25/08/2026
The Tom McDonough Hangar
On Saturday, we had the enormous honour of dedicating the 744 Experience hangar to our Chief Engineer, Tom.
Words cannot begin to describe Tom’s level of expertise with avionics, electrical systems and aircraft instrumentation.
Think of him as a surgeon in an operating theatre - except his patient is a highly complex Boeing 747-400.
Tom was one of the crucial pieces of the 744 ‘jigsaw’ that began coming together in early 2021. But without him, 744 Experience simply wouldn’t exist.
The timing was almost unbelievable. Tom had retired from professional simulator engineering just months earlier and was suddenly available to take on what, at the time, was an incredibly ambitious project.
Our very own ‘Q’.
Not only is Tom one of the most skilled engineers we have had the privilege to work alongside, he is also one of the kindest people you could meet.
He has an incredible mind, an extraordinary ability to solve the seemingly impossible - and, most importantly, he’s just the loveliest bloke 🤗
We’re incredibly proud that his name will now be above the door.
If you’d like to hear more about Tom’s role in bringing 744 Experience to life, watch the first episode of our story on the brilliant AIRCHATS channel over on YouTube.
Thanks to Tom, this unique Boeing 747-400 restoration project will continue to be shared with enthusiasts for many years to come.
So, from now on, we’ll be reporting into - and ‘flying’ from - The Tom McDonough Hangar.
And we couldn’t be happier about it.
Thank you, Tom. For everything. ❤️
