Ladies and Gentlemen...To the Queen!
Prose: Robert Griffiths
Photography: Robert Griffiths, Ryan Kelly, James Woodard, Richard Souza
As I write, bleary eyed, I've watched a stream from a somewhat damp and windy London Heathrow as the last British Airways "Queen" - a Boeing 747-400 G-CIVY, did a flypast for the final time. It was an emotional farewell for an airframe that's seen service in a number of different roles and airlines from its first arrival decades before. And in one pass above Heathrow, the Queen of the skies goes as others have before, following the Concorde to the annals of British Airways history.
Writing from the warm confines of my home, in an equally wet and windy South Wales I am grateful for my time living in London, the times I was only a stone's throw from one of the world’s busiest airports. Before BA painted three 747s in retro liveries celebrating their 100 years and various liveries, I took them for granted. Although one would take photos because of their size, there didn’t seem to be much variation. The writing was on the wall for a number of years as airlines strove for cost savings, one of these paths being to go over to Extended Twin Operations or ETOPS, utilizing the fuel efficiency of two rather than four, not to mention the maintenance savings.
50 years ago, before British Airways formed, after the merger of British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and British European Airways (BEA), BOAC took delivery of their first 747-100. The final model, the -400 would enter service with BA in 1989, and would be the final model in service until it retired in 2020, a few years ahead of schedule. To put it in perspective, the Queen has been in service for nearly half the lifetime of British Airways (in its former company lineage), and that is pretty special in its own right.
When I think of the many hours spent around the Heathrow perimeter, I had a sense of awe as these beauties launched themselves into the air. Happily snapping away, I realised just how much I enjoyed witnessing these 4-engine beasts. I thought I would have at least a few more years to catch them some more, but like everything else, Covid has spoilt yet another piece of aviation before the year is out.
747s will now be a rare sight at Heathrow, with very few passenger versions left with airlines, they will be a special occasion if this happens in the future. Again, as I type, I realise just how lucky I was to be on the doorstep of BA’s main base, able to witness multiple flights as they jetted off to far flung places around the world serving families, business people, and avgeeks aplenty.
I am also grateful that I managed to fly on one of the Queens a few years ago on a work trip to Washington DC, the only time I have actually flown in one, back in 2018. As an avgeek, it was top of my list, and one I have happily ticked off the sheet on a great flight from one world capital to another. Oddly enough, I actually found that flight far more comfortable than the return flight on a BA 787.
I have so many memories, and I'm sure many avgeeks in the UK and across the globe do as well. She made air travel affordable for everyone, shrunk the world and created a following like no other aircraft in the civilian world.
As she bows out from BA service, I'm sure you will all join me in reminiscing on ‘The Queen of the Skies’ and thank her for the memories.
Ladies and Gentlemen… To the Queen!
