Is the 747 fully retired?

Boeing 747-8 Freighter: The last Boeing 747 left the company's widebody factory in Washington on December 6, 2022, ahead of its delivery to Atlas Air in early 2023. Boeing 747: The last Boeing 747 commercial passenger jet to be delivered was in July 2017 -- a jumbo for Korean Air Lines.



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The final one, delivered to cargo operator Atlas Air in early 2023, marked the end of the 747's production history, though the variant still has a future in the spotlight: two 747-8s are currently being transformed into the next Air Force One planes.

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Boeing's latest widebody is hoping to replace its most popular one. Now that the Boeing 747 program has officially come to an end with the delivery of the last 747-8F this month, we look to the future. Boeing is currently in the certification process for the 777X program, with the first deliveries scheduled for 2025.

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The oldest active 747 aircraft today The oldest passenger aircraft in commercial operation is Boeing 747-400 EP-MEE (SN 24383) operated by Mahan Air, a privately owned Iranian airline. IBA Insight Flights shows that this aircraft frequently makes trips between Tehran and Moscow, and last flew on 30th January 2023.

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There were 440 Boeing 747 aircraft in active airline service as of August 2023, comprising 0 747-100s, 2 747SPs, 19 747-200s, 4 747-300s, 261 747-400s, and 154 747-8s. These aircraft are listed by airline operators and variant in the following table.

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How many A380s are still flying? As of May 2023, about 130 A380s are in service - but several airlines plan to reactivate more aircraft during the year. For example, all Emirates Airbus A380s are expected to be back in service by the end of the year.

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According to Boeing's data, the 777-9 has a total length of 251 feet 9 inches (76.72 meters). The 747-8 is just a bit smaller at 250 feet 2 inches (76.3 meters). The 777-9 is the longest commercial aircraft ever built.

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The B747's range falls slightly short of the A380, with a typical range of around 7,790 nautical miles (14,400 kilometers). However, it compensates with a higher top speed, capable of cruising at approximately Mach 0.855. This makes it more versatile, suitable for both long-haul and shorter intercontinental flights.

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That was one of the reasons Air France, the first European airline to fly the jet, decided to ditch A380 on August 5. The estimated cost of upgrading economy and business classes, at over $45 million (£37m), was just too much compared to investing into newer aircraft instead.

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In a ceremony that was broadcast live online, the aircraft was handed over to its new owner, US air cargo operator Atlas Air, at Boeing's plant in Everett, Washington.

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NOLINOR AVIATION BOEING 737 FROM 1976. The oldest plane in service is from Nolinor Aviation, a charter airline in Canada, that operates a Boeing 737 that first went into use in 1976. Despite its age, this plane still works like any newer one due to numerous updates throughout the years.

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Crashes that destroy the airframe are the most obvious answer, but minor, low-speed incidents on the ground can also bring a plane's career to an end. This was the case for a Saudia Boeing 747-300, which taxied into a ditch in Kuala Lumpur in 2001.

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A 747 contains around 66 tons of high strength aluminum, much of which will be recycled into everything from bike frames to drinks cans. Overall, when a 747 is scrapped, the dismantler can hope to recover around $6.8 million.

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As long as you follow the proper regulations for private jets, there is no reason why you couldn't buy and fly a 747. The oldest 747-8 is only ~8 years old. It's not that second hand ones aren't occasionally offered up for sale, but if you're restricting yourself to the -8, don't expect a lot of great deals.

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