Earlier this month, after more than 50 years of production, Boeing rolled off the last 747 from the Everett – Paine Field production line. An important chapter in aviation history is coming to an end. Boeing and Airbus have stopped manufacturing the four-engined planes: the 747 and the A380.
We cannot say that four-engine planes will disappear from the market because the future is full of surprises and we do not rule out that new electric or hybrid planes will be equipped with more engines.
But back to the Boeing 747, its origins date back to the mid-1960s, being the first wide-body passenger plane manufactured in those days. The first flight of a Boeing 747 it was operated on February 9, 1969. Boeing developed many variants of the unique and unmistakable 747 model: cargo, passenger and there were some models for the military. Including the presidential plane is a Boeing 747.
In the history of aviation, the Boeing 747 model received the title of "Queen of the Skies", being the most loved plane among passengers (until the A380 appeared). It is the only plane in the world that has 1.5 decks. Specifically, early models had a hump, later more advanced models began to have an upper half deck.
The last assembled plane is a 747-8 freighter that will enter the Atlas Air fleet. This model has a payload of 133,1 tons, enough to carry 10.699 gold bars or 19 million ping-pong or golf balls.
At 76.2 meters long, the Boeing 747-8 is the longest commercial aircraft in operational service. At cruising speed, a B748 can cover the length of three football fields in one second.
"For more than half a century, tens of thousands of Boeing employees designed and built this magnificent airplane that truly changed the world. We are proud that this aircraft will continue to fly around the globe for years to come,” said Kim Smith, Boeing vice president and general manager of the 747 and 767 programs.
We will certainly see the Boeing 747 fleet in flight again, but their production is officially stopped. High fuel consumption, but also the appearance of new models of airplanes that are much more efficient and comfortable, have led to a decrease in demand for this type of aircraft.