A saddish day

[cowpatz]

Tonight I will depart on my last trip on the 747 (failing any major technical issues). NZ8 to San Francisco and arrive back in Auckland on NZ7 23 August.
This will most likely be the end of my 17 years of flying these amazing aircraft.
I first checked out on the 747-200 on the 23rd March 1996 after doing circuits at CHC.
This was followed by the 747-400 conversion on Oct 15 1999.
9700 hrs on these docile behemoths. Slightly over half my airline career on them.
Somewhat appropriate that this occasion should fall (to the day) on my 27th anniversary of joining Air NZ as a pilot.
I am glad to have been one of the privileged few.

Cheers

[goingboeing]

Awesome id love to fly one, im just beginning my career with air nz, enjoy tonight mate id imagine its quite a privilege to be able to have 747 in the old logbook. Cheers

[Splitpin]

Good luck Sir , and happy anniversary
C.P you know of course that we (the forum) will be tracking your progress

Fly safe .

[HamiltonWest]

QUOTE (Splitpin @ Aug 18 2013,4:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good luck Sir , and happy anniversary
C.P you know of course that we (the forum) will be tracking your progress

Fly safe .

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (cowpatz @ Aug 18 2013,4:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am glad to have been one of the privileged few

Permission to ask something Sir , Shoot the hell out of your last trip and please make a photo/video flight log of this your final historic flight (invite the crew to join in and maybe even the passengers - invite them here) , I don't have the talent to edit and combine the show but would make for one awesome small NZFF video event and a must to be pinned !

[FlyingKiwi]

It will be a sad day indeed when the 747 is gone from the Air New Zealand fleet, I've only had the pleasure of flying in them as a passenger but I don't think I've ever met a 747 pilot who said they didn't like the aircraft.

[deeknow]

Enjoy it while it lasts mate, am sure it'll be a pretty emotional disembarkment (is that even a word?) at the end, and as Ian says, we DEMAND you take a heap of sneaky pics before you switch out the lights

[SA227]

I was hoping that ANZ8 would be able to do a left turn after take off and fly over the house but unfortunately an arriving Jetstar flight got in the way and they have gone right over the city. Still looked good through the binoculars.

[Splitpin]

I see he's well on his way ......on track and thru FL18 as at 1950 hrs.

[Ian Warren]

What a ShiteAss job ... Oh well back to me P-40

[AlisterC]

So where are you heading next? 777?
Sorry to hear you are losing your baby! I bet that's a really sad thing. I'm sure you must love them. I'm only a simmer and I think the 747 is brilliant. Thanks for your many long hours watching over things up front. I've had a few great flights in the ANZ 744 to LA and SFO and actually preferred the 747 over the 777 (seats were better at the time)
Have a good flight.

[Splitpin]

You cant hide CP ..... Lost track of you when you went into duty free

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/ANZ8/hi...A/KSFO/tracklog

[SA227]

Love the fact that apparently the aircraft was doing 165kts as it entered A1 at NZAA.

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (SA227 @ Aug 19 2013,1:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Love the fact that apparently the aircraft was doing 165kts as it entered A1 at NZAA.

Air New Zealand boss's trying to get rid of it quicker than really needed .... True

[Splitpin]

QUOTE (SA227 @ Aug 19 2013,12:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Love the fact that apparently the aircraft was doing 165kts as it entered A1 at NZAA.

True , i wonder how accurate that data really is .

SA227 , you might be able to snap him on the return with NZ7 ....i assume CP will be up front.

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE

SA227 , you might be able to snap him on the return with NZ7 ....i assume CP will be up front.[/quote]
I would imagine the Captain will be gracious enough to let him be pilot flying for his last sector.

[HamiltonWest]

A lil Bit off topic
United to replace ageing jumbo jets with 777s for Australia flights
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/u...0819-2s5yi.html

[Ian Warren]

Just shows the reliablity of the big twin , United,s 747-400 Sydney to San Francisco was the longest non-stop flight in the world ways back in 1998-2000/2

[Splitpin]

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Aug 19 2013,2:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just shows the reliablity of the big twin , United,s 747-400 Sydney to San Francisco was the longest non-stop flight in the world ways back in 1998-2000/2

I saw one on the flight tracker the other night , a Qantas flight from Sydney to Chile. Cant remember the # , but he heads way down below NZ and across the pacific .
I guess once he's mid ocean , theres no where to go if it has a problem ... must check the atlas .

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (Splitpin @ Aug 20 2013,9:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

theres no where to go if it has a problem ... must check the atlas .

Strangely , well your a little like me .. have your eyes to the sky and many times you will see a contrail doing the east to west or west to east ... a very regular thing these days but a lotta people just have there eyeballs painted on and miss them.