Took the long way to Hong Kong in December 2019 on BA 747 through London rather than Cathay Pacific 777 direct from JFK. I knew BA 747's days were numbered but also thought (at that time) they had a few more years to go. Glad I did it when I did.
"The first flight I ever took as a kid was on a 747." Me, too. I lived in Everett, WA, where they were built, but moved to Florida for a couple of years. When we moved back to Everett, my parents drove while my brother and I flew. On the way from Tampa to Chicago the plane was pretty full, but from Chicago to Seattle it was just my brother and me as passengers, and the crew. It was weird.
Worked on the early B747s with the PW engines and pulled out on many occasions sintered metal from the jet exhaust (blown fan blades). Then onto the GE powered ones which were very reliable. B747C and the most challenging the B747BC where you were mixing big freight with pax on the main deck. They were magnificent aircraft to work on with a big trim tolerance and excellent loading systems. Never told the passengers immediately in front of the cargo, cabin divide that behind them was a PMP pallet weighing 13600kgs with a 10ton Ingersoll Rand road roller. on it. Did not want to spoil their flight. As always safety was never compromised and cargo and pax arrived at destination.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress first flew in 1952, has been in service since 1955, and still has many years of life to go. So there is a precedent for long-serving Boeing designs that do the job better than any other aircraft type!
My first international flight was in 1977, on a 747. I was able to see the cockpit and was blown away by this magnificent plane. Farewell Queen of the skies!
The 747 can probably stay in service for quite some time, if Atlas kept their 747s for around 30-50 years, than 2050-2070 would be when the 747 will leave Unless we take into account the Iranian Sanctions, then at that point, probably longer
Sad to hear about the end of the 747 line. A queen to gaze upon for sure. So much more graceful looking than the A380. In the mid-80s I worked as a ramp agent at Denver's old Stapleton. I loved kicking around and seeing up close (as in directly underneath) and sometimes inside the only 747 at that time that regularly flew in and out of Denver--a United 747-200 that made trips to Honolulu. It RON'd at one of the gates, so was there every night.
End of an era. Very sad, I have happy memories of many 747 flights to Orlando and the theme parks with my daughter who is sadly no longer with us. I am sure the Jumbo Jet has played a part in many peoples lives.
In the passenger category, Lufthansa, China Airlines and Korean Air will be flying their still young 747-8s for many years to come. In the cargo sector there is no equal to the capacity and versatility of of the 747F. Especially with it's giant nose door access and the 1 million pound load capability of the 747-8F so they are far from becoming obsolete.
Airbus A380 the so called superjumbo can't even carry cargo. The Boeing 747 Queen of the Skies will be my number one favourite for it's unique versatility as a passenger and cargo aircraft. So sad to see them at the end of their production but I am positive that they will be around for many more years to come. Long live the Queen!!!❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏✈️✈️✈️👑👑👑
I'll never forget watching the 747s coming and going from Payne Field when I lived in Marysville WA. I was just out of college in 1970 and was in awe as those huge planes flew over my little rented house on Potlatch Beach. My first ride in one was two years later when I went to Hawaii for a summer job while I was teaching in my hometown in Idaho. Those were the days when flying was fun.
It'll be a sad day when the last one is finished, and I don't think there will ever be a better non-military, production freighter than the 747 was. Can't open the nose on a 777.
It's not just the 747 that I'm sad about, of course that will go down as the greatest passenger aircraft of all time. This could be the last commercial quad-engine jet that the world's ever builds.
While the 747 is still in service as a cargo plane for many airlines the fact that the last one is being built is amazing . Long live the Queen of the skies
That would require a complete redesign of the wings + a major redesign of the fuel systems, cobtrol systems and other stuff. Then you need to test and certify it. Would cost the same as designing and certifying a new aircraft but without the performance of a new aircraft.
Yup the new air force ones will be flying for decades, & many of these cargo planes will also be in the skies for at least another 10 years. I never flown on one. With my second job starting soon I’m gonna see if I can hop on a Lufthansa 747 before they’re eventually retired. 🥲
Although we dont get pax 747 service into MEM, I’m glad we still get the freighters. With the 2 -8’s being delivered as Air Force 1 and many young -8F’s, they will defiantly be flying another 30 years.
What a bummer. I had hopes that the 747 would stay in production. I’m not a pilot or in the aviation industry but I will always remember my first flight on a 744 and 748(both Lufthansa)-long live the Queen!
"Boeing 747 orders: 1,573 - averaging approximately 30 per year since its first flight in 1968. Airbus A380 orders: 251 - averaging around 13 per year since its first flight in 2007." - Simple Flying
Atlas Air might be getting the last 747-8 built, but I think Boeing will celebrate the end of the ‘Queen of the Sky’ when the two Air Force One’s are delivered.
did Boeing dedicate a significant portion of its facilities to 747 productions? what will those facilities be used for after the last is built? what will happen to the workforce folks that worked on the Queen?? boeing was talking about moving out of Washington state, is the end of 747 production what they were waiting for??
Can you explain how special cargo will be transported by air now that the 747 and antonov are both gone? I don't think 777 or A350 can do roll-on roll off cargo?
I was 12 years old when my dad got me into the VIP area at the Everett plant to watch the maiden take-off and flight. The most amazing thing was the trick that was played on our brains as the 747 seemed to be flying so slowly(compared to the 737s and 727s that we were used to seeing) that you expected it to drop out of the sky.
While I am saddened that the Queen is no longer in production, I can still appreciate the fact that it will remain flying with us for many years to come
It's quite sad and emotional to hear that. For now, Long life the Queen as always and i will get a chance to fly as a passenger on the 747 in the future
Wright brothers first flight 1903, 747 first flight 1969 only 66 years later and after 53 years still rolling off the production line. One of the most amazing machines of all time.
Can someone explain me this? The 747-8 passenger version is fading out due to lack of orders and maybe fuel effeciency. But the 747-8F is a unique airplane with a big capicity in the cargo market. Isn't it maybe a little too soon to end the 747-8F? I feel like this is like the 757 it might be again needed in the future
@Khoi Le Anh yes indeed and the 777F production is continuing too. But what bugs me is that the 747 has a bigger cargo capicity than these twin engines. Why would it be convinient to swap to a smaller aircraft? Since more trips for moving a big load would cost also in fuel efeciency
@@vasco77l97 its not too soon. If no orders are left there is no other choice. Everything else is a huge waste of money. As for payloads: the one factor that sets the 747 apart is its nose door. The payload doesn’t matter that much as the competition isn’t that far off.
I’m hopeful that Boeing could make a double decker in the future as air travel bounces back slowly or as a military plane. I would like to see a comeback of the 747 in some shape or form.
This is very very sad news. The 747 set the standard and I cannot imagine not being able to fly on them anymore. I was 13 when I flew on Braniff International’s flagship; N601BN to Hawaii and was in awe of its size and luxury. I even watched it fly overhead every day at 1:15 CST Making it’s daily trek from DFW to HNL. The sound of its engines grind as it climbed to altitude and the orange fuselage was hard to miss! The 747 inflamed my passion for commercial aviation. No other airliner has made the impression the the 747 has.
I vividly recall walking home from school in 1970, near Chicago, and seeing this gigantic machine just hanging in the sky. It was almost frightening if it wasn’t so amazing. This was the first 747 to land at O’Hare.
I think the 747-8 will fly for around 35-40 years from now. Of course they can fly much longer but I think there will be efficient planes which will than be used instead.
Not saying your wrong. But they may be freight routes where the fuel cost is offset by an inexpensive plane with a massive payload. If you can run one less flight the fuel numbers work out too. Often and maybe more so with freight the plane with the best fit to the route will make the most money.
I hope there will be a long haul episode on the history of the Queen of the skies when the last one is in operation. I never got to fly on one. Probably never will now.
It will be a very sad day when the last 747 stops flying. A wonderful plane, that opened the skies to pretty much everyone who wished to explore our beautiful planet. There are alternatives but it's hard to see any other plane being more loved than the 747.
My first 747 flight was on November 1989 from Manchester to Islamabad direct British Airways. I was 11 years old then, flew a few times between British Airways and Pakistan International 1990 on the same route till 1999 The Pia was a 747 200 I think. My favourite Aircraft is the 747 .
These new 747-8Fs will be flying for a long time, but there must be many airframes approaching end of life. Maybe SF can do a video on what will replace them in 10-20 years for long haul freight ? (given twins are the preferred format for passenger ops)
52 years and I did B747-400 flights GE CF6 Philippine airlines RB211 524 Cathay Pacific. Usually flies into Newark,NJ from Frankfurt am Main LH402/403.
My 1st 747 was in July 1979 on Iran Air from London to JFK, just 3-4 months before the U.S. Embassy was overrun. We were to have taken Icelandic Air, but the flight was cancelled and we were placed on Iran Air. Still have the boarding pass.
As someone who works with freighters It’ll be interesting to see what the solution will be to move oversized cargo in the next 30ish years when most of the 747-8 retire Atlas is in a good position to have these new 747s in their fleet long term
Given the number of cycles these planes are usually good for -- are the freighter variants pressurized? -- I think it's a decent bet we'll see them in the air in the 2050s, at least.
I still remember my first flight on a 747. I was 5 or 6 years old at the time and it was on TWA (Trans World Airlines) from Los Angeles to London. Can't remember if it was a -100 or -200. Since then, I had a handful of flights in the 747. My last 747 flight was from Hong Kong to Bali on Cathay Pacific's 747-400 in 2013.
if production ends will the part supplier stop too or does Boeing and their partners guarantees a set amount of years in stockpile of part to keep these planes well maintained?
It's incredible to think that just 40 years ago this thing was THE plane to buy to expand your airline business. Honestly, it saw off its "closest" competition so convincingly and so dominantly you wouldn't be crazy to wonder why Boeing's competitors had even tried to compete in the first place. The DC-10 was a rushed design that was plagued with design faults and maintenance issues early on in its service life and still didn't have the passenger or cargo capacity of the 747. The L-1011 was far more advanced and far easier to fly... so advanced that the program was plagued by numerous delays and it was exorbitantly expensive to buy and maintain while also having less passenger and cargo capacity than the 747. To put into perspective just how dominant the 747 was, the L-1011 and DC-10 ended production in the 80s. The 747 is only ending production in 2022. People need to remember that this aging anachronism that we see now was once one of the most successful airliner designs in aviation history. At the same time, people need to also understand that this design was not successful for a long period of time. It's most successful period was in the 80s, the height of four-engine long-haul airliners flying routes based on the hub-and-spoke model. In the mid-80s ETOPS regulations were reinstated and the 747 immediately found itself increasingly obsolete against a new generation of twin-engine widebodies that were more efficient and cheaper to maintain, all while carrying close to a similar cargo and passenger capacity. From 1990 onwards the 747 was gradually losing market share to the Airbus A300 and A330 and Boeing's own 767 and 777.
I came to USA in Boeing 707 and after two decade i flew back home in 747. 747 is like beautiful buxom women,, feminine curve, beautifully painted aircraft was sight to be seen. I will miss this plane.
@@MarkUKInsects It only got 27 orders because of how expensive it would’ve been to operate + also the limited number of airports it could serve (a problem also faced by the sole destroyed An-225). Worse than the A330-200F that did make it to production that only got 38 orders
A while back I read that the people are Airbus were focused on having the largest plane instead of the projected market for it. Don't take my words on this without confirmation from a creditable source. But IFF that is true. it is not amazing.
@@danharold3087 It's true, they did prioritize too much on the pride of being bigger and better than the already massive ironic and successful 747 instead of listening to the warnings of the direction of the market and that not many airlines will be able to take advantage of the outdated hub-Spoke model that only Emirates managed to do well at a large scale
I remember Dad taking me to see a big orange aircraft in about 1971-2 I was about ten. Braniff had a new one and dad worked there. DFW airport was new then .
Forty years sounds like a stretch, being something that maybe the military could justify. The only recent military application I know of is the upcoming replacement of "Airforce One". Since the current "Airforce One" dates back to 1990, that suggests that it's replacement would probably be in service for less than 40 years.
The new Air Force 1s will still be flying beyond 2050, almost guaranteed. As far as commercial revenue service (likely for cargo), I expect they will fly until they are no longer profitable or until Hong Kong places restrictions banning 4 engine aircraft. I almost expect Kalitta Air to be the final operator, if Connie can buy some used freighters. They had the last revenue flight of a 747 Classic in 2012, I believe.
Loved the 747 since I first saw it in a movie as a kid, then dad took me to Frankfurt and Schiphol airports to the observation decks where I could see them in real life. We were on a holiday in Australia at the start of 2020 just before the pandemic hit, and deliberately booked the return flight via Hong Kong to fly Lufthansa to Frankfurt on the 747. Loved it, and was allowed into the cockpit once we were parked up on the ground too. To me personally, there is nothing more majectic in aviation than seeing a 747 in full land configuration on final approach. It's a shame the production is coming to an end. The fact that they kept producing the 747 for decades gave it a feeling of this being an eternal aircraft. I am not sure the final 747 will be in service in 30 years from now on. I think the A350 freighter will spell the end of the 747 much sooner than anticipated. The much reduced fuel costs and the phenomenal range of the A350 will quite possibly make the 747 look terrible from an economic point of view and who knows which next generation aircraft will come into the market over the course of the next 10-20 years. Sadly, in a world of rising fuel costs, quad engine aircraft are becoming unattractive. But until the the 747 has its final flights, I shall look forward to seeing them and I am hoping to treat myself to a holiday in 2025/26 and fly Lufthansa for the 747 one more time. Fingers crossed it works out that way :)
I don’t care if you like Airbus more or if you don’t prefer one over the other, I think we can all agree that the queen will be missed by all.
Airbus fan here. Genuinely sad seeing the end of the Queen of the Skies
@@a8495turtle Same.
The 747,a380,an225 are dead rest in peace queens and kings of all sky
I am a Boeing fan, but was sad when the A380 was pulled.
Boeing fan here, I cried when the AN-225 was shot. It may not've been a majestic Boeing aircraft, but the event caused me to cry up a river!
As an ex Jumbo captain I miss it like my baby ....nothing more amazing has ever been produced after the 747. It was a technological marvel.
ive flown it in x-plane, and i can agree, it just feels so big and its turns have lots of floating but still seem graceful somehow.
also rumoured to have gone supersonic on a few occasions, intentionally and not
@@ghostrider-be9ek Never did in x-plane, but then that version was the -400 and wasn't the most realistic flight model
Took the long way to Hong Kong in December 2019 on BA 747 through London rather than Cathay Pacific 777 direct from JFK. I knew BA 747's days were numbered but also thought (at that time) they had a few more years to go. Glad I did it when I did.
Got the blessing to fly a Cathay, BA, KLM, and a MAS B747 in my lifetime. Definitely will miss these bids
The first flight I ever took as a kid was on a 747, not sure which variant, but the iconic silhouette always made it my favorite
"The first flight I ever took as a kid was on a 747."
Me, too. I lived in Everett, WA, where they were built, but moved to Florida for a couple of years. When we moved back to Everett, my parents drove while my brother and I flew. On the way from Tampa to Chicago the plane was pretty full, but from Chicago to Seattle it was just my brother and me as passengers, and the crew. It was weird.
The queen of the skies will be missed!
Yes it will.
Very much.
yes
Yes 🙌. I most certainly agree ☝️ that it will.
Worked on the early B747s with the PW engines and pulled out on many occasions sintered metal from the jet exhaust (blown fan blades). Then onto the GE powered ones which were very reliable. B747C and the most challenging the B747BC where you were mixing big freight with pax on the main deck. They were magnificent aircraft to work on with a big trim tolerance and excellent loading systems. Never told the passengers immediately in front of the cargo, cabin divide that behind them was a PMP pallet weighing 13600kgs with a 10ton Ingersoll Rand road roller. on it. Did not want to spoil their flight. As always safety was never compromised and cargo and pax arrived at destination.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress first flew in 1952, has been in service since 1955, and still has many years of life to go. So there is a precedent for long-serving Boeing designs that do the job better than any other aircraft type!
Such a CLASSIC. Set the standard for a long time. So long beautiful.
My first international flight was in 1977, on a 747. I was able to see the cockpit and was blown away by this magnificent plane. Farewell Queen of the skies!
They should ask Atlas if their last 747 could have “the final queen of the skys” on its side
Yes
The 747 can probably stay in service for quite some time, if Atlas kept their 747s for around 30-50 years, than 2050-2070 would be when the 747 will leave
Unless we take into account the Iranian Sanctions, then at that point, probably longer
I can imagine Iran air obtaining a 747-8 in the 2030s-40s
I flew on a 747 a year ago, probably for the last time. I literally kissed it goodbye. I loved that plane. The queen forever for me.
Sad to hear about the end of the 747 line. A queen to gaze upon for sure. So much more graceful looking than the A380.
In the mid-80s I worked as a ramp agent at Denver's old Stapleton. I loved kicking around and seeing up close (as in directly underneath) and sometimes inside the only 747 at that time that regularly flew in and out of Denver--a United 747-200 that made trips to Honolulu. It RON'd at one of the gates, so was there every night.
So sorry to see the demise of the Queen of the Skies
The 747 has been my favorite plane since I was a kid. I am sad to see it pulled, especially because I never had the opportunity to fly on one.
N860GT is now on the line. I saw it the other day in ANC, but I have not flown it yet.
End of an era. Very sad, I have happy memories of many 747 flights to Orlando and the theme parks with my daughter who is sadly no longer with us. I am sure the Jumbo Jet has played a part in many peoples lives.
Aww … such a pity . May the Queen of the Skies rest in peace , you will truly be missed ! But we will never ever forget your legacy !
When the assembly of that 747 ends it will mark the end not only of the 747 but also the entire quad jet era (which began with the 707)
True 😭💔💔
It was also the last early widebody family of the 4 pioneering designs (747, DC-10, L1011 Tristar and A300) to end production
The Comet had four jet engines.
@@GH-oi2jf Mainstream is probably the better word then as the 707 was a lot more mainstream
In the passenger category, Lufthansa, China Airlines and Korean Air will be flying their still young 747-8s for many years to come. In the cargo sector there is no equal to the capacity and versatility of of the 747F. Especially with it's giant nose door access and the 1 million pound load capability of the 747-8F so they are far from becoming obsolete.
Air China*
Airbus A380 the so called superjumbo can't even carry cargo. The Boeing 747 Queen of the Skies will be my number one favourite for it's unique versatility as a passenger and cargo aircraft. So sad to see them at the end of their production but I am positive that they will be around for many more years to come. Long live the Queen!!!❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏✈️✈️✈️👑👑👑
“It’s time to go.”
“Was I a good plane?”
“No. You were the best.”
I absolutely agree. I loved this plane. I dreamed as a child I would fly one someday.( but, sadly, that dream never came true)
I'll never forget watching the 747s coming and going from Payne Field when I lived in Marysville WA. I was just out of college in 1970 and was in awe as those huge planes flew over my little rented house on Potlatch Beach. My first ride in one was two years later when I went to Hawaii for a summer job while I was teaching in my hometown in Idaho. Those were the days when flying was fun.
It'll be a sad day when the last one is finished, and I don't think there will ever be a better non-military, production freighter than the 747 was. Can't open the nose on a 777.
It's not just the 747 that I'm sad about, of course that will go down as the greatest passenger aircraft of all time. This could be the last commercial quad-engine jet that the world's ever builds.
It is the last in-production quad-jet in the world 😭💔
Unless the Overture is completed and sold to airlines, you may be correct
Nah fam. The supersonic Boom Overture is set to be fully built and flight tested by 2026. Its a quad.
Nope, Iljuschin still builds their Il 96
@@heybenjii5544 Barely
As long as jet aviation allowed, there will be an airworthy 747 somewhere
End of an era 🥲
Boeing 747 lovers
👇
i have always wanted to fly on one and never have, this is heartbreaking that that dream will never come true.
Don't worry, they'll still be in service for a while
You still can.
While the 747 is still in service as a cargo plane for many airlines the fact that the last one is being built is amazing . Long live the Queen of the skies
This will be sad for me because I haven't seen one yet and now they are being discontinued
You'll have plenty of chances to see them in the future, they're just not producing them anymore
The demand is not there currently. However, if someone was to come along with request for 500 747 aircrafts, Boeing could re-jumpstart production.
The only people that can do that is Amazon. Everyone is too tight on their budget
@@thevinceberry yes, I agree.
@Aaron King 😊
End of a beautiful long era
Could Boeing have put 2 of the massive GE9X engines from the 777 on a B747?
Can't. It'll add more weight on the wings and will not have enough lift for such a massive airliner.
But imagine if it was done in X-Plane lol
@@MSRTA_Productions 1 ge9x produces more thrust than the most powerful genx variant
Yeah they should lol
That would require a complete redesign of the wings + a major redesign of the fuel systems, cobtrol systems and other stuff. Then you need to test and certify it.
Would cost the same as designing and certifying a new aircraft but without the performance of a new aircraft.
I’m just the happy that the future Air Force One planes will be VC-25Bs. They will probably be in service for at least 40 years
Yup the new air force ones will be flying for decades, & many of these cargo planes will also be in the skies for at least another 10 years. I never flown on one. With my second job starting soon I’m gonna see if I can hop on a Lufthansa 747 before they’re eventually retired. 🥲
🙁 Had the great privilege to tour the 747 assembly plant several years ago. Absolutely amazing.
Although we dont get pax 747 service into MEM, I’m glad we still get the freighters. With the 2 -8’s being delivered as Air Force 1 and many young -8F’s, they will defiantly be flying another 30 years.
Don't cry because it ended. Smile because it happened.
What a bummer. I had hopes that the 747 would stay in production. I’m not a pilot or in the aviation industry but I will always remember my first flight on a 744 and 748(both Lufthansa)-long live the Queen!
give away the design to China. They will keep it in production!
My first flight on a B747 was from Auckland to London Heathrow via Melbourne, Perth and Bombay in January 1981.
"Boeing 747 orders: 1,573 - averaging approximately 30 per year since its first flight in 1968.
Airbus A380 orders: 251 - averaging around 13 per year since its first flight in 2007." - Simple Flying
The 747 was built during times were quadjets were still popular, now twinjets are ruling the market, the a380 was built too late.
Will Always Love The 747s 💙💙💙💙
Atlas Air might be getting the last 747-8 built, but I think Boeing will celebrate the end of the ‘Queen of the Sky’ when the two Air Force One’s are delivered.
The end of an iconic era
did Boeing dedicate a significant portion of its facilities to 747 productions? what will those facilities be used for after the last is built? what will happen to the workforce folks that worked on the Queen?? boeing was talking about moving out of Washington state, is the end of 747 production what they were waiting for??
Going to miss seeing the 747 in the skies it was one of the most beautiful planes built in my opinion
Can you explain how special cargo will be transported by air now that the 747 and antonov are both gone? I don't think 777 or A350 can do roll-on roll off cargo?
The 747 isn't being retired and they won't be gone for a good 3 decades
The very last 747 in passenger version produced rolled out of the factory in 2015 for Korean Air.
When they’re gone completely that will be just heartbreaking
I was 12 years old when my dad got me into the VIP area at the Everett plant to watch the maiden take-off and flight. The most amazing thing was the trick that was played on our brains as the 747 seemed to be flying so slowly(compared to the 737s and 727s that we were used to seeing) that you expected it to drop out of the sky.
WHY GOD WHYYYYYYYYY
This aircraft will go into the history books of the aviation history because this was a beauty
While I am saddened that the Queen is no longer in production, I can still appreciate the fact that it will remain flying with us for many years to come
like the B52 the 747 will be around for a long time especially for Cargo - 50yrs from now?
So sad I wish that the 747 was still being built this plane was the back bone of aviation
Ironically the last a380 to be built is already in the air with Emirates.
Should continue flying forever. Beautiful plane.
It's quite sad and emotional to hear that. For now, Long life the Queen as always and i will get a chance to fly as a passenger on the 747 in the future
My grandfather was part of the engineering team that worked on the original 747. Helped to develop the propulsion system.
Wright brothers first flight 1903, 747 first flight 1969 only 66 years later and after 53 years still rolling off the production line. One of the most amazing machines of all time.
Can someone explain me this? The 747-8 passenger version is fading out due to lack of orders and maybe fuel effeciency. But the 747-8F is a unique airplane with a big capicity in the cargo market. Isn't it maybe a little too soon to end the 747-8F? I feel like this is like the 757 it might be again needed in the future
@Khoi Le Anh yes indeed and the 777F production is continuing too. But what bugs me is that the 747 has a bigger cargo capicity than these twin engines. Why would it be convinient to swap to a smaller aircraft? Since more trips for moving a big load would cost also in fuel efeciency
@@vasco77l97 its not too soon. If no orders are left there is no other choice. Everything else is a huge waste of money. As for payloads: the one factor that sets the 747 apart is its nose door. The payload doesn’t matter that much as the competition isn’t that far off.
@@MrSchwabentier thanks for answering! 🙌 You got a good point!
Im actually going to be flying one of these soon. Can’t wait.
I’m hopeful that Boeing could make a double decker in the future as air travel bounces back slowly or as a military plane.
I would like to see a comeback of the 747 in some shape or form.
The double decker that you are talking about would be like an exact copy of the a380
So it’s not gonna happen most likely
@@prithaknepal2013 commercial maybe but military operators may operate similar aircraft
@@j3j326 why would they..... they have their own quad jets in the form of the galaxy and globemaster
They have no need for double decked aircraft
@@Alucard-gt1zf in the distant future
This is very very sad news. The 747 set the standard and I cannot imagine not being able to fly on them anymore. I was 13 when I flew on Braniff International’s flagship; N601BN to Hawaii and was in awe of its size and luxury. I even watched it fly overhead every day at 1:15 CST Making it’s daily trek from DFW to HNL. The sound of its engines grind as it climbed to altitude and the orange fuselage was hard to miss! The 747 inflamed my passion for commercial aviation. No other airliner has made the impression the the 747 has.
I vividly recall walking home from school in 1970, near Chicago, and seeing this gigantic machine just hanging in the sky. It was almost frightening if it wasn’t so amazing. This was the first 747 to land at O’Hare.
I think the 747-8 will fly for around 35-40 years from now. Of course they can fly much longer but I think there will be efficient planes which will than be used instead.
Not saying your wrong. But they may be freight routes where the fuel cost is offset by an inexpensive plane with a massive payload. If you can run one less flight the fuel numbers work out too. Often and maybe more so with freight the plane with the best fit to the route will make the most money.
no where near 35 to 40 years. Korean airlines will retire their 747-8 in 8-9 years
@@nickolliver3021 - and those will become freighters or go to airline in iran etc.
@@williamhaynes7089 no they won't. Not even freighters
I hope there will be a long haul episode on the history of the Queen of the skies when the last one is in operation. I never got to fly on one. Probably never will now.
It will be a very sad day when the last 747 stops flying. A wonderful plane, that opened the skies to pretty much everyone who wished to explore our beautiful planet.
There are alternatives but it's hard to see any other plane being more loved than the 747.
If it does get delivered in December as recent reports suggest it’ll ironically be a full year after the last A380
Made me tear up 😢
My first 747 flight was on November 1989 from Manchester to Islamabad direct British Airways. I was 11 years old then, flew a few times between British Airways and Pakistan International 1990 on the same route till 1999 The Pia was a 747 200 I think. My favourite Aircraft is the 747 .
Just like I have many different tools in my toolbox for different task, I think there are still niche places for the 747 in particular variants!
Im proud to have been part of this planes history.
I toured the plant a few years ago. Awesome! No passenger 747s were being built, only freighters.
I saw the exact plane while plane spotting ! It was crazy after I learned it was the last one. I saw it around 2-3 weeks ago
These new 747-8Fs will be flying for a long time, but there must be many airframes approaching end of life.
Maybe SF can do a video on what will replace them in 10-20 years for long haul freight ? (given twins are the preferred format for passenger ops)
It's really the end of an era
the 747 lived a good life it will forever be the queen of the skies!!!
52 years and I did B747-400 flights GE CF6 Philippine airlines RB211 524 Cathay Pacific. Usually flies into Newark,NJ from Frankfurt am Main LH402/403.
My 1st 747 was in July 1979 on Iran Air from London to JFK, just 3-4 months before the U.S. Embassy was overrun. We were to have taken Icelandic Air, but the flight was cancelled and we were placed on Iran Air. Still have the boarding pass.
As someone who works with freighters
It’ll be interesting to see what the solution will be to move oversized cargo in the next 30ish years when most of the 747-8 retire
Atlas is in a good position to have these new 747s in their fleet long term
Given the number of cycles these planes are usually good for -- are the freighter variants pressurized? -- I think it's a decent bet we'll see them in the air in the 2050s, at least.
Yes they are pressurised.
Sad day for aviation. No place in world for four engines anymore.
Atlas took the last four. Good luck to them.
And then....
BOOM!
I still remember my first flight on a 747. I was 5 or 6 years old at the time and it was on TWA (Trans World Airlines) from Los Angeles to London. Can't remember if it was a -100 or -200. Since then, I had a handful of flights in the 747. My last 747 flight was from Hong Kong to Bali on Cathay Pacific's 747-400 in 2013.
There is NO aircraft can match the history of this fine aviation marvel...
Which 777s are still being produced other than the 777x ??
Freighters
if production ends will the part supplier stop too or does Boeing and their partners guarantees a set amount of years in stockpile of part to keep these planes well maintained?
The greatest plane in history and it’s not even close period.
What about the new Air Force 1?
It's incredible to think that just 40 years ago this thing was THE plane to buy to expand your airline business. Honestly, it saw off its "closest" competition so convincingly and so dominantly you wouldn't be crazy to wonder why Boeing's competitors had even tried to compete in the first place. The DC-10 was a rushed design that was plagued with design faults and maintenance issues early on in its service life and still didn't have the passenger or cargo capacity of the 747. The L-1011 was far more advanced and far easier to fly... so advanced that the program was plagued by numerous delays and it was exorbitantly expensive to buy and maintain while also having less passenger and cargo capacity than the 747. To put into perspective just how dominant the 747 was, the L-1011 and DC-10 ended production in the 80s. The 747 is only ending production in 2022. People need to remember that this aging anachronism that we see now was once one of the most successful airliner designs in aviation history.
At the same time, people need to also understand that this design was not successful for a long period of time. It's most successful period was in the 80s, the height of four-engine long-haul airliners flying routes based on the hub-and-spoke model. In the mid-80s ETOPS regulations were reinstated and the 747 immediately found itself increasingly obsolete against a new generation of twin-engine widebodies that were more efficient and cheaper to maintain, all while carrying close to a similar cargo and passenger capacity. From 1990 onwards the 747 was gradually losing market share to the Airbus A300 and A330 and Boeing's own 767 and 777.
i was able to see this aircraft during a tour of the Boeing factory. just the wings and part of the fuselage was finished
Sad day that the 747 production is coming to a end.
Sad news indeed but I would guess the very last active 747's could very well be the upcoming delayed presidential VC-25B's...
So what will the future airforce 1 jets use I wonder.
What do they do for the new Air Force One plane?
I came to USA in Boeing 707 and after two decade i flew back home in 747. 747 is like beautiful buxom women,, feminine curve, beautifully painted aircraft was sight to be seen. I will miss this plane.
Is kinda amazing that the 747 outlived the a380 in orders
I wonder if things would have been different if Airbus had not dropped plans for the A380F?
@@MarkUKInsects It only got 27 orders because of how expensive it would’ve been to operate + also the limited number of airports it could serve (a problem also faced by the sole destroyed An-225). Worse than the A330-200F that did make it to production that only got 38 orders
@@MarkUKInsects That was also a colossal failure
A while back I read that the people are Airbus were focused on having the largest plane instead of the projected market for it. Don't take my words on this without confirmation from a creditable source.
But IFF that is true. it is not amazing.
@@danharold3087 It's true, they did prioritize too much on the pride of being bigger and better than the already massive ironic and successful 747 instead of listening to the warnings of the direction of the market and that not many airlines will be able to take advantage of the outdated hub-Spoke model that only Emirates managed to do well at a large scale
My first flight on a 747 was on a KLM combi -400, in 2019. As it turns out it's likely to be the last flight too...
when will we see the new AF1?
I remember Dad taking me to see a big orange aircraft in about 1971-2 I was about ten. Braniff had a new one and dad worked there. DFW airport was new then .
Forty years sounds like a stretch, being something that maybe the military could justify. The only recent military application I know of is the upcoming replacement of "Airforce One". Since the current "Airforce One" dates back to 1990, that suggests that it's replacement would probably be in service for less than 40 years.
The new Air Force 1s will still be flying beyond 2050, almost guaranteed. As far as commercial revenue service (likely for cargo), I expect they will fly until they are no longer profitable or until Hong Kong places restrictions banning 4 engine aircraft. I almost expect Kalitta Air to be the final operator, if Connie can buy some used freighters. They had the last revenue flight of a 747 Classic in 2012, I believe.
Loved the 747 since I first saw it in a movie as a kid, then dad took me to Frankfurt and Schiphol airports to the observation decks where I could see them in real life.
We were on a holiday in Australia at the start of 2020 just before the pandemic hit, and deliberately booked the return flight via Hong Kong to fly Lufthansa to Frankfurt on the 747. Loved it, and was allowed into the cockpit once we were parked up on the ground too.
To me personally, there is nothing more majectic in aviation than seeing a 747 in full land configuration on final approach. It's a shame the production is coming to an end. The fact that they kept producing the 747 for decades gave it a feeling of this being an eternal aircraft.
I am not sure the final 747 will be in service in 30 years from now on. I think the A350 freighter will spell the end of the 747 much sooner than anticipated. The much reduced fuel costs and the phenomenal range of the A350 will quite possibly make the 747 look terrible from an economic point of view and who knows which next generation aircraft will come into the market over the course of the next 10-20 years. Sadly, in a world of rising fuel costs, quad engine aircraft are becoming unattractive.
But until the the 747 has its final flights, I shall look forward to seeing them and I am hoping to treat myself to a holiday in 2025/26 and fly Lufthansa for the 747 one more time. Fingers crossed it works out that way :)
I’m so sad to hear this! Luckily I will fly with Lufthansa 🇩🇪 on their 747-8 soon!
So glad the still fly the Queen!