End of the road...

[drdickie]

https://airlinerwatch.com/the-oldest-boeing-747-of-the-world-still-in-service-says-goodbye-today/

[ph-cxz]

Once that one is made into a hotel a new b747 will be the oldest. Best bet lies with a freighter.

[Jason_Peters]

Pffft... 1989... not even close to the oldest 747 still in service! 

I'm flying a few early 70's vintage 747's (E-4B) in the USAF.  2 were built in 73', 1 in 74', and the newest in 1975!

[G-RFRY]

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I think they are talking in airline service BA are starting to decommission there's, China still use some.  

[downscc]

15 hours ago, Jason_Peters said:

Pffft... 1989... not even close to the oldest 747 still in service! 

I'm flying a few early 70's vintage 747's (E-4B) in the USAF.  2 were built in 73', 1 in 74', and the newest in 1975!

When I was a comm officer at Offutt AFB in the early 1980's, I had a chance to climb all over one of the E-4B's while it was decowled in the hangar and I was amazed at the complexity of the aircraft.  Of course, as a comm guy I found the comm center, which occupied most of the belly, to be very impressive.  I imagine that the comm gear today has evolved over the past four decades but still impressive.

[Jason_Peters]

3 hours ago, downscc said:

When I was a comm officer at Offutt AFB in the early 1980's, I had a chance to climb all over one of the E-4B's while it was decowled in the hangar and I was amazed at the complexity of the aircraft.  Of course, as a comm guy I found the comm center, which occupied most of the belly, to be very impressive.  I imagine that the comm gear today has evolved over the past four decades but still impressive.

Some things have likely changed for sure.  However, much has remained the same too.  In certain cases, low-tech is a better solution due to the unique mission of the aircraft.  That super high-tech stuff tends to not react well in a post-nuclear environment... lol