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747: Creating the World's First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures from a Life in Aviation
747 is the thrilling story behind "the Queen of the Skies" -- the Boeing 747 -- as told by Joe Sutter, one of the most celebrated engineers of the twentieth century, who spearheaded its design and construction. Born in 1921 in Seattle, Sutter grew up on a hilltop overlooking the Boeing plant and flying field. It was a thrilling era of open cockpits, silk scarves, leather helmets, and goggles. After serving in World War II, Sutter joined Boeing, then a small company, eager to build airplanes. In July 1965, he was asked to lead the large Boeing team designing the new 747. Pan Am wanted a new airliner as quickly as possible. This all-new transport had to be far bigger than anything in service or even on anybody's drawing board. To make it fly, Sutter and his team would have to push far beyond the technological boundaries of the late 1960s. Could it be done? Almost everything about the 747 would be unprecedented. Its cabin would be so wide that it would need two aisles. Its horizontal tail would be bigger than the wings of most airliners ever built. Jet engines big enough to lift it off the ground didn't yet exist. Runways at the world's airports couldn't handle it, and neither could Boeing's factories. They had to erect the world's largest building just to produce it. A truly mammoth undertaking, the 747 became one of the most successful airplane models ever. Sutter's vivid narrative takes us back to a time when American technology was cutting-edge -- the 747 came on the market the same year that men first set foot on the moon -- and jet travel was still glamorous and new. With wit and warmth, he gives an insider's sense of the larger-than-life-size personalities -- and the tensions -- in the aeronautical world. Ultimately, 747 is an inspiring story of grit and glory.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
August 22, 2013
What’s The Point?
This book is a wide ranging autobiography written by Joe Sutter, the head of the project that created the 747 aircraft design. It covers his early life, growing up in Seattle, and the rise of aviation. Sutter was interested in planes since he was a young child; his room was covered with dozens of model planes. He came to understand the dynamics of flight by watching every airplane he could. He studied aeronautical engineering in college, before joining the military for WWII. After the war, he joined up with Boeing and never left! His career at Boeing is a engaging tale of focus and ambition to work on something meaningful. Eventually the 747 project came along and his hard work paid off, allowing him to build the most recognizable aircraft ever.
How Was It?
A very good not-to-technical read. Sutter tells much of his life story and keeps a very positive attitude. I learned many interesting ideas around airplane design.
Who Should Read It?
Anyone interested in engineering, managing projects, aircraft, or the history of aviation. It provides a detailed look at the 747 project and much of the poltiics of such a large project, but also how many of the engineering challenges were overcome. Sutter offers many interesting anecdotes on different airplanes, drawn from a wide range of knowledge, that is easy to learn from.
This book is a wide ranging autobiography written by Joe Sutter, the head of the project that created the 747 aircraft design. It covers his early life, growing up in Seattle, and the rise of aviation. Sutter was interested in planes since he was a young child; his room was covered with dozens of model planes. He came to understand the dynamics of flight by watching every airplane he could. He studied aeronautical engineering in college, before joining the military for WWII. After the war, he joined up with Boeing and never left! His career at Boeing is a engaging tale of focus and ambition to work on something meaningful. Eventually the 747 project came along and his hard work paid off, allowing him to build the most recognizable aircraft ever.
How Was It?
A very good not-to-technical read. Sutter tells much of his life story and keeps a very positive attitude. I learned many interesting ideas around airplane design.
Who Should Read It?
Anyone interested in engineering, managing projects, aircraft, or the history of aviation. It provides a detailed look at the 747 project and much of the poltiics of such a large project, but also how many of the engineering challenges were overcome. Sutter offers many interesting anecdotes on different airplanes, drawn from a wide range of knowledge, that is easy to learn from.
February 7, 2017
747: Creating the World's First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures from a Life in Aviation (2007) Joe Sutter and Jay Spenser describes the 747 program and is also partly an autobiography of Sutter.
Sutter was born in 1921 in Seattle and grew up seeing Boeing test planes flying about. He got an aeronautical engineering degree, did a stint in the Navy in WWII and then returned and worked for Boeing. There he worked on the Stratocruiser, a late propellor driven aircraft and then became involved in the 367-80 or dash 80, which was the prototype for the 707 and subsequently the prototype for modern jet liners. Sutter then worked on the 737 and helped come up with the design where the engines are just below the wings to allow the plane to be low.
Sutter then got the job as head of the 747 program. The 747 was, interesting, not the most high profile work then at Boeing. The Supersonic Transport, or SST was the highest profile job and doing work on Apollo program items was the second. The 747 was seen as an interim aircraft that would sell for a short time before SSTs took over. Despite this, an internal Boeing report said that should the price of fuel rise 5% from 1960 levels the SSTs would be uneconomic to operate. The market failure of the Concorde and the Tupolev SST that combined sold less than 40 aircraft compared to over 2000 747 sized aircraft shows just how wrong people's thoughts on the SST were.
The 747 was originally going to be a double decker aircraft but instead the wide body twin isle design was chosen because it enabled the plane to be a better cargo plane and also it made the plane easier to evacuate. It was, however, not what the lead customer, Pan Am, had requested. However they were pleased when shown the 747 and had the issues explained to them.
The high bypass turbofans that enabled the 747 to operate caused considerable problems. These engines were quieter, more fuel efficient and had more thrust than previous turbofans but actually building them with the specifications demanded by the 747 led to difficulties for all the engine manufacturers who would eventually deliver engines for the aircraft.
The book is really interesting for anyone interested in aircraft history. It's well written and contains a lot of fascinating tales and information about the creation of a remarkable aircraft.
Sutter was born in 1921 in Seattle and grew up seeing Boeing test planes flying about. He got an aeronautical engineering degree, did a stint in the Navy in WWII and then returned and worked for Boeing. There he worked on the Stratocruiser, a late propellor driven aircraft and then became involved in the 367-80 or dash 80, which was the prototype for the 707 and subsequently the prototype for modern jet liners. Sutter then worked on the 737 and helped come up with the design where the engines are just below the wings to allow the plane to be low.
Sutter then got the job as head of the 747 program. The 747 was, interesting, not the most high profile work then at Boeing. The Supersonic Transport, or SST was the highest profile job and doing work on Apollo program items was the second. The 747 was seen as an interim aircraft that would sell for a short time before SSTs took over. Despite this, an internal Boeing report said that should the price of fuel rise 5% from 1960 levels the SSTs would be uneconomic to operate. The market failure of the Concorde and the Tupolev SST that combined sold less than 40 aircraft compared to over 2000 747 sized aircraft shows just how wrong people's thoughts on the SST were.
The 747 was originally going to be a double decker aircraft but instead the wide body twin isle design was chosen because it enabled the plane to be a better cargo plane and also it made the plane easier to evacuate. It was, however, not what the lead customer, Pan Am, had requested. However they were pleased when shown the 747 and had the issues explained to them.
The high bypass turbofans that enabled the 747 to operate caused considerable problems. These engines were quieter, more fuel efficient and had more thrust than previous turbofans but actually building them with the specifications demanded by the 747 led to difficulties for all the engine manufacturers who would eventually deliver engines for the aircraft.
The book is really interesting for anyone interested in aircraft history. It's well written and contains a lot of fascinating tales and information about the creation of a remarkable aircraft.
September 10, 2019
Signed copy from Joe. I am intimately involved with the 747 today and proud to be a part of ongoing history with our airline customers.
September 30, 2016
I started this book before Sutter died. I had never heard of him, but I’ve always been drawn to the 747 that he and his team designed. For me, looking at this plane is like looking at Mt. Rainier. It never gets old.
The 747 was second fiddle to the SST and Sutter’s engineers were on the second team. His account of the intense corporate (Boeing, suppliers, customers) infighting, the hot dogging personalities, and the need for Sutter to play through all of this make this a good inside story. Sutter also does some scorekeeping, with more than a few negative observations on variously named individuals.
I can’t imagine the pleasure Sutter and his team must have felt to see this airplane everywhere, for so long. The CEOs, corporate boards and the customers made the economic decision to develop this plane, but Sutter’s group made it fly. The plane is huge of course, but its distinctive feature is its forward hump. The plane was designed as a passenger carrier and as a freighter. The best way to on- and offload freight was straight on, through the nose. To do that, Sutter’s group had to put the cockpit above and, as Sutter writes simply, “For aerodynamic reasons, a fairing was added aft of the flight deck, giving the 747 its famous hump.” Here it is, a work of symmetrical beauty, unintentional art, created by engineers. Of course, it’s more than that for Sutter who writes at the end of the book that he sees the 747 “as a beautiful and inspiring piece of technological sculpture.”
The 747 was second fiddle to the SST and Sutter’s engineers were on the second team. His account of the intense corporate (Boeing, suppliers, customers) infighting, the hot dogging personalities, and the need for Sutter to play through all of this make this a good inside story. Sutter also does some scorekeeping, with more than a few negative observations on variously named individuals.
I can’t imagine the pleasure Sutter and his team must have felt to see this airplane everywhere, for so long. The CEOs, corporate boards and the customers made the economic decision to develop this plane, but Sutter’s group made it fly. The plane is huge of course, but its distinctive feature is its forward hump. The plane was designed as a passenger carrier and as a freighter. The best way to on- and offload freight was straight on, through the nose. To do that, Sutter’s group had to put the cockpit above and, as Sutter writes simply, “For aerodynamic reasons, a fairing was added aft of the flight deck, giving the 747 its famous hump.” Here it is, a work of symmetrical beauty, unintentional art, created by engineers. Of course, it’s more than that for Sutter who writes at the end of the book that he sees the 747 “as a beautiful and inspiring piece of technological sculpture.”
May 31, 2008
As you can see from the cover, this book is discussed how the Boeing 747, or the "Jumbo Jet" was made. Joe Sutter, the author of this book, was an engineer who worked at Boeing and he also contributed to the designing of the 747. He and his team had struggles while making this plane. For example, he had to make the plane as light as possible and he needed a plane with big floor area. Joe Sutter fixes all the problems one by one and in the end, the plane was commercialized.
What I enjoyed the most was reading the autobiography of Joe Sutter when he was young. He lived in Seattle, and he often visited the Boeing factory and watched the place fly into the sky. I admire him when I read the passage on this because that is my dream. i want to live in Seattle and go to the factory. If you are a Boeing fan, you should definitely read it.
What I enjoyed the most was reading the autobiography of Joe Sutter when he was young. He lived in Seattle, and he often visited the Boeing factory and watched the place fly into the sky. I admire him when I read the passage on this because that is my dream. i want to live in Seattle and go to the factory. If you are a Boeing fan, you should definitely read it.
April 1, 2019
I greatly enjoyed learning more about Boeing’s history as well as hearing of many of the challenges and decisions that needed to be made while the 747 was in development. From a purely technical perspective, this book exceeded my expectations. That said, throughout the book, Sutter takes personal digs at many of his (named) former co-workers. Is that really necessary? Come on, it’s been nearly 40 years. This left a bad taste in my mouth about with author.
One additional point: Sutter is effusive through the book about Boeing’s unwavering commitment to safety. I can’t help but think about how far they’ve fallen from that ideal given the safety record (and subsequent grounding) of the 737MAX fleet a few weeks ago.
One additional point: Sutter is effusive through the book about Boeing’s unwavering commitment to safety. I can’t help but think about how far they’ve fallen from that ideal given the safety record (and subsequent grounding) of the 737MAX fleet a few weeks ago.
January 26, 2011
747 clearly describes the challenges and triumph being a leading aerodynamic designer in the 747 engineering team at Boeing. Joe Sutter's autobiography and biography on the 747 and aviation from the 30s to today. As a child, Joe Sutter lived near the old Boeing factory in the thirties and saw Clippers, B-17s, Stratoliners, Model 299, and served in the Navy during WWII. He later went to McDonoald Douglas and back to Boeing to work on Stratocruisers and the 707, the "granddaddy" of all modern jetliner. He then worked on the 727, 737, and the 747.
"As magnificent and soaring as the big bird itself."
"As magnificent and soaring as the big bird itself."
November 3, 2011
This is an interesting look at the creation of the 747 written by the director of engineering on the project. It combines both discussion of the process and aviation at the time with some of the corporate politics.
It is funny to hear about PanAm as the big player who called the shots. Also, tucked at the end is a chapter on how Sutter served on the presidential commission investigating the Challenger disaster, which is interesting.
The writing is a bit stilted, but it actually rings as if an 80 year old engineer wrote it, so I thought it was fairly easy to get past as it was at least an authentic voice.
It is funny to hear about PanAm as the big player who called the shots. Also, tucked at the end is a chapter on how Sutter served on the presidential commission investigating the Challenger disaster, which is interesting.
The writing is a bit stilted, but it actually rings as if an 80 year old engineer wrote it, so I thought it was fairly easy to get past as it was at least an authentic voice.
April 4, 2020
Extremely interesting in as far as getting to know some of the inner workings behind the development of such an iconic piece of engineering. Most non-aviation people couldn’t identify what type of plane they’re flying on, confusing a 737 with an A320 with a 727. But they certainly will always know a 747. Especially poignant to read with the recent events and the groundings of huge swaths of airlines’ fleets of planes, knowing that British Airways and KLM et. al. are finally ending the tenure of “The queen of the skies” in passenger service.
At the beginning Sutter references trying to get his memory of events right and that some may disagree with how things happened. I would love to read the recollections of some of these other characters in the 747 story. Sutter certainly holds a high opinion of himself that, while probably justified, becomes wearying to read about over the course of a whole book. Everything is his idea and if not, his idea in conjunction with another person and not sure who actually came up with the idea first. All of this coupled with the gratuitous axe-grinding had me gritting my teeth by the last chapters.
HOWEVER! Maybe Boeing needs someone like Joe Sutter today. Someone that obviously takes engineering excellence as the highest priority always. Someone that doesn’t give a rat’s ass how tough decisions may affect the share price short term but will have long lasting benefits over 40 years of production. The 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas seems to still have repercussions being felt in 2020. The whole culture at Boeing seems to have changed from the engineering-led days of the 1950’s - 1980’s. No longer is it “swing for the fences” but cautious “just enough to get by” conservatism mixed with outright dangerous decisions that boggle the mind.
So in the end a book that when written was about the triumph of a man, a plane and even a company. But today is more depressing, like reading about Pan Am or General Motors. Such icons of American ingenuity that lost their way. Hopefully Boeing corrects course before going out of existence like Pan Am or becoming a shell of its former self like GM.
At the beginning Sutter references trying to get his memory of events right and that some may disagree with how things happened. I would love to read the recollections of some of these other characters in the 747 story. Sutter certainly holds a high opinion of himself that, while probably justified, becomes wearying to read about over the course of a whole book. Everything is his idea and if not, his idea in conjunction with another person and not sure who actually came up with the idea first. All of this coupled with the gratuitous axe-grinding had me gritting my teeth by the last chapters.
HOWEVER! Maybe Boeing needs someone like Joe Sutter today. Someone that obviously takes engineering excellence as the highest priority always. Someone that doesn’t give a rat’s ass how tough decisions may affect the share price short term but will have long lasting benefits over 40 years of production. The 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas seems to still have repercussions being felt in 2020. The whole culture at Boeing seems to have changed from the engineering-led days of the 1950’s - 1980’s. No longer is it “swing for the fences” but cautious “just enough to get by” conservatism mixed with outright dangerous decisions that boggle the mind.
So in the end a book that when written was about the triumph of a man, a plane and even a company. But today is more depressing, like reading about Pan Am or General Motors. Such icons of American ingenuity that lost their way. Hopefully Boeing corrects course before going out of existence like Pan Am or becoming a shell of its former self like GM.
November 3, 2019
A must read for any aviation enthusiast or Boeing fan. An insiders perspective on the engineering marvel that changed the landscape of air travel.
While partly an autobiography of Joe Sutter, who led the engineering team “The Incredibles”, there is a significant amount of discussion on the challenges faced when designing this beautiful aircraft.
The simple things we as passengers take for granted are highlighted as big wins as the designers determined everything from wing design to how to incorporate an entirely new engine design.
I will never look at this aircraft the same again and will further marvel at RA001 which still resides at the Boeing museum downtown Seattle.
While partly an autobiography of Joe Sutter, who led the engineering team “The Incredibles”, there is a significant amount of discussion on the challenges faced when designing this beautiful aircraft.
The simple things we as passengers take for granted are highlighted as big wins as the designers determined everything from wing design to how to incorporate an entirely new engine design.
I will never look at this aircraft the same again and will further marvel at RA001 which still resides at the Boeing museum downtown Seattle.
October 24, 2020
Excellent read and recommend the book to anyone who has flown on this Queen of the Skies. The 747 is probably the most successful aircraft ever Built by Boeing. This aircraft is one of my all time favorite planes from the perspective of flying as a passenger and also from the perspective of working on Avionics aboard the 747 while working for Collins as a SW Quality Engineer.
April 17, 2015
Joe Sutter, a lifelong Seattleite born in 1921, a son of a Slovenian immigrant butcher who Americanized his family name, was fascinated by aviation since childhood. After graduating from the University of Washington and serving in the US Navy during World War II, Sutter joined Boeing and worked up through the ranks, and in 1965 came to head the development of the Boeing 747 wide-body airliner. The 747 is Boeing's flagship product, and one of the best-known commercial airplanes in the world, but it was not meant to be such originally: when it was being designed, the consensus was that the future of commercial passenger aviation was supersonic. The supersonic transport Boeing 2707, which was supposed to be much bigger and faster than the Anglo-French Concorde and the Soviet Tu-144, was what the company's best engineers were working on, and by the end of 1969 26 airlines had made orders for 122 Boeing SSTs. However, there is no reason for cargo transport to be supersonic, so a very large subsonic jet could haul cargo; it could also carry passengers for a few years until the SSTs come out. The estimate was that no more than 400 would be sold; in fact, as of this writing 1,503 747s have been delivered and 37 orders remain unfilled. Boeing's customers clamored for an aircraft with a large number of passenger seats; a double-decker like the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser seemed a logical configuration at first, but how would you evacuate the passengers from the upper deck quickly, and how would you load cargo? So it had to be a single-decker, but a very wide one. A very large cargo aircraft has to have a hinged nose opening up for outsized cargo that cannot fit through a cargo door (why can't it open sideways, like the Aero Spacelines Super Guppy?), so the flight deck had to be above the main deck. For aerodynamic reasons, space needs to be added to the fuselage behind the flight deck - thus the 747's famous hump. Most of the book is the nitty-gritty of designing an enormous airliner: the landing gear (the airliner has to land even if it crashes into a concrete seawall and is torn off), the wings (if problems are discovered at the last minute, how to avoid redesigning them completely), the lighting system (some of it had to be torn off at the last moment to save weight until more powerful engines were produced, at which moment it could be put back in), quadruply redundant hydraulics, and so on. "I saw Boeing's new jet as 75,000 drawings, 4.5 million parts, 136 miles of electrical wiring, 5 landing gear legs, 4 hydraulic systems, and 10 million labor hours." Someone who is a software engineer and not an aerospace engineer could still appreciate the grandeur.
In 1971 the SST was canceled; Boeing saw massive layoffs and neared bankruptcy; a billboard in Sea-Tac said, "Will the last person leaving Seattle - Turn out the lights." The 747 brought the company and its airline customers back to profitability and expansion. The bizarrest episode of Sutter's career came in the early 1970s, when a member of a Soviet delegation tried to bribe him into selling the technical documentation for the 747; Sutter said, "No." Sutter also served on the commission investigating the Challenger disaster, and recommended that NASA's safety culture be more like Boeing's. Even after retiring at age 65 Sutter continued to consult Boeing about the 747-400 and the 747-8, airliners that launched roughly 20 an 40 years after the original 747, but are only tens of percent more efficient, which shows that Sutter and his engineers were already pushing against the limits imposed by the laws of nature. What a career! Charles Lindbergh makes two cameo appearances in this book, as he was friends with Juan Trippe, the founder of Pan American Airways, which was the first customer of the 747; Lindbergh saw the prototype 747 and said, "This is one of the great ones."
In 1971 the SST was canceled; Boeing saw massive layoffs and neared bankruptcy; a billboard in Sea-Tac said, "Will the last person leaving Seattle - Turn out the lights." The 747 brought the company and its airline customers back to profitability and expansion. The bizarrest episode of Sutter's career came in the early 1970s, when a member of a Soviet delegation tried to bribe him into selling the technical documentation for the 747; Sutter said, "No." Sutter also served on the commission investigating the Challenger disaster, and recommended that NASA's safety culture be more like Boeing's. Even after retiring at age 65 Sutter continued to consult Boeing about the 747-400 and the 747-8, airliners that launched roughly 20 an 40 years after the original 747, but are only tens of percent more efficient, which shows that Sutter and his engineers were already pushing against the limits imposed by the laws of nature. What a career! Charles Lindbergh makes two cameo appearances in this book, as he was friends with Juan Trippe, the founder of Pan American Airways, which was the first customer of the 747; Lindbergh saw the prototype 747 and said, "This is one of the great ones."
November 8, 2017
An excellent book written by the lead design engineer on the 747, Joe Sutter. At this writing (November, 2017) Sutter has been retired from Boeing for 30 years and is 95 years old.
Sutter wrote the book after retiring and it is a great perspective on aerospace history as well as the issues in complex design projects with large teams of talented people. I'd highly recommend the book for those planning to visit Boeing's Everett factory, as it has pictures showing the facility in its early days. Today, the Boeing complex is about four times larger than when the factory was completed in 1968 with substantial additions for engineers, wing assembly, delivery centers and a doubling of the number of production lines.
Sutter's book is not the first about the design of the 747. In fact he cites Clive Irving's "Wide Body: the Triumph of the 747" in his book, written much later. Some of the political maneuvering uncovered by Irving were a surprise even to Sutter, the lead engineer on the plane.
Sutter wrote the book after retiring and it is a great perspective on aerospace history as well as the issues in complex design projects with large teams of talented people. I'd highly recommend the book for those planning to visit Boeing's Everett factory, as it has pictures showing the facility in its early days. Today, the Boeing complex is about four times larger than when the factory was completed in 1968 with substantial additions for engineers, wing assembly, delivery centers and a doubling of the number of production lines.
Sutter's book is not the first about the design of the 747. In fact he cites Clive Irving's "Wide Body: the Triumph of the 747" in his book, written much later. Some of the political maneuvering uncovered by Irving were a surprise even to Sutter, the lead engineer on the plane.
March 22, 2011
Informative look at the building of the world's first wide-body airplane, from one of the leaders within Boeing who helped build it. Gives basic insight on earlier Boeing jets, as well as how Joe Sutter worked his way up through the company. The latter 2/3 of the book focuses on the 747, from the design phase with customer meetings with prominent aviation icons like Juan Trippe and Charles Lindburgh, through the engineering stage, to the flight test stage.
This is an easy and enlightening read for anyone interested in aviation.
This is an easy and enlightening read for anyone interested in aviation.
February 9, 2015
I would recommend all aviation and airline enthusiasts go grab this book now. It contains many anecdotes about 747's inception and the engineering challenges met on the way -- your perspective will be different next time you board this undisputed hegemon of intercontinental air travel. I found most of what I was looking for in this great account on the 747 from one of its fathers, with one exception. I would've welcomed to learn more about A380, how it compares to the 747 and the story of competition with Airbus in general (since, being european, it's more or less "my team" :-).
December 24, 2021
What an ego! He was the best chief engineer and manager ever to come along and anybody who was on his team was the best person for the job. Any problems were the result of people outside of his group. Other areas of Boeing were problems. Everything about the 747 development was a dream come true. The 747 was the best airplane ever created or to ever fly.
That is kind of the story. He also mentions how Boeing is a safety-first company and would never compromise passenger or crew safety in the design of an airplane. Quite unlike NASA and the Space Shuttle disasters that killed several astronauts. Wonder how the 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner problems occurred? Must have been people who never had any association with the author.
It was nice to read about the development of this big plane. But the rosy world the author lived in and the perfect environment he created and takes constant credit for was difficult to take.
Take the ego down a few notches. Good products come out of good companies because of mistakes and problems overcome. Nothing and nobody is perfect from Day 1 on.
That is kind of the story. He also mentions how Boeing is a safety-first company and would never compromise passenger or crew safety in the design of an airplane. Quite unlike NASA and the Space Shuttle disasters that killed several astronauts. Wonder how the 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner problems occurred? Must have been people who never had any association with the author.
It was nice to read about the development of this big plane. But the rosy world the author lived in and the perfect environment he created and takes constant credit for was difficult to take.
Take the ego down a few notches. Good products come out of good companies because of mistakes and problems overcome. Nothing and nobody is perfect from Day 1 on.
November 6, 2019
It’s a great book for both casual and serious aviation enthusiasts. With basic interest and intelligence regarding airplanes, this is an easy read for almost any reader.
It acts as a partial autobiography for Joe Sutter, the head of engineering for the Boeing 747 program in the 1960s. Sutter paints a nice picture of a man who had a dream early in life and progressed efficiently in his life to realize it. His story also gives a nice, but brief, overview of the surprisingly accelerated evolution of controlled flight.
Sutter does not mind tooting his own horn (and Boeing’s) at the expense of absent individuals and outside companies. This trait intensifies as Sutter and his team move deeper into the 747 development and face setbacks to which blame is assigned. This occasionally pompous attitude was a bit of an annoyance for me and inevitably will be for certain other readers as well.
Regardless, it is a great book to read if you want to understand the true challenges and basic process to designing a new (and in this case, revolutionary) aircraft.
It acts as a partial autobiography for Joe Sutter, the head of engineering for the Boeing 747 program in the 1960s. Sutter paints a nice picture of a man who had a dream early in life and progressed efficiently in his life to realize it. His story also gives a nice, but brief, overview of the surprisingly accelerated evolution of controlled flight.
Sutter does not mind tooting his own horn (and Boeing’s) at the expense of absent individuals and outside companies. This trait intensifies as Sutter and his team move deeper into the 747 development and face setbacks to which blame is assigned. This occasionally pompous attitude was a bit of an annoyance for me and inevitably will be for certain other readers as well.
Regardless, it is a great book to read if you want to understand the true challenges and basic process to designing a new (and in this case, revolutionary) aircraft.
January 23, 2021
The beginning was a bit boring, but when it came to the problems in the development of the 747, it was a great read. I got the impression that Boeing at that time was struggling more with itself and its gigantomania (NASA projects, supersonic passenger SST, military stuff), having no equal competitors in the market. Neither did Pan Am among air carriers. As a result, the 747 development project with 4000 employees and 10 million man-hours spent was at first a minor one.
What was separately surprising was the case when the author was involved in the investigation of the 1986 Challenger crash at the end of his career. And he, being already a vice-president of Boeing at the time, sad that the government paid him only economy class on flights between cities in the U.S. on commission business! And he had to fly often, at night, and he didn't even get enough sleep! So much so that he even gave this grievance a special place in his book.
What was separately surprising was the case when the author was involved in the investigation of the 1986 Challenger crash at the end of his career. And he, being already a vice-president of Boeing at the time, sad that the government paid him only economy class on flights between cities in the U.S. on commission business! And he had to fly often, at night, and he didn't even get enough sleep! So much so that he even gave this grievance a special place in his book.
October 22, 2023
A good book, a memoir by Boeing’s Chief Designer of the 747 aircraft. The author, Joe Sutter, delivers a comprehensive life story, concentrating on his time leading the development of the 747. The best part about this book is the adroit meshing of technical aviation knowledge, aircraft industry economics, and managerial best practices. Sutter presents the story of the 747 as a series of unique challenges solved within the highly complex system of industrial design, commercial objectives, and safety considerations. He does a good job explaining how decisions to increase the angle of a wing or design specific types of landing gear had wide reaching economic and manufacturing implications. Though the book contains minimal self-criticism, there are plenty of lessons and concepts useful to anyone managing a complex project. A great book for understanding the aircraft manufacturing industry. Highly recommended for any manager of a complex project.
August 4, 2017
This book was a great journey through the wide ride of designing, building, and understanding how the 747 came about, the culture of Boeing, and how Joe Sutter dealt with such an extremely difficult project. As a project manager, I felt the pain of the project and learned a lot by the method he used to handle missing deadlines, supporting his team, and most of all how he faced changes to design, poor product from vendors, and inventing new technology all at the same time. Growing up with a father who flew and taught flying, I was introduced to planes at a very young age. Joe Sutter has the same approach to describing the technical so most people can understand without being an engineer. Look forward to reading the book "WideBody" that was mentioned in the book as another good account of the history of the 747.
May 15, 2021
I'm a sucker for books on airplanes. I enjoyed seeing the behind-the-scenes engineering decisions that make or break such an ambitious project. I think the author did a pretty good job of explaining aerodynamic concepts, but it may be a bit too technical at times for non-engineers. This was also a good reminder that engineering is only one piece of the puzzle. Company politics, bottom line, and customer relations (stuff engineers often couldn't care less about), still play critical roles in successful aircraft ventures.
I remember touring a Boeing plant when I was probably 12 years old or so and thinking it was so cool. I'm disappointed I can't even remember the name of the airplane they were building at that time. It will be interesting to how the industry tackles new aircraft opportunities going forward.
I remember touring a Boeing plant when I was probably 12 years old or so and thinking it was so cool. I'm disappointed I can't even remember the name of the airplane they were building at that time. It will be interesting to how the industry tackles new aircraft opportunities going forward.
July 17, 2020
I am 500 miles short of flying 200,000 miles on 747s, and with fleets being retired due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the chances of getting those last 500 miles are now slim. The 747 was a smooth ride, spacious, and an absolute marvel of engineering. The book walks you through Boeing's thought process for several aircraft developments, but obviously spent the most time describing the 747. There were some sections where I felt the detail didn't add to the story, and others where I thought more detail would have been nice. I guess that all depends on what part of aviation you are interested in. #avgeek
March 1, 2024
A must read for aviation aficionados ❤️
747: Creating the World's First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures from a Life in Action is a captivating memoir that takes readers on a thrilling journey through the life of a pioneering aviation engineer. With vivid storytelling and fascinating insights, the author shares their experiences in the aerospace industry, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of creating the iconic Boeing 747. This book offers a unique blend of technical details and personal anecdotes, making it a must-read for aviation enthusiasts and anyone interested in the incredible story behind one of the most iconic aircraft in history.
747: Creating the World's First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures from a Life in Action is a captivating memoir that takes readers on a thrilling journey through the life of a pioneering aviation engineer. With vivid storytelling and fascinating insights, the author shares their experiences in the aerospace industry, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of creating the iconic Boeing 747. This book offers a unique blend of technical details and personal anecdotes, making it a must-read for aviation enthusiasts and anyone interested in the incredible story behind one of the most iconic aircraft in history.
March 5, 2018
"This is one of the great ones", Charles Lindbergh said about the 747. This book is one of the great ones as well. You can tell that it was written by the 747's chief engineer himself; the writing is concise and technical. It is refreshing to read a memoir of an "important person" that doesn't focus on politics.
But the 747's development is also a source of many a fascinating story, both large in scale and small, sometimes political, sometimes personal. And perhaps surprisingly, Sutter proves to be a storyteller to match his stories as well.
But the 747's development is also a source of many a fascinating story, both large in scale and small, sometimes political, sometimes personal. And perhaps surprisingly, Sutter proves to be a storyteller to match his stories as well.
January 18, 2019
Apart from being a must-read for aviation fans, 747 is a fascinating book that covers not only the engineering development of Boeing's most recognizable aircraft, but also the corporate labyrinth Joe Sutter had to go through before his design could see the light. With the imminent arrival of supersonic travel and a rampant competition between Boeing and Concorde, the 747 was first thought as a temporary passenger aircraft that would soon be superseded by the Boeing 2707 SST and subsequently downgraded to a cargo aircraft (hence its characteristic "hump" at the front).
September 18, 2018
It was great to hear all of the tales of the 747 from the director of engineering. I enjoyed the balance of the more technical design components (explained well for non-aero people) with the people aspects of the design process (interacting with customers, other design teams). The narrative jumped around a lot which made it challenging at times to know where you were chronologically. Overall though, it was an interesting read.
August 27, 2024
A biography of one of my favorite airplanes wrapped up in the biography of an old school engineer who guided the plane's creation. The 747 is a classic ranking with the DC-3, and Sutter tells a pretty good story of the origins of the plane. Also interesting are the hints of internal politicking at Boeing. I had imagined a much more rational organization, but as with many other large organizations, that's apparently not the case. Worth a read.
May 5, 2017
Being an aerospace engineer, I found this book interesting and applicable in my current job. The content was quite good. But I found the writing to be quite bad. It's obvious an aerospace engineer wrote this - not a writer. And it's also biased. Even though Mr. Sutter can back it up, he still boasts a lot. Overall it was an enjoyable read though.
October 20, 2023
Wow!! So much better than I suspected!! I had started this book about a year ago and made it about four chapters in, but it wasn’t holding my attention. I decided to go back and give it another try this week and I’m very glad I did. It was amazing. If you like, aviation and mechanics, or engineering mixed with lots of good history, you will love it.
October 3, 2017
What a fascinating book! I have always been intrigued by airplanes and having visited the Boeing factory recently, I was in awe of these huge machines that allow us to travel the globe. I wish I had read the book before visiting the factory.
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