The end of an era!
Boeing 747-422, Atlas Air International, N480MC/ Image: AviapixBaltics
On January 31, 2023, a glamorous era in aviation ends, as almost exactly 54 years after its first flight, production of the Boeing 747 has been stopped, and the last aircraft delivery is celebrated. The last ever-made Boeing 747, B747-8F with registration N863GT left Everett at 18:20UTC on 31JAN. It was a delivery flight to Cincinnati, US where its operator - Atlas Air International began operations almost immediately. Only a small decal near the nose which can open upwards marks this as the final aircraft of the line and depicts the "father of the 747," chief engineer Joe Sutter, who passed away in 2016 as an industry legend. It is worth to mention that the crew flew a special flight path, drawing a huge crown in the sky with the numbers seven, four and seven.
Delivery of the N863GT, the last Boeing 747 ever-made! \ Image: flightradar24.com
The Boeing 747 made its first flight on February 9, 1969. Less than a year later, the test program ended and the aircraft began commercial operations. From 1968 to 2023, a total of 1574 units were produced, with various modifications of the aircraft. The first commercial operator was the legendary Pan American World Airways, which operated Boeing 747s until bankruptcy in 1991. The most famous modifications of this aircraft were the -100, 200, and 300, known as the original series. Also -400 and the latest Boeing 747-8. There were also some more interesting civilian and military options, which we will talk about later. It is important to mention that in the 1960s, an aircraft with such a wide fuselage was unheard of innovation, which took many years of hard work by engineers to make it a reality. In essence, it was like the advent of color television in 1954! As well as Boeing did not have a plant large enough to assemble the giant airliner, they chose to build a new plant. The company considered locations in about 50 cities and eventually decided to build the new plant some 30 miles (50 km) north of Seattle on a site adjoining a military base at Paine Field near Everett, Washington. The Boeing 747 remained a style icon throughout its lifetime. All airlines that used this aircraft were proud of these birds in their fleets. As soon as it appeared, the double-decker liner became the center of attention around the world, and its photos graced magazine covers and newspaper headlines. After the year 2000, the number of passenger Boeing 747s gradually decreased, and the number of cargo ones increased. This happened because aircraft such as Boeing 777 or Airbus A330 won the commercial and economic battle. With oil prices rising, it is much more profitable for airlines to operate twin-engine aircraft instead of 4-engine aircraft. It was also not always easy to fill all the passenger seats in such a giant as the Boeing 747, and every empty seat means a loss for the operator. In the cargo market, the Boeing 747 has no equal to this day, both in terms of weight and capacity. The final death of the liner was the Covid-19 pandemic. And such a small number of orders has decreased even more. For the manufacturer, the production of the aircraft became unprofitable and it was decided to end the production of the legend that lasted more than 50 years. During these years, the Boeing 747 earned the nickname of the Queen of the Sky. Despite the discontinued production, precisely because of the liner's impressive parameters in the cargo market, one can expect to see this queen in the sky for many years to come.
Boeing 747-422, Atlas Air International, N480MC/ Image: AviapixBaltics
One of the most interesting versions of the Boeing 747 was the 747SP. SP stands for - "Special Performance". Generally speaking, it was a shortened version of the Boeing 747 wide-body airliner, designed for a longer range. This variant is interesting in its appearance, it is a significantly shortened version of the standard 747, which earned the nickname "Baby Boeing" precisely because of its appearance. The idea for the 747SP came from a request by Pan Am for a 747 variant capable of carrying a full payload non-stop on its longest route between NY and Tehran. Due to the fact that the aircraft was intended for a very specialized market, it was not a great success and in the end, only 45 units were produced. It is very important to mention that SOFIA - Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy was also a Boeing 747SP. It is known that it was also heavily modified in the rear part of the fuselage, it had a hatch that opened in the air, under which a powerful telescope was installed. SOFIA's flight capability allowed it to rise above almost all of the water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere, which blocks some infrared wavelengths from reaching the ground. At the aircraft's cruising altitude, 85% of the full infrared range was available. The astrophysics decadal survey for the 2020s recommended that NASA end SOFIA operations by 2023. “The survey committee has significant concerns about SOFIA, given its high cost and modest scientific productivity,” the report stated.
Boeing 747SP-09,Kinshasa Airways,9Q-CWY/ Image: AviapixBaltics
In military aviation, the Boeing 747 is also very widely known and used. The most famous 747 in the world is probably Air Force One - the plane of the President of the United States of America. To be exact it is called VC-25. A few less-known variants are - The Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser Testbed, 747-100SR SCA (SCA - Shuttle Carrier Aircraft), and Boeing E-4 Advanced Airborne Command Post (AACP). Boeing E-4 the current "Nightwatch" aircraft is a strategic command and control military aircraft operated by the United States Air Force. The E-4 series are specially modified from the Boeing 747-200B for the National Emergency Airborne Command Post (NEACP) program. The E-4 serves as a survivable mobile command post for the National Command Authority, namely the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, and successors. The aircraft has nuclear electromagnetic pulse protection, nuclear and thermal effects shielding, advanced electronics, and a wide variety of communications equipment.
Boeing 747-E4B of the US Air Force in Vilnius, 10JUL2017/ Image: AviapixBaltics
In our opinion, the Boeing 747 is one of those aircraft that still has a soul. Along with DC-10, MD-11, L-1011, Concorde, Boeing 727, Tupolev-144, Hawker Sidelley Trident, Sud-Aviation Caravelle, MD-80, and other legendary liners, it makes our skies less boring. Especially in these times when aircraft from all manufacturers are becoming the same and boring, he brings light to our gray sky. Of course, technology is moving forward, and ecology together with the economy is much more important now, which, of course, cannot but bring joy. However, for us old-school aviation fanatics, the sight of one of these aircraft still gives us shivers and a look of surprise. We'll let you in on another secret, for AviapixBaltics, Boeing is like an old, invincible love of a lifetime. If It's Not Boeing, We're Not Going!
Boeing 747-446, Atlas Air International, N464MC/ Image: AviapixBaltics
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