The venerable Boeing 747 celebrates its 40th birthday today. Up until the introduction of the Airbus 380, the 747 was the giant of the commercial aviation world. She was the first to be called a “Jumbo”.

The 747 will always be my favorite mode of air travel. The size, the power, the sheer majesty of a 747-400 at takeoff always makes my heart beat a little faster than any other airplane. The first time I flew on one was back in the 80′s – a CP Air “Empress”. Years later I had a guided tour of an Air Canada combi (half passenger/half cargo) as it cruised above the Atlantic and then spent 2 of the greatest hours of my life up on the flight deck shooting the shit and drinking coffee with a very accommodating Captain and FO. I’ve been on aging KLM’s, Lufthansa and refurbished British Airways models. I’ve been in coach, business and on the upper deck. I sat in Row 1, farther forward than the flightdeck. Every flight was a memory I’ll always cherish.

The chances of flying on a 747 are still there. Boeing has a new version on the books. I hope to board the beast again.

Jon started putting videos up on what he calls “Movie Monday”.  Today’s selection is the first of a five part documentary released in 1996 called the 21st Century Jet.  It follows the design, manufacture and flight of the Boeing 777.  As Jon writes:

This is one of the single most valuable public historical tools for understanding Boeing, its recent history and its philosophy on innovation and risk. From a personal prospective, this documentary served as a model for my coverage of the 787 program that you see here. Embedded inside this movie are important lessons for the 787 program, as well as the context for understanding the global design and supply chain.

Each section is just under an hour but very much worth your time whether you have a love for aviation or a desire to understand how large projects work.  Personally, both aspects appeal to me – one as a hobby, the other being what I do for a living.

Grab a beverage, sit back and enjoy!

21st Century Jet – Part I(click to open in new window)