Queen of the skies
Boeing’s iconic 747 jumbo jet is finally flying off into the sunset as the manufacturer delivered the final 747 on Tuesday, to cargo carrier Atlas Air. Often credited with "shrinking the world", nearly 1,600 models have rolled off the factory floor since the 747 was first unveiled at the Paris Air Show back in 1969.
All 6 million parts of the jet come together in Boeing’s Everett Factory, the largest building in the world by volume, which was built solely for assembling the 747. Of course, all good things come to an end, and over time the four-engined 747 has been superseded by increasingly efficient two-engine planes. In 1990, Boeing 747s were responsible for 28% of the world's passenger widebody fleet, now — with only 109 planes — the jet's share is a mere 2% (thanks CNBC for the chart inspiration).
Although Boeing delivered the final 747 designed to carry passengers to Korean Air in 2017, demand lingered a little longer for its cargo-carrying 747s because of their ability to load through the plane’s nose. Though even that dominance is fading — 747s now make up 21% of the world’s freighter widebody fleet, down from 71% in 1990.
Boeing investors are hoping for something to take the place of the iconic airliner as the company continues recovering from the problems that plagued the 737 MAX. That flagship model was hit with a global grounding ruling in 2019 following two fatal crashes in which 346 people lost their lives.
Boeing will at least continue to have one prestigious, although very demanding, customer for their 747 – the US President.
