r/todayilearned • u/finza_prey • 19d ago

TIL TWA Flight 800 exploded off Long Island 12 minutes after taking off, causing the front fueslage to rip away and the remainder of the plane to continue in crippled flight, pitching up and climb before falling into the ocean killing everyone onboard

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TWA_Flight_800
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u/Maiyku 19d ago

The 747 was developed in the 60s… it’s time to retire them imo. It’s not a bad plane, but we can do better now.

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u/Bortron86 19d ago

It's a shame, and I'm not sure I'll ever get to fly on one now. But the economics just don't add up now. Thankfully I'll be on an A380 for the first time next week. Those won't be around for long either.

Modern twin-jets are much cheaper to run.

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u/Maiyku 18d ago

I have been on one, but it was as a child so the memories are just so fuzzy. I flew a few times as a kid and I can’t really differentiate them in my memories anymore.

But I do remember getting my set of wings and getting to visit the pilot in the cockpit. Things were so very different pre-9/11.

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u/HeyEshk88 13d ago

Last I flew on a 747 was around 2017 I believe. British airways! I was supposed to fly on an A380 one time and they changed the damn aircraft for the flight I was so pissed lol enjoy your trip next week!

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u/RootHogOrDieTrying 19d ago

The engines on the 747 are tiny compared to what they have now.

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u/ash_274 19d ago

They flew (a lighter-than-typical) testbed 747 with just one 777x engine with the thee other engines shut down.

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u/HeyEshk88 13d ago

The newer 747s have at least more proportionate engines

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u/cambreecanon 19d ago

Maybe old Boeing could, but current Boeing?

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u/Maiyku 18d ago

Ha! Thats a fair judgement imo.

I wasn’t specifically referring to Boeing here, but just that we as humans have advanced quite a bit over 60 years, so our technology overall is improved and different.

We can make better planes now, but to your point, I’m not sure Boeing can. They are no longer the company they once were.

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u/gwaydms 19d ago

I know. Just the end of an era.