The Final 747 Leaves the Assembly Line, Marking the End of an Era

Aerospace and Defense Review | Tuesday, January 03, 2023

An aviation era has come to an end as Boeing's last 747 has taxied out of the Everett, Washington factory, punctuating the jumbo jet's 54-year production run.

FREMONT, CA: The final Boeing 747 has rolled out of the Everett, Washington factory, marking the end of a 54-year production run for the jumbo jet and the beginning of a new era in aviation. After final tests in early 2023, the last aircraft, a 747-8 freighter, will be handed over to the air cargo industry, according to Boeing. Although the 1,574th and final 747 are to be built, the recognisable bulbous profile won't vanish from the sky overnight. The VP and GM for the 747 and 767 programmes are happy that this aircraft will keep travelling the world for a long time.

Although there aren't many 747s left in use as passenger aircraft, they'll probably continue to fly for at least another decade.

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The four-engine behemoth known as the jumbo has been manufactured since 1967, and at 250 feet (76.2 m) from tail to tip, it is the longest commercial aircraft currently in use. The 747 was made expressly for Boeing's Everett Production Facility, which the manufacturer of flying machines claims is the largest production structure in the world. Assembling Boeing 767, 777, and 787 aircraft will now be done on it.

The hump-back shape of the 747, which can accommodate a partial second deck, makes it the most well-known. The 747, which had four engines and a large cargo capacity, was excellent for its day but is now outdated. Airlines are attempting to fly greener these days.

Commercial airlines have generally switched to twin-engine aircraft, making large gas-guzzling jets like the 747 unattractive. Consider the Airbus A380, the last of which was constructed late last year after serving for less than 20 years due to its size and high operating costs.

The A380 was much larger than the 747 and had a second deck that spanned the entire length of the aircraft, increasing its passenger capacity but adding significantly to its weight compared to its Boeing rival. Only 254 A380s were produced; Airbus stated that production would halt in 2019 because of a lack of demand.

The last several years have been difficult for Boeing because of issues like battery fires with the 787 and damaging safety charges following two 737 crashes that claimed more than 500 lives.

The company was previously ordered to forfeit more than USD 2.5 billion to settle fraud allegations regarding the safety of the 737 MAX. It recently reached a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for $200 million regarding allegations that it misled investors about the plane's safety.

Boeing has recently experienced manufacturing issues with its 787 Dreamliner, causing production challenges to postpone the delivery.

In addition, the jet manufacturer is running months behind schedule and over budget on the maintenance of two 747s that will be used to transport the president in Air Force One. The 777X, Boeing's upcoming large passenger aircraft, will be operational in 2025.

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