As the world bid goodbye to the year 2022 on December 31, the day also marked the end of a glorious era for air transport industry as curtains came down on the production of the iconic aircraft Boeing747 that ruled the air for nearly five decades.
Atlas Air took delivery of the last Boeing 747. As a tribute, the pilot flew a route in the shape of a crown with the numbers 747 in it.
Referred to as the ‘Queen of the Skies,’ the 747 was the world’s first twin-aisle jetliner the US aircraft manufacturer designed and built in 28 months and Pan Am introduced it in 1970. More than 1,500 of these planes have been built in the last five decades and around 450 are still in service.
The first Boeing 747 took off from New York on Jan 22, 1970 and now the final 747 freighter was delivered to Atlas Air on February 1, 2022.
Air India, one of the customers of Boeing 747 tweeted, “Thank you, the Queen of the Skies #Boeing747, for nearly 5 decades of service to us. The @Boeing 747 is an integral part of our glorious past and it will always have a special place in our hearts.”
The world’s first jumbo jet became a workhorse that made air travel more affordable; enabled more people to fly farther, faster and more affordable than ever before.
Mike Lombardi, Boeing’s Senior Corporate Historian, says that 747 democratised flights because of the size and because of its range and economy of the airplane. The 747 provided the blueprint, the groundwork for every airplane that followed.
Atlas Air Worldwide tweeted, “Atlas Air took the final 747 delivery! It’s an honour to be a part of the #Boeing747 legacy and we look forward to flying this Queen for decades to come.”
Actor John Travolta, who has a license to fly the Jumbo Jet, was one of the thousands of aviation enthusiasts to witness the final 747 leave Boeing’s production centre.