On November fourth, members of the media, special guests and aviation experts gathered at The Lambs Club with Lufthansa Airlines to honor Joe Sutter the “Father of the Boeing 747” with the Lufthansa Lifetime Achievement in Excellence Award. The award gives recognition for his dedication to aviation and his long-lasting partnership between Lufthansa and Boeing.
Born in 1921, Sutter spent his childhood watching the planes fly over his Washington home, located close to Boeing, mesmerized by their design and functionality. Little did he know this was to be a childhood dream turned into a lifelong reality. He went on to design and develop the Boeing 727, 737 and 747.
Leading a team of over 4,500 engineers, Sutter created what has been touted as the world’s most successful and largest commercial aircraft ever built: the 747.
Books from aviation author and historian Jay Spenser were handed out to the students of NYC Aviation Club, signed by Sutter. 747: Creating the World's First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures from a Life in Aviation was published by Smithsonian Books/HarperCollins as a hardcover in 2006 and as a paperback in 2007. This book tells of Sutter's childhood and describes his life and 40-year career at Boeing. It also details his tenure as chief engineer of the development of the 747 and elaborates on its design, manufacturing, testing, certification and delivery to the world's airlines.
