Boeing 747 Classic

9780760310076

0760310076

The Boeing 747 has been around for over 30 years but still seems every bit as big as the day it first took to the skies. It represents a quantum jump in the development of civil aircraft, one that revolutionised the way we fly today and the way we accept better prices, service and safety than could have been dreamed of in the early years of jet aircraft.The fact that the Boeing 747 was developed at all is a remarkable testament to the courage and self-belief of a small group of brilliant engineers, all of whom were willing to risk their hard-won reputations by building an aircraft that was so totally different to anything previously offered to the airlines. Its acceptance for production go-ahead was also a notable example of corporate courage -- because many problems lay ahead and there was an enormous amount at stake: had the aircraft not sold in very considerable numbers, the continuation of Boeing itself might have been at risk.Although the theoretical operating profits from a 747-sized airliner were highly seductive, they were only theoretical. Before any profits could be made at all, a huge investment package had to be put