Air India got its first Boeing 747 in 1971. (Photo Credits: X)
Earlier this month, aviation enthusiasts and pilots marked the end of an era after Air India sold the last remaining four Boeing 747-400s aircraft to AerSale, an aftermarket aircraft broker based in the USA. The national flag carrier bought its first Boeing 747 in 1971 and named it Agra. The plane operated till March 2021 and made its last flight from Mumbai on April 22 as it departed for Plainfield in the USA, where it will be dismantled and its parts will be reused and recycled.
Now aviation enthusiasts, pilots and people who recalled flying in Air India’s Boeing 474 fleet are bidding farewell to the gigantic aircraft, nicknamed “Queen of the skies”. On Monday, a pilot took to X and shared a picture of himself taken in the cockpit of Air India’s Boeing 474. He wrote, “The privilege and joy of flying the Queen was unmatched. Hope she continues to soar with her new owners. Godspeed, my beloved Jumbo..” This post got over 20,000 views and hundreds of likes.
In a follow-up post, the pilot wrote, “15 years of pure joy. Observers seat, right seat, left seat! Graceful handling, an absolute beauty to hand fly.”
Commenting on this post, a person recalled, “My first foreign visit to England was on a Boeing Maharaja in 1985, and fully enjoyed to and from from bangalore.”
Another person wrote, “What a boss! To have the bragging rights of having flown the Queen of there Skies is truly unmatched.”
An X user asked the pilot about the “dancing in the sky” manoeuvre that the Boeing 474 pilot performed when the aircraft departed from Mumbai on its last destination. The pilot explained this move as “wing wave” and wrote, “It’s called a wing wave, sort of bye bye. It is done occasionally on farewells and aircraft/pilot retirements though never without planning or with passengers on board.”
The Boeing 747 is a double-decker aircraft with more than 400 seats, which can be demarcated into economy and business class seats depending on the design specifications. Air India decided to sell all of its Boeing 747-400 aircraft as it was now uneconomical to keep them operating. In the last decade, the aviation industry has moved to more fuel-efficient aircraft. Boeing also stopped producing the wide-body 747-700 models last year after its 53-year run.
News Related
-
Anurag Kashyap unveils teaser of ‘Kastoori’ Finally, the highly anticipated teaser of the National Award-winning film ‘Kastoori’ launched, offering a glimpse into the compelling tale of childhood in search of the smell of happiness. Directed by Vinod Kamble and presented by acclaimed filmmakers Anurag Kashyap and Nagraj Popatrao Manjule, delves ...
See Details:
Anurag Kashyap unveils teaser of ‘Kastoori’
-
New Delhi: After the overwhelming response to the action-packed trailer of the noir crime drama, ‘Shehar Lakhot’, Prime Video has unveiled intriguing posters featuring the intriguing leads of the series, raising the excitement among the audiences and capturing their attention. The eight-episode drama features interesting and multi-layered characters played by ...
See Details:
Shehar Lakhot: Meet The Intriguing Characters Of The Upcoming Noir Crime Drama
-
Watch: ‘My name is VVS Laxman…’: When Ishan Kishan gave wrong answers to right questions NEW DELHI: With a comfortable 2-0 series lead against Australia in the five-match series, Indian cricketers are chilling it out, having fun, enjoying each others’ company. After Monday’s video of Axar Patel throwing a ‘challenge’ ...
See Details:
Watch: 'My name is VVS Laxman...': When Ishan Kishan gave wrong answers to right questions
-
FILE PHOTO: Tennis – WTA Finals – Cancun, Mexico – November 5, 2023 Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka in action during her semi final match against Poland’s Iga Swiatek REUTERS/Henry Romero SYDNEY (Reuters) – World number two Aryna Sabalenka and number four Elena Rybakina will open their 2024 seasons at the Brisbane ...
See Details:
Tennis-Sabalenka, Rybakina to open new season in Brisbane
-
-
A view of the under-construction Barapullah flyover near Mayur Vihar on Monday. Work on the third and last phase of the much-delayed Barapullah flyover project will be completed in one year, officials in the Public Works Department said, a week after the lieutenant governor (LG) approved the land transfer for ...
See Details:
Delayed Barapullah work yet to begin despite land transfer
-
Army called in to help in tunnel rescue operation Vertical drilling also starts as part of ‘Plan B’SILKYARA: Personnel from Madras Sappers regiment of the Army’s Corps of Engineers were pressed into service on Sunday to clear the escape passage in the Silkyara tunnel where blades of the auger drilling ...
See Details:
Army called in to help in tunnel rescue operation
-
-
-
-
On October 19, the training institute’s Tecnam P2008JC (single engine) aircraft VT-RBC took off from runway 11 at Baramati with sole occupant on board. The Baramati Taluka Police have lodged a first information report (FIR) against flying training school Redbird Flight Training Academy on Monday, officials said. The Directorate General ...
See Details:
The Judge behind China's financial reckoning
-
-
-
On October 19, the training institute’s Tecnam P2008JC (single engine) aircraft VT-RBC took off from runway 11 at Baramati with sole occupant on board. The Baramati Taluka Police have lodged a first information report (FIR) against flying training school Redbird Flight Training Academy on Monday, officials said. The Directorate General ...
See Details:
'Gurdwaras are...': US Sikh body on Indian envoy's heckling by Khalistani backers
OTHER NEWS
In a greeting from 10 Downing Street on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak mentioned his Punjabi Indian origin, news agency PTI reported. The 43-year-old ...
Read more »
This report is the second of a three-part series on recent Indian engagement in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region. New Delhi: The US’ decision last month to ease ...
Read more »
Rajshri Deshpande dedicates OTT award to innocent lives lost in Gaza, Palestine Actor and social worker Rajshri Deshpande won the Best Actor, Series (Female) award for Netflix’s ‘Trial By Fire’. ...
Read more »
‘Ramchandra Keh Gaye…’: From Jan 1, RSS to Spread Word of God, Ayodhya Inauguration Among 10 Crore People In its effort to take the Ram Janmabhoomi message to households across ...
Read more »
Ace designer Rohit Bal critical, on ventilator: report Celebrated fashion designer Rohit Bal is in critical condition and is on ventilator support, HT City reported, quoting sources. He has been ...
Read more »
Bengaluru: Traffic Advisory Issued, Parking Restrictions In Place As Samyukta Horata Samiti Holds Protest | Details The Bengaluru Traffic Police has issued a traffic advisory for November 27 and 28 ...
Read more »
vistara flights diverted due to air congestion at delhi airport | details Delhi: Two Vistara flight has been diverted to Lucknow and Jaipur due to bad weather and air congestion ...
Read more »