The Boeing 747 ends its journey and leaves the aircraft manufacturer’s production line

Corean Air Boeing 747-8 passenger aircraft. Boeing photo

The Boeing 747 machine Jumbo And also earned a nickname “Queen of Heaven” Finishes his way. Aircraft maker Boeing has announced the receipt of the latest order for four 747-8 aircraft from Atlas Air, a global cargo operator. The iconic aircraft production line will end its operations and close.

St floor (Stan Deal), CEO of Boeing’s Commercial Aircraft Division, said: ‘Atlas Air began operations 28 years ago with one 747 aircraft and it’s worth getting the latest 747 production aircraft, and making sure the’ Queen of the Sky ‘plays a role Significant in the air cargo market in the coming decades. ”

the website the points guy, Notes that the Boeing 747-8 was first introduced in 2011, as a quieter and more economical version compared to its predecessor 747-400. The fuselage is also larger, allowing for more seats and cargo capacity. Despite the initial success of the 747, the 747-8 version never became a hit among airlines. There are about 140 planes operating around the world, with the majority in the cargo version. Air China, Corian Air andLufthansa They are the only commercial carriers flying the latest version of the 747-8 in a passenger configuration (although most are grounded today due to the plague).

In total, 1,560 aircraft have been manufactured since the jumbo jet was launched more than 50 years ago. When the last four aircraft leave the plant in 2022, the production line will be closed forever. Aviation enthusiasts around the world, will regret the news, even though it’s time for the iconic plane to retire. With the proliferation of wide-body and fuel-efficient aircraft like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787, operating Jumbo 747s no longer makes sense.

Already in the years leading up to the Corona plague, airlines have switched to operating direct long-haul flights using more economical and modern aircraft and only a handful of main routes are in demand for Airbus A350 aircraft and above for each flight. The corona plague has only accelerated the end of the Boeing 747 and analysts estimate that it may be years before demand returns to pre-epidemic levels.

In addition, with a number of international flights at an all-time low, many of the Boeing 747s that have already been manufactured will likely remain grounded for quite some time. For Boeing, 2020 was a difficult year and it delivered only 157 commercial aircraft, compared to 566 of the competing Airbus company. At least the Federal Aviation Administration re-approved, in November 2020, the return of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and allowed the company to resume its most popular aircraft shipments.

British Airways, once the world’s largest operator of 747-400 aircraft, announced in July 2020 that it would stop operating all 28 aircraft remaining by the end of the year.

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