After more than fifty years, the last Boeing 747 has left the American aircraft manufacturer’s factory in Everett, near Seattle. This marks the end of the era of “the plane that changed the world”.
The Boeing 747 is one of the most recognizable aircraft, with a second deck over part of the fuselage. The jumbo jet made its first flight in 1969 and entered commercial service a year later. Until the arrival of the Airbus 380 in 2007, the aircraft remained the largest passenger aircraft in the world.
Not immediately airborne
Boeing already announced in 2020 that it would stop producing the 747 this year. The last copy – a cargo version of the 747-8 type – rolled out of the factory in Everett on Tuesday evening. The aircraft will now perform some test flights and will be painted. At the beginning of 2023 it will go to the buyer, cargo company Atlas Air.
Boeing produced a total of 1,574 jumbo jets. “This beautiful plane really changed the world,” said Kim Smith, director of Boeing’s 747 program, among others. “We are proud that this aircraft will fly all over the world for years to come.”
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