The Mighty 747. Australia’s Queen Of The Skies

In telling the tale, Eames visits the immense undertaking in bringing the Boeing 747 under the watchful eye of the “Father of the 747”, Joe Suttor. Beyond the engineering challenges, Eames also examines the workings within Qantas to bring the revolutionary aircraft into its fleet as an early adopter. He was also well-positioned to understand the political nuances in the government of the decision to equip the national carrier.

Eames relates the evolution of the 747 through its service in Qantas from the upper deck lounges to the SP (Special Performance) variant and beyond. He does so, not solely through relating a timeline and data but through anecdotes of those who lived the experience. Pilots, cabin crew, engineers and executives are all included to offer their perspectives. Some stories are humourous and all are informative, each adding a piece to a half-century puzzle.

The Boeing 747 carried the “Flying Kangaroo” from Oshkosh to Antarctica and from the cyclone-struck Darwin to the sound of gunfire in Mogadishu. And along the way, it broke records for uplifting passengers and non-stop flights. However, “The Mighty 747” is not a book about runways and rivets alone, it is about the people that made the aircraft mighty and therein lies the real soul of Australia’s “Queen of the Skies”.

The Mighty 747.

Australia’s Queen of the Skies.

By Jim Eames.

Paperback 288 pages.

Publisher. Allen & Unwin.

ISBN: 9781760877118