It’s over after more than 50 years: The last 747 jumbo jet left the major Boeing facility in Everett, near Seattle, on Tuesday evening (local time). This marks the end of the classic airplane once celebrated as the “Queen of the Skies”.
The aircraft, which will first complete test flights and be repainted, will be delivered to Atlas Air Worldwide customer early next year. Planespotter footage of this last jumbo jet ever made is circulating on social media.
aviation classics
Boeing has announced that it will end production of the 747 in 2020. This came as no surprise: The group had long considered shelving the jumbo due to lack of demand.
The aircraft, once the world’s largest passenger jet, completed its maiden flight in 1969, and about a year later the first aircraft entered scheduled service with the then US airline Pan Am.
With the latest variant 747-8, which features a longer upper deck, new wings and more economical engines and offers space for more than 600 passengers, Boeing was able to score points with only a few airlines.
1574 jumbo produced
Most long-haul airlines now rely on Boeing 787 “Dreamliner” and models not as large as the 777 and Airbus A350.
Boeing executive Kim Smith described the legendary jumbo’s latest delivery to US broadcaster CNBC on Tuesday in Everett as “very surreal”. “For the first time in over 50 years, we will no longer have a 747 at this factory.”
Boeing produced a total of 1574 copies of the giant aircraft. Of course, the type of aircraft won’t disappear from the sky once production ends, but the 747 has been out there for a long time, and it’s becoming increasingly rare.
rival A380
Major US airlines United and Delta removed the machines from their fleets years ago. After the coronavirus pandemic paralyzed international air traffic in 2020, so did Qantas and British Airways.
One of the most important 747 customers was Lufthansa. They took 19 of just 47 examples of the 747-8, the latest passenger version that Boeing wants to score against the even bigger Airbus A380 after the turn of the millennium.
The US manufacturer delivered the last aircraft to Lufthansa in December 2015. (cut/SDA)