Originally Posted by
jlemon
Back around late 1970 (I think), Pan Am brought a new B747-100 to Houston Intercontinental Airport as part of what I believe was a PR effort to promote the aircraft. It was parked at a gate adjacent to a Pan Am 707 which really illustrated how much larger the 747 was. I wanted to see the 747, of course, but I did not yet have my own car. No problem. I asked my Mom to drop me off at the Clear Lake City STOLport (CLC) near the NASA Space Center where we lived, hopped on board a Houston Metro Twin Otter and flew up to IAH to see the 747 which was the first I'd ever seen up close and personal. I was 17 years old at the time.
the father of one of my high school classmates had a Cessna 210 that he kept at Hyde Field, about three miles west of Andrews AFB ... one Saturday afternoon Steve called me and asked if I wanted to fly over to Dulles with him and his father, just to check out the 747s
at the time, as mentioned earlier, the jets parked out where the midfield concourses are now situated; much of the area between the terminal and the ramp was still grass, and was used for general aviation parking ... needless to say, the size contrast between the jumbos and the 707s/DC8s was remarkable, but the Cessnas and Pipers in the foreground REALLY looked like toys
