Last ever 747 has left the factory
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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Last ever 747 has left the factory
The last 747 has left the Everett factory ahead of delivery to Atlas Air in early 2023.
The end of 747 production is rather bittersweet for me. I spent a good portion of my career working the 747, and my work on the 747-8/8F was probably the crowning achievement of that career.
It was more than a little frustrating to see the 747-8 be something less than successful (155 built). While I believe there is still a market for the 747-8F, that market is simply too limited to make continued production profitable.
It was more than a little frustrating to see the 747-8 be something less than successful (155 built). While I believe there is still a market for the 747-8F, that market is simply too limited to make continued production profitable.
td, to what extent are airframe bits held as spares for out of production types, say if an operator suddenly needs a wing plank for some reason, can see why it might be a build to order.
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Originally Posted by tdracer
The end of 747 production is rather bittersweet for me. I spent a good portion of my career working the 747, and my work on the 747-8/8F was probably the crowning achievement of that career.
It was more than a little frustrating to see the 747-8 be something less than successful (155 built). While I believe there is still a market for the 747-8F, that market is simply too limited to make continued production profitable.
It was more than a little frustrating to see the 747-8 be something less than successful (155 built). While I believe there is still a market for the 747-8F, that market is simply too limited to make continued production profitable.
These -8F’s have to work for the next 30 years as there is no other nose loading capacity. The AN’s are very old and the C17’s are too limited in paylod and too expensive imo.
Looking back, they closed it too early, now that cargo airlines are healthy and ready to spend again. How long can conventional 777 freighters be ordered and made before the gap until the -8F certification and availability? Second hand 777-300ER might be the future converted freighter of choice.
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Originally Posted by Less Hair
Looking back, they closed it too early, now that cargo airlines are healthy and ready to spend again. How long can conventional 777 freighters be ordered and made before the gap until the -8F certification and availability? Second hand 777-300ER might be the future converted freighter of choice.
I remember the first time I got to fly on one of those: 1974, heading to Tokyo on a red eye out of Honolulu. (Dad was getting assigned to the Far East and brought the family with him ...).
When the 747 was introduced to Dulles Airport, the existing mobile lounges (aka, “people movers”) were unable to mate with the 747’s elevated entry doors so passengers would be deposited half-way up an air stair and had to walk the rest of the way to board, emphasizing the 747’s majestic stance. The eventual solution was to introduce a telescoping mobile lounge that could accommodate both narrow and wide-body aircraft.
In order to get a ride in a B747 (I couldn't afford long haul then) I flew with Pan Am from Brussels to Amsterdam, with an (low speed) aborted take-off thrown in! (It was a minor problem and we got airborne on the 2nd attempt).
Originally Posted by ORAC
The last 747 has left the Everett factory ahead of delivery to Atlas Air in early 2023.
Originally Posted by megan
td, to what extent are airframe bits held as spares for out of production types, say if an operator suddenly needs a wing plank for some reason, can see why it might be a build to order.
Originally Posted by SaulGoodman
Boeing made the decision to close the production line already before covid in order to open up other production lines. I’m sure that if they would have been able to keep it open they would in the current cargo market. Were it not that the suppliers have also changed to work on parts for newer aircraft.
These -8F’s have to work for the next 30 years as there is no other nose loading capacity. The AN’s are very old and the C17’s are too limited in paylod and too expensive imo.
These -8F’s have to work for the next 30 years as there is no other nose loading capacity. The AN’s are very old and the C17’s are too limited in paylod and too expensive imo.
I think Boeing needed to be building 747s at a rate of at least one/month for it to be profitable - and the 747 wasn't there since about 2018 (six/year - which is at best breakeven). The final nail was when the vendor that made the fuselage panels shut down the factory where they made them (the last few years of 747 production have used panels that were 'built ahead' before they shutdown the facility). While Boeing was offered the tooling and such, to continue production would have required a major investment in setting it all in a new facility Boeing couldn't justify the expense - especially with a one/month production rate or less.
Although I do keep hearing about a story I heard when they ended 747-400 production to prepare for the 747-8. It seems Boeing had a bunch of open production slots for the 747-400 prior to the shutdown that they wanted to fill, so they went out and offered a good price on 'last time buy' for 747-400F. Well, the response was overwhelming - reportedly they could have sold many, many more if they'd had production slots. I have to wonder if, now that no more new 747s will be build, freight operators will suddenly wish they'd bought a whole bunch more.
BTW, Boeing did look at a commercial variant to the C-17. Apparently the interest was rather underwhelming, and the costs associated with certifying to Part 25 would have been massive, so the idea was dropped.
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Originally Posted by JRK
All things have to end sooner or later, but we should be happy to see some 8's and some 400F's still grace the skies for at least another decade.
The only airliner that has been in production longer is the Boeing 737.
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OK....
List the airlines that you have personally flown on with 747.
Air Canada
CP Air
Japan Air Lines
EVA Air
Pan Am
TWA
Air France
Royal Air Maroc (747SP)
Aerolineas Argentinas
List the airlines that you have personally flown on with 747.
Air Canada
CP Air
Japan Air Lines
EVA Air
Pan Am
TWA
Air France
Royal Air Maroc (747SP)
Aerolineas Argentinas
Air Canada
WardAir
United Airlines
Lufthansa
British Airways
What was the shortest and longest scheduled 747 flight ?
I am guessing the shortest was Wardair YYJ to YVR 34 nm.
WardAir
United Airlines
Lufthansa
British Airways
What was the shortest and longest scheduled 747 flight ?
I am guessing the shortest was Wardair YYJ to YVR 34 nm.
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Originally Posted by punkalouver
OK....
List the airlines that you have personally flown on with 747.
Air Canada
CP Air
Japan Air Lines
EVA Air
Pan Am
TWA
Air France
Royal Air Maroc (747SP)
Aerolineas Argentinas
List the airlines that you have personally flown on with 747.
Air Canada
CP Air
Japan Air Lines
EVA Air
Pan Am
TWA
Air France
Royal Air Maroc (747SP)
Aerolineas Argentinas
NW
Asiana
NH (Maybe, -400D)
JL
TG
NH
BR
CI
CX
Too young to remember for sure
Pan Am
TWA
