World Record Inaugural Flights Thomas M. Lee Pictorial History - 2016

Thomas Lee holds the world’s record of being the only person to have flown on the inaugural (first) commercial flights of the B747, A380 , B787, A350 and CSeries.

The inaugural (first commercial flight) of the 747 was from New York to London on Pan Am. One

engine overheated and the aircraft was brought back to the gate. Everyone disembarked. We were taken to an Italian restaurant to allow the second aircraft

(just delivered the day before to Pan Am) to be pulled out of the hangar and prepped. We ended up

flying about six hours later and 20 pax refused to board the aircraft. Seven years later this same

airplane was hit by the KLM 747 in Tenerife, the worst aviation disaster in history.

The media was recording everything as passengers disembarked the world’s first 747 after an aborted

take-off. Inside the red circle are my parents.

While flying the first A380 flight, Singapore Airlines CEO Mr. Chew Choon Seng presented this specially framed honor that includes the original Pan Am B747 First Flight certificate from 1970. He also personally signed the Certificate for this A380 First Flight.

Capitan Robert Ting was very popular on the inaugural A380 flight and was kind enough to sign the official A380 First Flight certificate commemorating the opportunity to be the only person in the world to make double-decker inaugural aviation history twice.

Onboard the flight were 75+ members of the Media. This photo was taken after being

interviewed by Richard Quest for CNN International..

Singapore Airlines inflight magazine

“SILVERKRIS” article for A380 Inaugural

flight

All Nippon Airways CEO, Mr. Shinichiro Ito poses with

Thomas Lee while flying on the inaugural flight

of the B787.

Mr. Jeff Smisek, CEO of United Airlines with Thomas Lee and his wife Sally aboard the first commercial flight of the B787

domestically in the United States

Certificate Presented

Thomas Marks Lee

A350 Inaugural FlightQatar Airways

January 15, 2015

One of the aviation enthusiasts onboard was terribly excited to show me this Pan Am memorabilia as I had

been on the Pan Am 747 Inaugural flight 45 years ago

Tom with His Excellency Akbar Al-Baker, Group Chief Executive

Qatar Airways aboard A350 Inaugural flight – January 15th, 2015

Fabrice Bregier, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer, aboard A350 inaugural flight January 15 th, 2015 from Doha-Qatar to Frankfurt. Fabrice Brégier was appointed President and CEO of Airbus on the

1st of June 2012. He is a member of the Airbus Group Executive Committee.

The media was covering this first

commercial flight. CNN’s Richard Quest

conducted an interview while

midway through the 6 hour flight

SWISS invited Dominique Rinderknecht, Miss Switzerland to participate in the C Series Inaugural Flight

The media photographs us in front of the beautiful C Series backdrop SWISS created for these

ceremonies

The pilots are asked to pose for the media. At far right is Captain Peter Koch,

SWISS C Series Fleet Chief

Swiss Chief Commercial Officer, Markus Binkert invites me in front of

the assembled crowd and media for a presentation. He announces my

inaugural flight world record listing the B747, A380, B787 and A350.

I am asked to share my inaugural flight experiences with the audience & media and explain why joining the C Series inaugural flight is so meaningful

I am then presented with this Bombardier C Series Inaugural Flight Certificate and model of the aircraft

This beautifully framed certificate is a special commemoration of today’s first commercial flight

I am incredibly fortunate as SWISS created this beautiful one of a kind certificate and I am the only person on today’s flight to be presented an official document signed by Thomas Kluhr, SWISS CEO

I will cherish this latest inaugural

flight certificate which will

be added to my

collection

Thomas Marks Lee

SWISS Press Release published after the flight

Social media popped up within minutes of

these events

On every inaugural flight, there are hundreds of the World’s Media from virtually all Major Populated Continents

The Lee family being interviewed on a “Live” morning television show in Singapore.

The Press Included Newspaper and Magazine Reporters plus Radio and Television Media. This crew is from Germany.

The German Media were particularly interested in this original “Stern” Magazine dated

February 1st, 1970.

Media Coverage

Within hours, literally hundreds of publications around the world picked up the story. Each includes a mention of Thomas Lee’s record.

For more coverage Type into Google: “Thomas Lee A380”