Apparently the Boeing 747 first flew fifty years ago in FEBRUARY, so we both have the same birthday month.

A book came out a couple-three years ago by Joe Sutter, who was one of the chief engineers involved in the project. I read it with great interest as the engineer's view of projects usually covers interesting details you won't find anywhere else.
Among them:
At one point in the project Joe inherited a bunch of engineers from another project that had lost its funding. He put 'em in a room, kept them from complicating his project, they burned up money and accomplished nothing. I'll bet this has been happening since before the pyramids.
At another point as a production cost savings, he was directed to stop engineering the two outer main landing gears from turning when the aircraft turns. As an engineer he knew these needed to turn or the plane wouldn't work so he continued the design undercover.
One main design characteristic was whether or not the plane should be built double-decker. The Boeing studies indicated that more than one level would make de-plaining too lengthy. They 747 had a top 'bulge' with a capacity for an upper deck but it was used more as a cocktail lounge not as a main passenger area. His book came out before the Airbus A380, a double decker first flew, and I saw him interviewed and bringing up this subject. Indeed, the A380 appears to be a technical triumph, but not a sales success.

I have flown in one of the earliest flights of a 747. My family flew to London with Pan American. I remember how excited everyone was, but I also remember that a lot of the electrics weren't working, the passenger illumination lights were blinking on and off. Some years later I was in one of the first long distance 747s, I think the model was 747 SP from LA to Auckland direct, a damn near 12 hour flight. It was also Pan American, and once again the lights was a-blinkin'.

It is probably prejudice on my part, but I've always felt more comfortable in Boeing transports than in other brands, with the exception of DeHavilland, makers of the fantastic Twin Otter.

Alaska Airlines has standardized on the Boeing 737, which is I think as old a design as the 747 but much less heralded. This model has gone through many upgrades and modernizations. In Alaska they used to fly cargo in the front half, passengers in the rear in special models that were made to land on primitive runways in the Alaska bush. They had special ducted air nozzles to blow down in front of the turbine inlets to keep gravel from being sucked into the spinning blades. As of this time, those specialized jets have been retired as facilities have modernized.