Xtreme Vogue London Desk: Judith Benjamin
Stretching out in my business class seat, glass in hand, I’m beginning to relax into the flight to New York when suddenly the unthinkable happens.
An urgent tap on my shoulder from a member of the cabin crew: ‘Sir, we need you in the cockpit.’
Within seconds, I’m jumping into the captain’s seat, sweat on my brow, and being ordered to grab the controls. With zero hours flying experience, suddenly I’m in charge of the gigantic 747 jumbo jet.
But this is no ‘terror at 30,000ft’ nightmare. Instead, it’s ‘thrills at 3ft’ – and one of the country’s most surreal days out.
Rather than cruising over the Atlantic, I’m inside a big, unassuming shed next to some stables in rural Cheshire. This bizarre experience happens onboard a real, retired British Airways jumbo, now turned into a flight simulator and dining experience, fixed firmly to the ground.
In 2020 BA and Virgin Atlantic brought forward plans to scrap the 747, a plane much loved by passengers with its instantly recognisable hump and double decker design.
Nicknamed The Queen Of The Skies, Boeing’s beast first took off in 1969 and made flying accessible to millions. But 50 years on the classic design was being replaced by less gas-guzzling aircraft.
Aviation enthusiast Dan Chang and two friends rescued an original BA 747 cockpit and an entire upper deck business class cabin. ‘It’s such a unique aircraft,’ says Dan, who runs the 744 Experience near Tattenhall, Cheshire.
Flight fantastic: Jonathan Samuels (pictured) heads to Cheshire to find out how a British Airways 747 has been turned into a visitor experience
Jonathan reveals that three friends saved a BA 747 cockpit and an entire upper deck business class cabin (seen here) from the scrapheap after the airline decided to retire the fleet
Above, Jonathan at the controls of his jumbo simulator experience
The confusing name is because the cockpit is from a 747-400 model and 744 is an abbreviation for this type.
The final journey for these huge chunks of aircraft (minus wings) was from a scrap facility in Cardiff on a low loader.
With a police escort, the 747 made its way slowly down country lanes towards its eventual resting place.
In one particularly tight spot, the wide fuselage slightly scraped the wall of a house. ‘I spoke to the homeowner and said I’d happily pay for any damage.’ recalls Dan.
‘But he said, “No way, I want to keep the proof when I tell friends a jumbo careered into my home”.’
The state-of-the-art 220-degree display screen gives a view almost as good as the real thing while hidden speakers recreate the rumble and whine of the engines.
The computer lets you take off and land anywhere in the world. Fly over Vegas at night or attempt the notorious approach into Hong Kong’s old airport, Kai Tak.
So how do I fare on my own ‘flight’? With clammy hands on the controls, the jumbo’s computer counts down the altitude as I descend into New York’s JFK: ‘40, 30, 20…’
Above, the upper deck cabin, which forms part of the 744 Experience
The 90-minute experience includes ‘light refreshments’, reveals Jonathan
My landing is slightly bumpy but we make it. All souls saved. And what a ride.
How to do it: 90-minute experiences from £249 including taking charge of the controls, light refreshments and up to two non-flying guests observing your performance/flight from the cockpit (744experience.co.uk).
So where else can you enjoy a jumbo…
In the Cotswolds, an old 747 has been turned into a wedding venue
COTSWOLDS COCKPIT
You can visit a retired 747 at Cotswold Airport in Kemble, Gloucestershire, where tours of the plane are offered. In the run-up to the festive season two-hour The Flight Before Christmas events are being held. These include a chance to meet Father Christmas in his grotto, presents, minced pies, gingerbread and mulled wine.
The aircraft can also be booked for weddings, birthdays and corporate events.
How to do it: Guided tours from £12.50; tickets for ‘The Flight Before Christmas’ from £29 (negus747.com).
MANCHESTER MACHINE
At the city’s Barton Aerodrome, The Deck is another flight simulator in an old 747.
When aircraft started being broken up as airlines withdrew jumbos, Drew Hanna set up his business Doors2Manual selling parts such as windows and cockpit switches to souvenir hunters.
Then he took things further, buying the front end of a 747 and opening it to the public.
