Boeing’s 747 success — the company has now delivered 1,574 aircraft and logged more than 118 million flight hours worldwide — began with failure. After losing the military contract for a large freighter, Boeing adapted its cargo design for a large commercial aircraft. Pan American Airlines ordered 25 of his planes in April 1966. His new two-aisle design lowered the cost per seat and doubled his passenger capacity. Since then, the Humpback Widebody 747 has been lovingly Known as the “Queen of the Sky” has revolutionized air travel, making flights longer, safer and more affordable.
Scott Miller, a pilot and lecturer in the aeronautics department at San Jose State University, said in an email that the 747’s cutting costs have led to a “dramatic increase in international air travel.” “But that doesn’t make it the legacy of the 747. Its legacy is the timeless majesty of the aircraft itself.”
Dave Kercher, general manager of the General Electric production line that makes the engines that power Boeing aircraft, said: “I will never forget being on his upper deck in a 747. It’s just iconic,” he said. according to company news site.
The announcement of the delivery of the last 747 sparked admiration among aviation enthusiasts. To mark the occasion, his Flightradar24 flight tracking site recorded the oldest and youngest 747 at the time. One was delivered in 1974 and the other in 2022.
John Dietrich, president and CEO of Atlas Air, a cargo-carrying airliner and the last customer to receive the 747, said: Said Actor John Travolta, who has flown the 747, was also on Tuesday at the company’s production facility north of Seattle in a ceremony marking the delivery that honored him and his company to continue operating the aircraft. I attended the opening ceremony. say it He “had to be here in person.”
But Boeing’s decision to halt aircraft production comes at a time when airlines are looking for more fuel-efficient aircraft that can cut costs and reduce emissions that contribute to climate change. increase.
After receiving orders for 195 aircraft in the 1960s, Boeing’s sales increased in the decades that followed, according to Boeing statistics. websiteIn the 1970s the company received orders for 349 aircraft. After that, Boeing received orders for over 900 aircraft in his 1980s and his 90s. However, demand has slowed since then.boeing is received Six 747s on order from 2020 onwards.
Instead, airlines are ordering the more cost-effective twin-engined 737s and 777s. More engines mean more power, allowing for heavier payloads and longer ranges. However, having more engines generally means higher maintenance costs for fuel and repair costs for airplane owners.
Other ways airlines save money, such as carrying more passengers on a single flight, have also reached their natural limits. According to McKinsey, consulting firm. According to McKinsey, seat density — defined as “the percentage of actual seating capacity in an aircraft cabin compared to the maximum seating capacity for which the aircraft is certified” — has increased from 82% in 2005 to 88% in 2019. increased to
United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Australia’s Qantas, British Airways In recent years, the airline has gradually retired its fleet of 747s. It was his 2017 that a Boeing 747 airliner was delivered to a major airline, with three 747s being delivered to Korean Air.
Pilot Miller, who once worked in ground services at San Francisco International Airport, said he had never flown a 747 but was proud to have worked with them at the airport.
“When the 747 goes by, people stop and watch,” he added. “Taking off or landing is an event, much like docking or undocking a cruise ship a century ago.”
