ents of the prejumbo era. On the other hand, the 747's long double aisles offered ample opportunity for passengers to stroll and stretch their legs, and first-class travelers could avail themselves of an upper deck lounge that boasted, among other amenities, a small piano (Bilstein, 1984, p. 262).
The 747 was indeed enormous and bulky as far as some logistics were concerned during in-flight service. However, the huge plane, for all its size, "held its own with contemporary airliners in speed, capable of cruising at 590 mph" (Bilstein, 1984, p. 262). The 747 also was the first airliner to truly bring in the jumbo-jetliner era. Its size and shape gave credence to the descriptive terms "jumbo jet" and "widebody" jet. The 707, which preceded the 747, was dwarfed when sitting next to the 747. The Boeing 747, after all, was the largest aircraft ever designed for commercial use:
With a maximum gross weight of 710,000 l
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