Northwest Aerospace News April | May 2019 Issue No. 8 | Page 18

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WATCH U.S. FLY 747 Celebrates 50 Years By Michael Lombardi, Senior Corporate Historian
747 Celebrates 50 Years
E
Michael Lombardi
Watch U.S. Fly
www.watchusfly.com
Senior Corporate Historian
The Boeing Company
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very day millions of people fly — it is an accepted way of life — but that has not
always been the case. In the early days of commercial aviation, flying was limited to busi-
ness travelers and those with means to purchase the very expensive tickets. Destinations
were also limited, requiring a number of connections to fly between major cities.
In 1969, that all changed when an incredible invention was revealed to the world. On Feb.
9, 1969, the Boeing 747, called the “Super Jet,” and dubbed the “Jumbo Jet” by the press,
took to the skies for the first time. To those who have loved the plane through the years, she
is the “Queen of the Skies.”
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