Big bird

Abdul3basid:

The airplane.. what purpose does it serve.

The same as your donkey, it is a mode of transport to get you and your stuff from A - B. And, take your religious clap trap elsewhere.

@YuriOtani: Many of the ex-JAL 747's have gone on to Kalitta Air.

"Darn it - I should have used the wide-angle lens... can you go around?"

JAL got rid of all it's "big birds". The 747-400s. Those were a brute compared to the 777s they have now. Fully loaded an old 747 will make you a lot of money. On the other side of the coin nothing loses you money quicker than an underloaded 747.

So big!! I want to get in this airplane.

Wow, that looks like such a cool place to get close ups of jets... I wonder if these guys are wearing earplugs?

The new 747-8, built to compete with the A380 is 16% more fuel efficient than the old 747.

Cool. Reminds me of the opening of "Hawaii Five-O".

I love landing at Kansai airport. I would love to meet some of you Flight Simmers if you're out there.

Boeing 737NGs are still the best. The 787s will phase it out once they start actually rolling out. Boeing is still behind on it's orders it has left to fill. Something over 1300 if I remember correctly.

This picture reminds me of all the pictures taken at St. Juliana which is a wicked approach, expecially if you are asked to circle to land on the same runway. Those pilots have skills.

I'm sure Japanese pilots are very good. With all the airspace and noise restrictions Japan has the pilots have very little room for error when it comes to the their approach.

American commercial airline pilots are the best though. Military experience plus most of them lifers as pilots. When something goes wrong, I would definitely want an American holding the yoke.

I feel safe knowing most of the aircraft above Japan are American made.

When something goes wrong, I would definitely want an American holding the yoke.

I don't know....All Korean Air's pilots are ex-military, too. I've been flying over twenty years with them and never had a rough landing.

The guy looks like he is holding a bazooka

jet dwarfs photographers REALLY! The person that wrote that must not have spent much time around aircraft. .. Hey.. You! Yeah you, writer guy.. Jets are usually (always have been) like.. really REALLY big.

Glide slope alive. Hope those guys don't interfere with the ILS.

According to data.flight24.com this plane (JA773J) flies in and out of Itami in Osaka, not Osaka International... just in case you were heading off to find the photographer's vantage point.

We called them "freedom birds" back in Nam. How life has changed-- now they get a Sesame Street name.

Net Ninja:

The 787 and the 737NG are for different enviroments. One is a wide body jet, and one is a narrow body.

And, what is your basis for American commercial pilots are the best?

You will find in most countries, a lot of airline pilots began their careers in the military.

Finally, American assembled might be a better description in the modern age.

@Net Ninja - just for your reference - more than 70% of the B787 is outsourced - the wings and wing boxes for the 787 are made in Japan, by Fuji Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi and Kawasaki, rudder and leading edges in China, flaps in Australia, wing tips and tail cone in South Korea, mid fuselage in Italy, cargo doors in Sweden, landing gear in the UK, fairings in Canada - not exactly made in the USA!

YuriOtani

You prefer UAL to ANA?! I guess being female you don't mind the surly soccer-mom flight attendants. The only time I don't fly ANA transpacific is when the government is buying my ticket to fly an American carrier and I have no choice.

@paulinusa Very few airlines have bought the 747-8. Economics must not be as good as they look on paper since the A380 is selling far better. Then again the 787 is selling better than anything else even with the delays. Smaller plane, premium amenities and easier to fill the seats.

Back on topic please.

yes, big bird that striked JAL down to bankruptcy.

Oh UAL, Delta, ANA still fly the "big birds". They seem to be doing just fine with them. Flying up to Haneda today in ANA. The A 380s are even larger but do have a weight problem.

JAL? Look out for falling parts...

cactusJack, in clear weather? I am sure he is doing a visual approach to the airport. The weather looks Ideal for flying. ILS is Instrument Landing System

Did not notice the JAL 747,s have been grounded. Probably headed to become beer cans. They can not be very new. Am headed to America soon on UAL, think it is a 747. I like the service better on UAL over ANA. They had no Scotch on the last international flight. Very strange indeed for "premium economy". Anyway the 777 is not really very large at all. Though ANA has added an extra seat in each isle.

wanderlustJul. 13, 2011 - 10:43PM JST

@Net Ninja - just for your reference - more than 70% of the B787 is outsourced - the wings and wing boxes for the 787 are made in Japan, by Fuji Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi and Kawasaki, rudder and leading edges in China, flaps in Australia, wing tips and tail cone in South Korea, mid fuselage in Italy, cargo doors in Sweden, landing gear in the UK, fairings in Canada - not exactly made in the USA!

I knew this point. Thanks for bringing it up. I hate this word "outsourced". To me it means a hard working American was fired and unions were ignored by outsourcing their work to the cheapest bidder. If pieces of the planes start falling off like old Fiats you better pray. ANA is the launch customer for the 787.

The airplane.. what purpose does it serve.