On Tuesday, US aerospace giant Boeing delivered the last-ever 747, marking the end of the production of one of the most important types in commercial aviation history. The first-ever wide-body airliner, it revolutionised the economics of air travel, changing the sector forever. The 747 made its first flight on February 9, 1969, and made its first revenue flight (from New York to London) on January 21, 1970. The airline that ordered it and was the first to operate it was the once-iconic but now long-gone Pan American World Airways, better known as Pan Am, founded in 1927 but which went under in 1991.

In due course, freighter versions were also developed. Some of these were and are converted airliners, identified by the suffix -BCF (for Boeing Converted Freighter) in their designations (for example, 747-200BCF). But others were built from scratch as freighters (identified by the suffix -F), and in these the nose can be opened and swung upwards to give access to the cargo hold. The very last 747 built is a 747-8F, a dedicated freighter version. The customer is specialist air freight company Atlas Air.

“Atlas Air was founded over 30 years ago with a single 747-200 converted freighter, and since then, we have spanned the globe operating nearly every fleet type of 747, including the Dreamlifter, Boeing’s 747 Large Cargo Freighter, for the transport of 787 Dreamliner parts,” highlighted Atlas Air president and CEO John Dietrich. “We are grateful to Boeing for their shared commitment to safety, quality, innovation and the environment, and for their partnership to ensure the continued success of the 747 programme as we operate the aircraft for decades to come.”

All 747s were produced at a factory built in Everett, in the US State of Washington (not to be confused with Washington DC), specifically for the Jumbo jet programme. Total 747 production came to 1 574 aircraft. The 747-8 is the last and largest version of the Jumbo, being launched in 2005. The passenger version (747-8I), which entered commercial service in June 2012, was not a success, with only 46 being built and sold, but the dedicated freighter version (747-8F), which entered commercial service earlier, in October 2011, was a success, with 109 produced.

Surviving members of the team that designed and built the first ever 747 attended the handover ceremony for the last 747. (The manager of that original 747 design team, Joe Sutter, acclaimed as the ‘Father of the 747’, died in 2016; Sutter was also involved in the design of the final 747-8 model).

“This monumental day is a testament to the generations of Boeing employees who brought to life the airplane that ‘shrank the world’, and revolutionised travel and air cargo as the first widebody,” emphasised Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Stan Deal. “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.”

It is expected that 747s will remain in revenue service for many years, even decades, to come.