Boeing 747-200 Aquila Airlines

When Boeing announced the new 747 project, the aviation community went insane. New orders for the aircraft sprung up out of nowhere, and suddenly, what seemed to be a simple stopgap in the age of supersonic passenger travel turned out to be an incredibly convincing idea. The world went crazy for "wide-body" airliners, as they would become known, as their superior passenger comfort was loved by travelers.

Despite this fact, and the need to reduce the number of aircraft in the sky, Aquila Airlines was quite late to the 747 party. They placed their first order for the aircraft in September 1967, only just making the aircraft's first customer list, being the last airline to order the aircraft before its roll-out and first flight. This was because, initially, Aquila Airlines was quite sceptical about the plane, wondering if they would be able to fill up the enormous aircraft on even their most popular routes. However, after an analysis on their passenger capacity on routes to Europe and Asia proving they could easily fill up a 747, they eventually gave in and ordered 16.

When the first 747-100 touched down at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in October 1972, spectators, enthusiasts and onlookers gawked at the sheer size of the aircraft, as it instantly became the largest aircraft to land at the airport. After a water-cannon salute and official christening, the first passengers boarded the aircraft for the inaugural flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor to Tokyo Haneda via San Francisco, as the 747-100s range was insufficient for a non-stop flight.

Aquila Airlines' 747 fleet was outfitted with some of the highest luxury in the United States, and indeed in the world. Economy class was larger than ever before, with new levels of legroom and armroom. In-flight entertainment was outfitted for the first time, with a television every 9 rows of seats. Business Class was outfitted with some of the most plush seats in the business. First Class was Aquila Airlines' well-known Saturn Lounge, an immersive experience that made passengers feel like they were flying directly in space. Featuring next-level comfort and cuisine, a level of opulence like nothing the world had ever seen, as well as an extraordinary new feature: a digital ceiling. This portrayed an accurate image of what the stars looked like above Phoenix, constantly changing as the star patterns changed in the real sky. While this feature was dazzling and incredibly popular with passengers, it turned out to be insanely expensive, heavy and power-draining, costing the airline an almost unacceptably large amount in maintenance. The feature was removed in the early 1980s.

Aquila Airlines' 747 Classic fleet was named the "Super Spaceliner", a take on the original "Spaceliner" 707 and DC-8 fleet. N128QL is named "Rigel". Aquila Airlines would go on to operate every major variant of the 747, the -100, -200, SP, -300, -400 and the -8I.

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