By Fangzhong Guo
Boeing Delivers Last Ever 747 to Atlas Air
On Jan. 31, 2023, Boeing delivered the last Boeing 747 ever built to its owner, Atlas Air. The delivery marks an end to the iconic jet’s 54-year production run at Boeing’s Everett factory, with a total of 1,574 units built. It also marks a real end to an era in aviation regarded by many to be one of the most thrilling.
The final jet is a 747-8 Freighter, registration N863GT. Although the plane represents an important pivotal moment in aviation history, it did not receive much appreciation from its new owner. To the disappointment of the aviation community, the aircraft came out of the paint shop without any reference to its significance or history. Boeing later applied a decal marked Joe Sutter, also known as the father of the 747, to commemorate the moment.
While the delivery meant the shutdown of the 747 production line, it won’t be the last new 747s being delivered. That honor will go to the pair of VC-25s, currently undergoing retrofit to become the future Air Force One presidential aircraft for the U.S. Air Force.
A special decal honoring Joe Sutter, the father of the 747, appears on the nose of the final 747. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
The delivery event was an emotional fair. The aerospace giant invited key customers, factory workers, and retirees who worked the 747. In addition, there were also members from the Boeing family and Sutter family to commemorate their forefather’s involvement in this iconic machine.
The event opened up with flag bearers carrying flags of all past and present 747 operators into the podium. The flags stretch from one end to the other in the 300ft wide 747 bay, signifying how many airline customers have flown the iconic jet. Notably, at the center of the stage were Pan Am and Atlas flags, the first and the last customer of the iconic 747. Charles Trippe, the grandson of Pan Am’s founder Juan Trippe, bore the Pan Am logo. At the same time, the Chief Pilot of Atlas’s 747 fleet carried the freight company’s logo.
Flags of past and present 747 operators stretch through the 747 final assembly bay. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
Airline customers and suppliers are also invited on stage to share monumental moments of their involvement in the 747 program. UPS also took the chance to announce a special decal that will appear on the company’s last 747, delivered a year ago. The manufacturer also invited celebrity pilot John Travolta. “I had to be here in person. As a pilot, I know how great this plane is to fly,” said Travolta, who is licensed to fly the 707, 737, and 747 models.
After taking a trip down memory lane, it was time to deliver the last queen to its new owner. “It is fitting to deliver this final 747-8 Freighter to the largest operator of the 747, Atlas Air, where the ‘Queen’ will continue to inspire and empower innovation in air cargo. We are honored to continue our long history of flying this iconic aircraft for our customers around the world,” said John Dietrich, president, and chief executive officer, of Atlas Air Worldwide.
Atlas Air’s flight plan for the final 747 delivery flight. (Photo: Atlas Air)
The main star of the show was, of course, the last 747 ever built. It was revealed through the hangar door and received the attention of everyone attending the event. Everyone, from customers to employees, raced to the stage to take one last photo with the last 747. It was also sentimental to see the hangar door closing after the event, as if the curtain was closing on the 747 glorious production era.
Employees and guests taking pictures of the final 747. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
However, there were many other stars at the event. The Incredibles, these pioneers were construction workers, mechanics, engineers, secretaries, and administrators. They made aviation history by building the 747 – the largest commercial airplane in the world – in less than 28 months during the late 1960s. They had the chance to share their stories and memorabilia on the 747.
Retired Boeing worker Scott Tompkins sharing stories about his work on the first 747’s passenger payload systems. He was one of the ‘Incredibles’ attending the event. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
The 747 is a four-engined jet aircraft with an iconic second deck in front. Nicknamed the Queen of the Skies, the 747- 100 made its first test flight on February 9, 1969. It was the first airplane with two aisles and marked the first commercial use of the high bypass turbofan engine. It allowed more people to fly farther, faster and more affordable than ever before.
First conceived in the 1960s for Pan-Am, the jet was created in the backdrops of commercial jet transportation, gaining enormous popularity following the Boeing 707. In addition to designing the plane to be larger and more efficient, Boeing also made the 747 adaptable to carry freight in case supersonic jets replace subsonic jets. This design choice moved the cockpit above the main deck, which led to the hump in front. It’s also the critical factor that the 747 family lasted more than half a century.
After a few iterations of the family jet, and several decades of technology advancements, large twin jets have become safer and more efficient, leaving the jumbo jet unpopular among passenger airlines. The latest generation, the 747-8i, only has three airline operators besides a few VIP configurations. However, the raised cockpit design made it popular among cargo operators. It’s one of the few freighter planes capable of carrying oversized freights. The cargo version outsold the passenger version by 59 of the 153 produced.
The last 747 departs with a water canon salute (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Bailey)
Once built for the iconic jumbo jet, the Boeing Everett factory was once the sole home for all its twin-aisle airplanes. However, little is left in the world’s largest building by volume. The Virginia-based company moved all 787 productions to its Charleston, South Carolina factory. The 767 program is producing three planes per month with sunsetting in sight. The popular 777 family’s successor, 777X, is running on limited production until it can deliver the aircraft in at least 2025.
With the exit of 747, the company is sitting on many real estates without a way to generate cash flow. On January 30, 2023, one day before the final 747 delivery, the manufacturer announced that it was adding a 4th 737 production line in the now vacant 787 production space. The latest final assembly will boost the 737 production rate by 25%. In the meantime, the rest of the building will serve as a modification center for reworking the 787s. The rework is expected to extend into late 2024.
Fangzhong grew up near an OEM airport in northeastern China, where he developed his enthusiasm for aviation. Taking upon his passion, he’s now working as an aircraft interior design engineer. Besides working in the aerospace industry, Fangzhong enjoys trying out different types of airplanes and seeing how airplane interiors have evolved. So far, he’s flown on over 80 types of aircraft. He also planespots in his spare time. His rarest catches included the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and AN-225.