The crazy afterlife of the Boeing 747: wedding venue, movie set, cockpit capers – the beloved jumbo jet is still in business
As I stretch out in my business class seat, glass in hand, I begin to relax on the flight to New York, when suddenly the unthinkable happens.
An urgent tap on my shoulder from a cabin crew member: “Sir, we need you in the cockpit.”
Within seconds I jump into the captain’s chair, sweat on my brow, and am ordered to grab the controls. With zero hours of flying experience, I am suddenly in charge of the gigantic 747 jumbo jet.
But this isn’t a ‘terror at 30,000 feet’ nightmare. Instead, it’s ‘thrill on three feet’ – and one of the most surreal days out in the country.
Instead of sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, I’m sitting in a large, modest shed next to some stables in the Cheshire countryside. This bizarre experience takes place on board a real, retired British Airways jumbo, now converted into a flight simulator and dining experience, firmly attached to the ground.
In 2020, BA and Virgin Atlantic rolled out plans to ax the 747, a plane that was much loved by passengers with its instantly recognizable bump and double-decker design.
Boeing’s beast, nicknamed The Queen Of The Skies, first took off in 1969 and made flying accessible to millions of people. But fifty years later the classic design was replaced by less gas-guzzling aircraft.
Aviation enthusiast Dan Chang and two friends have rescued an original BA 747 cockpit and an entire business class cabin on the upper deck. “It’s such a unique aircraft,” says Dan, who runs the 744 Experience near Tattenhall, Cheshire.
Fantastic flight: Jonathan Samuels (pictured) heads to Cheshire to find out how a British Airways 747 was turned into a visitor experience
Jonathan reveals that three friends saved a BA 747 cockpit and an entire upper deck business class cabin (seen here) from the scrap heap after the airline decided to retire the fleet
Above, Jonathan at the controls of his jumbo simulator experience
The confusing name is because the cockpit is from a 747-400 model and 744 is an abbreviation for this type.
The final journey of these huge pieces of aircraft (without wings) took place from a scrap metal factory in Cardiff on a low loader.
Under a police escort, the 747 drove slowly over country roads to its final resting place.
In one particularly tight spot, the wide fuselage lightly scraped the wall of a house. “I spoke to the homeowner and said I would be happy to pay for any damage.” remembers Daan.
“But he said, ‘No way, I want to keep the evidence when I tell friends a jumbo crashed into my house.’
The state-of-the-art 220-degree display delivers a view that’s almost as good as the real thing, while hidden speakers recreate the rumble and whine of the engines.
With the computer you can take off and land anywhere in the world. Fly over Vegas at night or try the infamous entrance to Hong Kong’s old airport, Kai Tak.
How am I doing on my own ‘flight’? With clammy hands on the buttons, the jumbo’s computer counts down the altitude as I descend to the JFK in New York: ’40, 30, 20…’
Above, the upper deck cabin, which is part of the 744 Experience
The 90-minute experience will include “light refreshments,” Jonathan reveals
My landing is a little bumpy, but we’ll make it. All souls saved. And what a ride.
How to do it: 90-minute experiences from £249, including flight control, light refreshments and up to two non-flying guests observing your performance/flight from the cockpit (744experience.nl).
So where else can you enjoy a jumbo…
An old 747 has been converted into a wedding venue in the Cotswolds
COTSWOLDS COCKPIT
You can visit a retired 747 at Cotswold Airport in Kemble, Gloucestershire, where tours of the aircraft are offered. Two-hour The Flight Before Christmas events will be held in the run-up to the holidays. These include a chance to meet Santa Claus in his grotto, presents, mince pies, gingerbread and mulled wine.
The aircraft can also be booked for weddings, birthdays and corporate events.
How to do it: Guided tours from £12.50; tickets for ‘The Flight Before Christmas’ from £29 (negus747.com).
MANCHESTER MACHINE
At the city’s Barton Aerodrome, The Deck is another flight simulator in an old 747.
When planes broke down as airlines retired jumbos, Drew Hanna founded his company Doors2Manual, selling parts like windows and cockpit switches to souvenir hunters.
Then he went one step further: he bought the front of a 747 and opened it to the public.
How to do it: 20 minutes on The Deck simulator is from £74.95 (thedeck747.com).
