“I’m a retired Qantas Engineer; trained by Qantas with 42 years service. I remember the 747 very well from the early model 238 (38 meaning Qantas’s Boeing customer number) then the 338 and the SP and of course the 438’s and the 438ER’s the last version to leave Qantas. I can remember when they Qantas sort to purchase the 747 with the company having an artist paint an impression of the size of the aircraft on the tarmac just outside the old Cargo Terminal. Everyone was overwhelmed by the size of the aircraft that was coming to Qantas with people speculating that the tarmac wouldn’t be strong enough and that Qantas would have to purchase enormous tugs to be able to move this large aircraft around. Well, that didn’t come to be as we all know but as an Engineer Engines, I dealt with all the Engine makes and Models that came with each. On the 238’s there was the Pratt & Whitney JT9’s, then the 338’s and SP’s with their Rolls Royce RB211-D4’s ; the 438’s with their Rolls Royce RB211- 524G-T’s and last but not least the 438ER’s with their General Electric CF6’s. I worked on every engine type and all of these Engines had their own personalities. I enjoyed being an Aircraft Engineer Engines and would not trade my 42 years for anything. Finally, Good-Bye to the Queen of the sky’s and will never be forgotten.”

Greg Stevenson
Ground Engineer