【明報專訊】Joe Sutter (薩特), the chief engineer behind the iconic Boeing 747 (波音747), or the "jumbo jet (珍寶客機)" in the mid-1960s, passed away on 30 August 2016 at 95 years old. The aircraft model revolutionised commercial air travel after its launch in 1968.

Raymond L Conner (康納), vice-chairman of The Boeing Company and president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said Sutter was "an inspiration" not just to Boeing but "to the entire aerospace industry".

The 747 aircraft model lost its status as the biggest passenger aircraft only in 2007, when the Airbus A380 was launched. Sutter and his team were known as "the Incredibles" for producing the world's largest aeroplane just 29 months after its conception. In his book titled 747, he said that the jet program was "more than just the high point of my career", but was "what I had dreamed of since I was a boy".

(sources: Ming Pao, BBC, The Telegraph, The Seattle Times)

■ Photo Story

Joe Sutter stands in front of a Boeing 747. He was known as the "father of the 747". Commercial service of the Boeing 747 commenced in January 1970.

■ English highway﹕ chief (adj)

Chief means something that is the most important. It can also be a noun which means the person in charge of a group or organisation, or the ruler of a tribe.

e.g.The scenery was our chief reason for coming here.

■ Quiz

Answer the following questions.

(Answers on next text)

1.When did Joe Sutter build the Boeing 747?

a. 1950s

b. 1960s

c. 1970s

2.Is the following sentence true or false?

The 747 aircraft model is still the biggest passenger aircraft in the world.

True / False

3.Find a word in the first paragraph to fill in the blank.

The Eiffel Tower (艾菲爾鐵塔) is an ___________ structure in Paris (巴黎).

4.According to Joe Sutter, apart from marking a high point in his career, what did the creation of 747 mean to him?

_________________________________________________

■ Glossary

revolutionise (v) 使發生革命性劇變

inspiration (n) 啟發

conception (n) 構思

commence (v) 開始