close the thrust levers and hold the attitude. She will just kiss the runway and make you look good!
Aircraft are much easier to operate these days. We now load a computer and then follow a magenta line from take off to touchdown. The early 747’s were clockwork and you had to fly the needles, correct for wind., work out a descent rate and time the letdown. Very satisfying but bloody hard work. I fear that some pilots today have allowed their basic flying skills to have become eroded and they are becoming detached from their aircraft.
At the start of the take off roll as we increase the power I can literally feel the smile start to widen on my face😊 Even after 34 years that never diminished
A 747 for me is the most awe-inspiring aircraft and a nostalgic part of my childhood. What are your views on passenger 747s being replaced by 2-engine, smaller planes. We all know the benefits but as an aviator, do you see any cons?
Do you ever have problems understanding what is said on the radio? As an aviation enthusiast I find this baffling that any pilot ever understands a thing, it all sounds like gibberish.
I was watching a plane yesterday, it flew from Toronto to Winnipeg. When it hit Winnipeg, it went north, then turned and came in and landed from the north. Why not just go slightly farther north on the flight, and then just turn south when they get where they need to be?
I’m genuinely curious on what gets relayed to the Pilot(s) from ATC? My whole life I’ve always heard how ATC is far and away one of the most stressful jobs and someone who is fascinated with what they do and engulfed in anxiety, I have a lot of respect for them! Thank you for what you did and flying everyone safely all those years!!
I agree ATC do an amazing job, one that I could never have coped with. When they finish a shift they go home. At the end of my day I sat on a Caribbean beach drinking a sundowner thanking god I was not a ATC officer.
This might be really insensitive to ask about but has being exposed to the upper atmospheres higher levels of cosmic radiation had any noticeable detrimental effects to your health?
My lifelong wish has been to fly in a 747 top deck, but alas, COVID made sure I won't be able to enjoy the ride. anyways, How do you compare flight comfort and aesthetics of a 747 compared to other long range aircrafts?
Show us your logbook - first flight!
GAZLK Cessna 150 April 1974
Are you going to continue flying GA or corporate when you're done flying 747s?
No, it’s time to let others enjoy the skies, I enjoy writing books now!
No I will leave the skies to the next generation of pilots. I hope to continue writing if people still want to read what I write
The airport you generally enjoy the least to land at? (Due to whatever reasons, traffic, ATC, rules, maybe even the hotels suck lol)
JFK was the most challenging due to the differing non precision approaches, poor ATC and relatively short runways and a baffling taxiways
Longest flight?
SIN-LHR Flying a Beech Queen Air when all the instruments failed in cloud Cape Town No The 747 was the only aircraft I ever wanted to fly
My “Oh shit moment” would be realizing that the pilot is filming o.O
How many hours?
Just over 30,000 hours
What is your favorite joke or bit, to tell passengers from the cabin?
If I boarded after the cabin crew I always asked for a window seat!
What do you miss or don't miss between the older 747-100/200 and the newer 400?
I miss the flight engineer !
What is the least used button or switch?
Aileron trim
When will you be allowed to land?
LET HIM LAND
“All ya gotta do is ask bro.”
#FreeNickEades
Underrated comment lol
One time I didn't fly a Boeing 747 for fifteen years because that would be too long
He's like the Flying Dutchman, cursed to roam the skies for eternity, never being granted permission to land by any airfield.
Any weird aerodynamic phenomenon you've observed concerning the aircraft or just in general.
No, the jumbo had no unusual handling qualities. It was simply a joy to fly. The original Piper Seneca had the rudder and ailerons interconnected which was interesting to say the least!!
Have you flown the 747-8? How does it compare with the -400?
No I never flew the 800, but pilots I know who have flown both seem to prefer the way the 400 flies!
What is the most unusual airport where you've landed a 747? A place you'd ordinarily never expect to see a jumbo...
Cardiff
What's your opinion of the A380 and the rivalry between Boeing and Airbus?
They are both great aircraft but the A380 is being scrapped after 10 years which must mean something !
Is the decent video in Cape Town?
Yes it is !!
[удалено]
Yes. Definitely. You can see Table mountain.
Sucks that we don’t get any 747’s anymore here in Cape Town.
Decent? More like adequate.
What airline(s) did you fly for, Sir? Congratulations!
British Airways, and thank you 😊
Have you ever seen St. Elmos fire? If so, how was the experience for you?
Yes it was a common occurrence on the Northern routes. The dancing lights were awe inspiring
St.Elmos fire are considered a bad omen in sailing , is it also the case in aviation ?
TIL St. Elmo's Fire is not just an 80s movie.
For some reason, my brain thought you meant the ‘80s movie and I was wondering how the hell it was relevant.
I'm a flight attendant and our pilots called us up to the FD to see it last Sunday! Ferry flight between Calgary and Edmonton!
Tell them about delivering the baby! Fun fact. OP and I started on the same day and did the Simulator course together.
How many hours do you have in a 747?
And spoil the story in the book 😂
Could you elaborate on being the pilot that has flown a 747 longer than any other pilot?
I flew the 747 for 34 years, no one else has flown the aircraft for that amount of time.
Which 747s did you fly, and what was your favourite registration to fly?
100/200/400
With 30k hours, how many PAs did you broadcast to ATC? ;)
Luckily none!
What are PAs? I'm new here.
No question, but my favorite joke is about a 747, and I want to share it with you.
This joke is older than the 747.
I understand it's a joke, but could it actually fly with just 1 engine ?!
Brilliant. That's my kind of seatmate.
Alternative ending:
I.... Don't get it
Are the 747s still being used as commercial airlines or are they just used to delivery now?
I just flew out of Incheon South Korea yesterday and saw two Asiana 747s taxing and several Korean Air 747s at gates so yes they are still being used commercially but they are definitely on the way out sadly!
Lufthansa is still flying them!
I'm flying on one right now!! 747 upper deck is the best.
Flew on one to Germany and back last month. Still flying!
The latest 747-8 is barely starting their lives with Lufthansa, Korean, and a few other operators, not to mention new Air Force One.
Korean Air still flies them, the -800. But they’re retiring them over the next 5 years.
I flew in a Lufthansa 747 in December
The 747-400 are still being used and now we have the 747-800, a new version that will fly for a long period, the 800 is big mf, longer than the A380
What aspects of flying will we be missing when the 747 is fully retired? What amenities or specialities does the 747 have that no other plane does?
A full toilet and bedroom for the cockpit crew.
How many hours spent in a 747 so far? Are you prior military?
No I was always Civil
He said he spent about 26k in the 74
Any UFO strories to share?
I hit one over Spain!
Would be interested in this one as well!
At least any declassified...??? /s
What was your favourite in flight meal?
Believe it or not in all my years of airline flying I have never eaten a crew meal. I’m a veggie and have always self catered.
Have you ever seen a UFO or something you couldn’t explain?
Yes, I actually hit a UFO ! It’s in my 2nd book
Do you play Microsoft Flight Simulator when not at work?
Absolutely not! I’m good but not that good!
I know a commercial pilot who is super into pc gaming. I asked him this same question and he replied “would you want to play a simulated game of what you actually do for a living?” Of course all I could say was no. Ha
Do pilots ever actually get scared of turbulence
No because we know that turbulence, even severe turbulence, is not usually a danger to the aircraft. We do our best to avoid it tho 😉
Not a question, but Black Box Down podcast would have a field day talking to you
Sorry I don’t know what that is!
Gus- “like I said” at least 30 times per episode
Gus follows this subreddit so he's probably already DMed OP.
Do you have any other aviation podcast recommendations?
A fellow fan in the wild!
What was the hardest approach you personally flew?
Flying into Mexico on three engines with thunderstorms all around the volcanoes with two junior copilots who had never been there before. I enjoyed my second beer that night!
Favorite airport?
Favourite is Cape Town, JFK least favourite for reasons already explained
This may be sort of a wacky question, but I’ve wanted to ask the 777 pilots this at work for a while except social anxiety and what not. Does it ever feel weird (especially back when you first started) to go from piloting something that massive to driving a car?
In pilot training I almost rolled my car because I forgot you have to slow down to turn. That's probably just a "me" problem though lol.
I personally have never felt it as they are just such different activities. Flying is the one "that feels weird" at first because it's just such an alien experience with all new sensations.
What kind of issues have you seen with age? Have you seen engine failure due to fan blade fatigue?
Do you have a pro tip for anyone who thinks about maybe becoming a pilot in the near future?
If aviation is in your blood then do everything you can to achieve your dreams! I have around 26,000 hours on the jumbo. I flew the 747-100 747-200 and the 747-400. The 400 was my favourite, is was simply a joy to fly and operate.
What's the one plane you wish you flew?
No other, although I was considering Concorde
Yoke or Stick? Why?
Im gonna go out on a limb and say yoke given he's a 747 pilot. And most who preference yoke all say it's so they can see wtf their FO is doing.
What, if anything, inspired you to fly planes/be involved in aviation?
I was studying for an Economics degree, then flew to South America! I left University to learn to fly after that !
Do you know who has the second highest number of hours?
The researcher who found me had originally come up with a pilot who had flown the 747 for 32 years ! I had 34 years on the jumbo
Advice for nervous passengers?
You are more likely to be killed in your bed by an aircraft crashing into your house than you are likely to be on the aircraft that crashes into your house!
What made this 747 longer than any other, pilot? Funky repair to the tail section? /s
Very good 😂
Can you do a barrel roll?
Yes I used to teach aerobatics, but not in a 747!!!
With 34 years on type what advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time to when you did your initial jumbo training?
That is a brilliant question! I think the best advice would be to not over control, the QOTS flies beautifully, just let her do the job she was built for.
What's your favorite approach anywhere in the a.) World? b.) USA? c.) JFK airport specifically lol
What is a typical day in your life as a pilot like? (before and after takeoff/landing)
10 Go to airport
Gosh tough question!
Did all civil pilot think 747 is they most beautiful aircraft?
Of course they do, it’s just that Airbus pilots hate admitting it😉
I know this is a dumb one, but I'm coming close to CFI and so thinking about the future because it looks incredible. How hard is the training and Handbook memorization for such a complex aircraft?
Steve, it’s not hard. Being a Flight Instructor is one of the most difficult jobs I had. It’s all downhill from there!
When boarding can you still ask to see the cockpit or is that gone now since 9/11?
If we have time we love to see anyone either before or after the flight. I always put the children in the pilot seats and take photos of them with their parents. It’s a small thing but can really make a difference
Have you ever done that thing that they show in the film Up in the Air where a famous pilot congratulates a frequent flyer on reaching 10,000,000 miles or whatever?
No
Have you ever seen a grown man naked?
Best film ever🫣
• Tips on landing the 747. • How does she handle?
At 50 feet make sure you are over the runway, look at the far end of the runway and at 30 feet gently close the thrust levers and hold the attitude. She will just kiss the runway and make you look good!
Have you experienced any emergencies in flight which caused deviation?
Q: How do you know if there's a pilot at a party?
That's wild. I know Brien Wygle, ever met the test pilot team?
Do you really, really love the 747 as avgeeks do and does the rigour of the job ever get in the way of that love?
What’s the next adventure for you?
I hope to continue writing
Looking back through the years, what do you have to say regarding the advancements in the technologies that have come along? GPS, EFIS, etc..
Aircraft are much easier to operate these days. We now load a computer and then follow a magenta line from take off to touchdown. The early 747’s were clockwork and you had to fly the needles, correct for wind., work out a descent rate and time the letdown. Very satisfying but bloody hard work. I fear that some pilots today have allowed their basic flying skills to have become eroded and they are becoming detached from their aircraft.
This thing that is ingrained in my mind, from a pax point of view. about the 747s is the sound. What do/will you remember and miss the most.
At the start of the take off roll as we increase the power I can literally feel the smile start to widen on my face😊 Even after 34 years that never diminished
With more computerization always coming through are pilots going to be doing more or less in the cockpit in the future?
Good question. Computers make life easier but pilots still need to make sure they are fully aware of everything the aircraft is doing and why.
Do you guys really dump big clumps of poop out over random areas?
Besides takeoff/landing, is flying a plane easy?
First commercial flight, when and what aircraft?
Beechcraft C90 1981 flying jockeys around racecourse in the UK
How did you become a pilot and how expensive is it to do so? I would love to do something like this some day
When are you allowed to come down? Have you run out of fuel yet?
Do you remember the top area being an arcade or another form of entertainment.
No sadly British Airways never had that configuration
What are your favorite and least favorite things about the 747?
A 747 for me is the most awe-inspiring aircraft and a nostalgic part of my childhood. What are your views on passenger 747s being replaced by 2-engine, smaller planes. We all know the benefits but as an aviator, do you see any cons?
Do you ever have problems understanding what is said on the radio? As an aviation enthusiast I find this baffling that any pilot ever understands a thing, it all sounds like gibberish.
Are you listening to an online source or with your own aviation radio? The online ones are often far worse quality.
What's your take on the UFO/UAP stuff?
I cannot usually explain my wife’s credit card bill, and nor can she! I have seen incredible sights but nothing that could not be explained
HOW MANY ALIENS HAVE YOU SEEN DONT LIE
I’ve not seen any but I’ve replied to a few!
Ever see something you couldn’t explain in the air
How many 747 barrel rolls have you done?
If I had done even one I would not be here to tell you about it!
IF the 747 gets retired what plane would you fly next?
I flew g to the 777 after the 747 was grounded by Covid. I retired in March
Closest call or most dangerous moment in a 747 cockpit?
I was never in danger on the 747, she always looked after me!
What is your proffesion?
Spotting spelling errors
I was watching a plane yesterday, it flew from Toronto to Winnipeg. When it hit Winnipeg, it went north, then turned and came in and landed from the north. Why not just go slightly farther north on the flight, and then just turn south when they get where they need to be?
Sorry no idea. Maybe vectoring for sequencing ?
I’m genuinely curious on what gets relayed to the Pilot(s) from ATC? My whole life I’ve always heard how ATC is far and away one of the most stressful jobs and someone who is fascinated with what they do and engulfed in anxiety, I have a lot of respect for them! Thank you for what you did and flying everyone safely all those years!!
I agree ATC do an amazing job, one that I could never have coped with. When they finish a shift they go home. At the end of my day I sat on a Caribbean beach drinking a sundowner thanking god I was not a ATC officer.
Most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen in the air. Most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen at an airport/ramp. Was Kai Tak fun or terrifying or both?
Kai Tak was great fun, not terrifying but hugely rewarding. Landing into Cape Town is probably the most beautiful approach
This might be really insensitive to ask about but has being exposed to the upper atmospheres higher levels of cosmic radiation had any noticeable detrimental effects to your health?
Well I’m 65 now and I still run 5 miles a day, play tennis and kite surf so I’m seem to have gotten off lightly 😎
What is your favorite thing about flying the 747-400 itself? (Hands down, the prettiest aircraft ever conceived.)
Difficult to pin down one thing, she was simply fabulous to fly and would always make the pilot look good
My lifelong wish has been to fly in a 747 top deck, but alas, COVID made sure I won't be able to enjoy the ride. anyways, How do you compare flight comfort and aesthetics of a 747 compared to other long range aircrafts?
I have two questions
Did you ever land the 747 in the old Kai Tak Airport?
Have you ever seen a UAP?
What kind of plane do you fly?
What was your shortest flight?
LGW to LHR about 10 mins
How many UFO's have you spotted?
What has kept you in a 747?
How hard is it to parallel park one of this puppies?
Have you ever flown with someone on your crew and think, "How in the hell did they make it this far?" Elaborate if possible.
Have you seen any UAP/UFO crafts up there?