Ever since I was a small child, my eyes and imagination were filled with one airplane: the Boeing 747. I believe it all started when I saw Airport 1975 on the big screen. That movie forever made a permanent impression on me and was responsible for my daydreaming, doodling, and not doing very well in school.
A real American Airlines 747-100 was used for the movie. Many of the flying scenes were real as well. After watching the movie, I knew I wanted to be an airline pilot when I grew up. That was the era of actually being able to go to any airport and see big, loud, powerful airliners up close and personal. My dad would often take me to Ontario, California (KONT), east of the San Fernando Valley where I grew up, to gawk, listen, and even climb onto jetliners in between flights.
