Today in flying history January 22 1970

[cowpatz]

The Boeing 747 made its first commercial flight from New York to London for Pan Am.

Captain Robert M. Weeks and crew flew the Pan American World Airways Boeing 747-121, N736PA, Clipper Young America, New York to London on a 6 hour, 43 minute inaugural passenger-carrying flight of the new wide-body jet. Aboard were a crew of 20 and 335 passengers.



N736PA had initially been named Clipper Victor, but the name was changed to Clipper Young America for the inaugural New York to London flight when the 747 scheduled to make that flight—Clipper Young America—suffered mechanical problems. The 747 was hijacked on 2 August 1970 and flown to Cuba. After that incident, N736PA was renamedClipper Victor — its original name. It was destroyed in a collision at Tenerife airport disaster, when a KLM Boeing 747 attempted to take off at Los Rodeos Airport, Tenerife, Canary Islands without clearance from the airport's air traffic controllers and collided with Clipper Victor on the runway.

(Pics Getty Images)
Capt Weeks and some of his crew + N736PA at New York








Thanks as usual to Grayson Ottoway

[Splitpin]

Almost missed this CP ..... as usual , great post ... thanks for your time.
Capt Weeks looks a tad overwhelmed with the female attention .
I had now idea that , that , aircraft was involved in the awful Tenerife incident ..... some facts to tuck away for later reference.
Thanks again.

[Ian Warren]

Arr the days we walked out to a set off stairs to climb on board a 747 .. none off these fang dangled air-bridges , my first trip out , I was 18 JUST ! .... idea's to move to OZ , the 747-200B City of Canberra , back then I recall the airfare was $816 NZ return just in case ... back then my weekly wage was just under $80NZ per week.