Boeing marked the completion of the 56-year long 747 program with the formal handover of the final 747-8F to Atlas Air on Jan. 31 at an event in Everett, Wash.
The program’s termination comes after years of dwindling sales, the development of the twin-engined 777X, and the pandemic, which took a toll on widebodies.
As the last Boeing 747-8 leaves its birthplace, Aviation Week looks at how design features of the first widebody have shaped and influenced the industry.
No other aircraft has been as important for trade and intercontinental travel as the Boeing 747. When Airbus finally launched a competitor, it was too late.
The last undelivered 747-8Is are being converted into presidential aircraft for the USAF under a nearly $7 billion development project, including cost overruns.
The U.S. Export-Import Bank has committed to guarantee a $304 million loan from JP Morgan to cargo operator Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings to finance aircraft exports.
Boeing has staged the left wing for the last 747-8F freighter onto the production line at Everett, Washington, marking the build-up for the aircraft’s final assembly process and close out of the historic 747 line later in 2022.
Korean Air and Seoul National University have been commissioned by the Republic of Korea Air Force to explore using the Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft for an air launch system, similar to Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne.
UK long-haul carrier Virgin Atlantic is expecting to perform its final Boeing 747 flight on Dec. 16 and has announced plans to resume operations from Manchester, England, on Dec. 5 after a nine-month break.
Thai Airways has put a total of 34 aircraft up for sale, including all of its Boeing 747-400, 777-200 and 777-300, as the flag-carrier turns to more fuel-efficient aircraft for the handful of international flights it now operates.
Boeing is working on updating 747 flight computer software to eliminate an issue introduced in the software’s most recent version that causes both of the aircraft’s computers to reset in-flight.
International Airlines Group (IAG) has phased out the last of Iberia’s Airbus A340s and begun retiring British Airways’ (BA) entire Boeing 747-400 fleet, the group reported Aug. 17.
Boeing has updated a 747-400 non-normal checklist following evidence from a UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report that showed a British Airways (BA) crew confused by its verbiage initiated an unneeded stall-recovery procedure while troubleshooting an issue.
Atlas Air will park four Boeing 747-400 converted freighters this year and return a fifth to a lessor, moves intended to counteract falling yields and utilization rates caused by softening macroeconomic trends.
Australia’s flag carrier Qantas is looking to grow its international network with an order for six additional Dreamliners as it accelerates the retirement of its last six Boeing 747s.
From 1970s costumes to an appearance from Oscar Munoz, Routesonline rounds up the best tweets and images as United Airlines bid farewell to its last Boeing 747.
