S V Choong 4 Report post Posted October 7, 2016 (edited) Cathay Pacific’s ‘Queen of the Skies’ to mark retirement with Victoria Harbour FlyoverFinal chance for the Hong Kong public to bid farewell to the Boeing 74705 Oct 2016 To commemorate the retirement of the iconic Boeing 747-400 aircraft from its passenger fleet, and to help raise funds in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Cathay Pacific will operate a special charity flight for its staff on the morning of Saturday, 8 October. With the approval of the Civil Aviation Department, the 60-minute flight – CX8747 – will include a Victoria Harbour flyover, giving the Hong Kong public one final opportunity to bid farewell to Cathay Pacific’s “Queen of the Skies”. Some 300 of the airline’s staff, many of whom have a long attachment to the 747, have made a minimum donation of HK$747 to secure their seats onboard the historic flight. With Cathay Pacific absorbing the flight’s operating costs, all funds raised will benefit the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation. The flight is planned to take-off from Hong Kong International Airport at 10.30 am, subject to airport traffic and weather conditions, and will initially head east over Victoria Harbour, passing the former Kai Tak Airport and out over the Lei Yue Mun Gap. The best vantage points for members of the public to watch the farewell flight include the Peak, Lion Rock, Kennedy Town promenade, West Kowloon Cultural District, the harbour facing sides of ICC and IFC, Tsim Sha Tsui promenade, Tamar, the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Golden Bauhinia Square, MegaBox and the Tsing Ma Bridge Observation Deck. Members of the public are invited to share their photos of the special flight on social media using #Cathay747. Additionally, fans who post their photos on the official Cathay Pacific Facebook page will stand the chance to win a 747-8F aircraft model, autographed by the late Joe Sutter, Boeing’s chief engineer who will forever be remembered as the “Father of the 747”. The 747 first entered Cathay Pacific’s passenger fleet in 1979 and made an immediate impact. Able to carry far greater numbers of people for far greater distances than any other aircraft of its era, the 747 helped transform the company from being a primarily regional carrier into the truly global airline it is today. The 747 also played a significant role in growing Hong Kong into an international aviation hub. For further information and the latest updates regarding CX8747 please visit Cathay Pacific’s official social media channel:https://www.facebook.com/cathaypacificHK For those visiting Hong Kong, the final flight will be tomorrow morning (8/10/2016)!! I am off to ICC tower tomorrow morning! Edited October 7, 2016 by S V Choong Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted October 8, 2016 (edited) Went with Sing Yew to Ritz Carlton at ICC today sitting by the window on 102th Floor to take a photo of B-HUJ, special final flight of the B747-467. The final flight crossed Victoria Harbour at 2000 ft. still quite a bit of distance from the public realm. Next year we will be sending off the A340-300E, I'd imagine the A340-300 is not as special as the B747 in the minds of CX Edited October 8, 2016 by S V Choong Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kee Hooi Yen 0 Report post Posted October 8, 2016 Thanks for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kenneth Chong WT 0 Report post Posted October 8, 2016 Hope you posted the pictures on their FB...you might win a model 747-8i... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted October 8, 2016 Hope you posted the pictures on their FB...you might win a model 747-8i... Haha, will do. Thanks Kenneth!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flee 5 Report post Posted October 9, 2016 Its the end of an era - there are only about 200+ B747s left in active service these days, IIRC. Thanks for sharing, SV! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted October 10, 2016 Its the end of an era - there are only about 200+ B747s left in active service these days, IIRC. Thanks for sharing, SV! Thanks Francis. Mostly freighters I would think! The pax 747-400 are ever dwindling in numbers. I guess one can always fly with QF and BA if 744 is still desired. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KK Lee 5 Report post Posted October 10, 2017 As the 747 Begins Its Final Approach, a Pilot Takes a Flight Down Memory LaneHow much do I, a Boeing 747 pilot, love the airplane that I fly? It’s tough, and maybe a little embarrassing, to answer. But as the iconic jet’s eventual retirement draws closer, I am surely not the only 747 fan who’s taking some very long flights down memory lane. More from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/travel/747-airplane-jet-pilot.html?hpw&rref=travel&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region®ion=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted October 11, 2017 The Boeing 747s have definitely played a great role in modern-day jet transport and will be missed greatly by many. My last flight with the 747-400 was perhaps with Air China's B747-400 October last year and just as I thought it would be the last, came along the B747-400 of Korean Air during March 2017 which took me to ICN. Also had the opportunity to catch her latest incarnation, the B747-8i in Korean Air livery in March from ICN to HKG. I am really looking forward to take another B747-8i with Air China in Feb 2018 from FRA to PEK. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites