My first "solo" flight was when I was 12 years old, on a BOAC 747, in June 1972: BOS-LHR, to visit English relations. It was BA562 if memory serves. We were to have a 900p departure from Logan's small international terminal between what is now Terminals C and E (E wasn't built yet). But we were held four hours to accommodate passengers from a Pan Am LHR-bound 707 that went mech. The film was "Big Jake" with John Wayne and I joined the BOAC Junior Jet Club. I recall that there were only two seats in Y against the starboard cabin wall; it was BOAC's first year of 747 operation and it must have been before they maxed out the plane's capacity.

Before landing I was moved to a port-side window seat in F where I could look aft and see the engine turbines turning as we floated into Heathrow, and a beautiful BOAC lady took me through customs.

On my homeward flight in August, BOS was suffering thunderstorms, which must have been pretty bad because we overflew it and proceeded to DTW (DTW was an ex-BOS tag for BOAC in those days). While the plane was turned BOAC fed all the Boston passengers a full sit-down lunch in a conference room at the airport, then ferried us to BOS on the London-bound return leg. The loads were so light that this was no problem. We got to Logan about seven hours late. Mom was panicked over my whereabouts but I had had a great time.

As we deplaned I left my wallet in the seatback. It flew to London a second time, where BOAC traced me through my library card and mailed it to me in Massachusetts.

I still think the 747-100 in BOAC livery is the most beautiful airplane.