Hi

I am here in the lounge waiting for my flight to Mumbai, it never ceases to amaze me that you can travel so far around the world in just 8 hours, only the 4000 or so miles. I have flown a lot but when you see the size of a Boeing 747 it is still amazing they can get off the ground. Here's a few facts I found on the internet.

It has six million parts (half of which are fasteners) made in 33 different countries.

Just one engine on a 747 produces more thrust than all four engines on an early model Boeing 707 combined.

When pressurized, a 747 fuselage holds over a ton of air.

The term Jumbo jet has always been associated with the 747.

Although the upper deck might seem small compared to the size of the whole aircraft, it can seat a significant number of people: JAL has 86 seats on the upper deck of its B747-400D aircraft.

The 747 is certified to fly on 3 of its 4 engines. A 747 can successfully take-off even if an engine fails after rotation, and in many cases the flight can continue to its destination.

On 24 May 1991 an El Al Boeing 747 airlifted a record-breaking 1,087 passengers - Ethiopian Jews flying from Addis Ababa to Israel as part of Operation Solomon.

and back to me...