Loading Page...

What plane did Boeing just retire?

On Tuesday, Boeing will wave a final goodbye to the 747 jumbo jet.



In a historic move for the aviation industry, Boeing officially ended the production of the 747 "Queen of the Skies" in early 2023. The final aircraft, a Boeing 747-8 Freighter, was delivered to Atlas Air on January 31, 2023, marking the end of over 50 years of production for the world's most recognizable jumbo jet. While the 747 remains in active service with various cargo operators and international airlines like Lufthansa, it has been "retired" from Boeing's manufacturing line in favor of more fuel-efficient, twin-engine widebodies like the 787 Dreamliner and the upcoming 777X. The retirement of the 747 production line signifies a shift in aviation toward sustainability and lower operating costs, as four-engine jets have become increasingly expensive to maintain compared to modern twins. Even as the "Queen" enters her twilight years, she continues her most prestigious duty as the platform for the United States' Air Force One, ensuring that the silhouette of the 747 will remain a symbol of global power and aviation history for several more decades.

People Also Ask

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Airbus ended manufacture of the A380 in 2021, with just 252 of the 500 passenger double-deckers built.

MORE DETAILS

Joseph Lau: Boeing 747-8 VIP, $367 million. Sultan of Brunei: Boeing 747-430, $230 million. Roman Abramovich: Boeing 757, $170 million. Kim Kardashian: Gulfstream G650ER, $150 million.

MORE DETAILS

A total of 251 Airbus A380s were built and delivered for civil aviation. 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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

According to data from ch-aviation.com, the oldest active Boeing 747 family aircraft left in the world today is a 747-100SF that flies for the Iranian Air Force. Bearing registration 5-8103, this veteran quadjet is 52.86 years old and flew for TWA from 1970 to 1975 before being converted for usage as a freighter.

MORE DETAILS

Pages in category Aviation accidents and incidents in 2023
  • 2023 Elmina plane crash.
  • 2023 Manang Air helicopter crash.
  • 2023 Poland Cessna 208 crash.
  • 2023 Rajasthan MiG-21 crash.
  • 2023 SAM Air Cessna 208 Caravan crash.
  • 2023 Syria helicopter accident.
  • 2023 Zaragoza F-18 crash.


MORE DETAILS

Therefore, the ERJ135/140/145 members of the family are among the safest airliners in history. The Airbus A340 is also one of the safest, with no fatal accidents involving any of the 380 units since its introduction in March 1993.

MORE DETAILS

The 747 has also had an incredible safety record despite being involved in disasters such as the Tenerife incident in the Canary Islands when two 747s collided on the runway, and a Japan Airlines 747 that suffered explosive decompression in mid-flight, the two worst incidents in commercial aviation history that each ...

MORE DETAILS

Surprisingly, despite being bigger, the Airbus A380 can reach speeds of more than 1,000 kilometres per hour compared to the Boeing 787 which tops out at 954kph. Although both are very fast, passengers flying on the Airbus A380 could get to their destination quicker than those flying on the Boeing.

MORE DETAILS

The A380 is the largest passenger jet ever built by passenger capacity, volume, weight, and wingspan. The Boeing 747-8 beats it for length, however, as will the upcoming Boeing 777-9 (technically built but not yet in service).

MORE DETAILS

Atlas Air, flying the largest number of 747s in history, operates cargo and charter flights. For charter operations, Atlas currently has five 747s.

MORE DETAILS