Boeing delivers final 747 Airplane bringing to a close more than a half century of production

Boeing and Atlas Air Worldwide joined thousands of people to celebrate the delivery of the final 747 to Atlas, bringing to a close more than a half century of production.

Boeing and Atlas Air Worldwide joined thousands of people – including current and former employees as well as customers and suppliers – to celebrate the delivery of the final 747 to Atlas, bringing to a close more than a half century of production.

As already reported, the aircraft left the company’s widebody factory in December 2022.

Boeing employees who designed and built the first 747, known as the “Incredibles,” returned to be honored at the Everett factory where the journey of the 747 began in 1967.

The 747 has played a key role in Boeing’s history of aerospace leadership:

• Production of the 747, the world’s first twin-aisle airplane, began in 1967 and spanned 54 years, during which a total of 1,574 airplanes were built.
• At 250 ft 2 in (76.2 m), the 747-8 is the longest commercial aircraft in service. At typical cruising speeds, the 747-8 travels roughly the length of three FIFA soccer fields or NFL football fields, per second.
• The final airplane is a 747-8 Freighter. This model has a revenue payload of 133.1 tonnes, enough to transport 10,699 solid-gold bars or approximately 19 million ping-pong balls or golf balls.

“This monumental day is a testament to the generations of Boeing employees who brought to life the airplane that ‘shrank the world,’ and revolutionized travel and air cargo as the first widebody,” said Stan Deal, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, in a company news release. “It is fitting to deliver this final 747-8 Freighter to the largest operator of the 747, Atlas Air, where the ‘Queen’ will continue to inspire and empower innovation in air cargo.”

“We are honored to continue our long history of flying this iconic aircraft for our customers around the world,” said John Dietrich, president and chief executive officer, Atlas Air Worldwide. “Atlas Air was founded over 30 years ago with a single 747-200 converted freighter, and since then, we have spanned the globe operating nearly every fleet type of the 747, including the Dreamlifter, Boeing’s 747 Large Cargo Freighter, for the transport of 787 Dreamliner parts. We are grateful to Boeing for their shared commitment to safety, quality, innovation and the environment, and for their partnership to ensure the continued success of the 747 program as we operate the aircraft for decades to come.”

In 1990, two 747-200Bs were modified to serve as Air Force One and replaced the VC-137s (707s) that served as the presidential airplane for nearly 30 years.

As the first twin-aisle airplane and “jumbo jet,” the “Queen of the Skies” enabled airlines to connect people across vast distances and provide non-stop trans-oceanic flights. Its development solidified Boeing’s role as an industry leader in commercial aviation. The airplane’s core design with its distinctive hump and seating in the upper deck has delighted generations of passengers and operators alike. Boeing continued to improve on the original design with models like the 747-400 in 1988 and the final 747-8 model that was launched in 2005; across all the models, the jet has delivered unmatched operating economics and efficiency to travel and air cargo markets.

Photo credit: Boeing/Paul Weatherman