Saipan’s Francisco C. Ada International Airport, although relatively quiet compared to Antonio B. Won Pat on Guam, once saw regular service from one of the largest passenger jets in the world as part of Northwest Airlines’s extensive Asian and Pacific network from their hub at Narita International Airport. On July 21st, 2007, Northwest operated their last transpacific 747-200 passenger service with a flight from Narita to Saipan, closing an important chapter in the airline’s history.
Server: Solo
Airline: Northwest Airlines
Aircraft: Boeing 747-200
Origin: Narita International Airport, Narita, Japan (NRT)
Destination: Saipan International Airport, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands (SPN)
Flight Number: NW76
Route: RJAA-PGSN
Seat: 7K (First Class)
Time En Route: 3 Hours 18 Minutes
Waiting to board on a wet day at Narita. There’s a banner over the jetbridge entrance announcing that this is the last passenger 747-200 flight from the airport, with appropriate fanfare to match.
Pushing back at NRT for the last time. We’re seated in first class, which on a 747 can occasionally see you seated forward of the cockpit. Being on a 747 is fun enough, but being in the nose of one is a special experience.
Holding short of 34R
Being forward of the wings on a 747 Classic means that you get serenaded by the buzzsaw noise of all four JT9D-7Q turbofans on takeoff. Sayonara, Narita, and thanks for all the memories!
Leaving the Japanese coast behind us
Beautiful day over the Western Pacific
Listening to those big Krueger flaps coming down as we turn onto our final approach
Thrust reversers opened all the way as we decelerate after landing
The flight crew was kind enough to open the door to the flight deck and show visitors around, so we took the opportunity to go up there and visit
Parked at the gate one last time. This aircraft will be repositioned without pax to Honolulu and fly one last passenger flight to the States from HNL-LAX, before making a short trip over the mountains to MHV for retirement and eventual conversion to a freighter.