What Happened To The Boeing 747?
Boeing’s 747 is one the most recognizable planes to take to the skies with its iconic hump, four engines, extensive landing gear and sheer size. Since its first commercial flight in 1970, Boeing’s 747 jumbo jet has flown more than 3.5 billion passengers. But over the last few decades, airlines have looked for more ways to cut costs and to make airplanes more efficient. Two engine jets can now fly near the same capacity and further than older four engine planes like Boeing’s 747 and the Airbus A380. CNBC visited Boeing's Everett, Washington factory to see the last 747 roll off the production line. It will go to Atlas Air for cargo deliveries.
CNBC takes a look at how the 747 changed aviation and what’s next for Boeing.
Chapters:
2:50 - Development
7:11 - Commercial Service
11:09 - Evolution
13:14 - Decline
16:20 - End of Production
18:33 - The Future
Credits:
Produced by: Erin Black
Additional Camera: Andrew Evers, Katie Tarasov
Supervising Producer: Jeniece Pettitt
Editorial Support: Leslie Josephs
Graphics by: Midnight Snacks, Christina Locopo
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What Happened To The Boeing 747?
I wouldn't call this a "rise and fall" ... the Queen of the Skies reigned for over 60 years, that's an impressive amount of time with hundreds built! So it is quite the success story!
It still does. It's a most popular freighter and I've heard Boeing still make them as freighters, despite what has been reported
100% a success, all of them performed their intended goals for their eras
Yes, more like retirement, not fall.
@Bongani Tshabalala the A380 you mean?
@@mikezerker6925the a380 just came out and is already being retired
Even though most people have seen a 747, people will still take pictures as we taxi into a lot of airports around the world... I doubt many pilots have that same experience! She's iconic.
Heyyyy you must be a pilot! wheres your avaitors Kels? i almost didnt realise your status mate! Will you ever fly into Brisbane? Id love to wave to you as you land mate!
i saw this video’s title and the first person that came to my mind was you :)
I still love seeing it, it looks so gorgeous, though I only flew on one once as a child. These days transatlantic are using 2 engine long distance ones. I am jealous you get to the fly it
You are a fortunate man to be privileged with flying such a magnificent bird!
Kels, you ever go to Honolulu?
The Concorde had a rise and a fall. The 747 had a glorious career!
The Concorde didn't fall,it was killed.
@@denisbegaj5970 how so?
@@lordsiomai it was ahead of it s time
@@lordsiomaitoo expensive, which meant not enough people would be able to afford the fares for them to justify the other issues. Can it be feasibly done now? I don't know.
That is an absurd statement. And the 747 certainly had its falls too. The Concorde was in a different league. It's like comparing a Ferrari to a Cadillac or a Jaguar.
Yup, I was a 74 captain for 25 years, all models. I can’t help but think almost each day how lucky I have been to fly all around the world with the Queen of the Skies. She was elegant, sturdy, safe and fast and oh boy, she could deliver an inner sense of pride and accomplishment !
She ain’t done yet.
Lies again? FNB Money Bus Driver
Safe?🗿💀
including the 747SP?
Problem is Speed .Neo is Slower than 30 years ago
Magical aircraft. My late dad flew her with German Cargo on his last assignment and was in his element in the cockpit. I can still vividly remember him taking me to Chicago on a 74. All the way across the Atlantic. Just me, dad and his two fellow crewmen...imagine that...
That’s an awesome memory to have!
Yes Mike, it was. Incredible.
Lucky you
What was the purpose of that flight?
Beautiful!
Aw, an icon finally takes a bow and goes down to into history. Legandary as she is, she will never be forgotten, her shape, her size and her service through billion of passengers that she carried all this years. Thank you.
When I was a kid in the early 80s, my dad who worked for the DOD took me to see the Space shuttle Columbia while it was mounted on top of a 747. It was parked on a tarmac away from the passenger jets outside of the Lambert airport in St. Louis, where fighter jets were parked and maintained, etc. With his DOD badge, we sped by the military guard and drove right up to the 747. As we got of our '78 Mercury, I remember how excited my dad and I were to see the space shuttle in person, but as I began to walk underneath the 747 I became more interested in the plane. I was amazed by how huge this plane was. The landing gear was massive, with tires taller than me and engines that looked as big as a car. Forty plus years later I still remember this like it was yesterday. What an era and experience to remember. No way this would be possible in today's time. Going to miss seeing this beautiful work of flying art... Thanks for the memories, Dad! Miss ya! RIP
I used to work for a company that had access to 747 cargo planes. We all would take coffee breaks in the cockpit as possible. The 747 is magic. Even more interesting is one of my friends dad was one of the first batch of 747 captains. Also the 747s crews were the best of the best.
Hi
We all loved the silly joke about the hump was there so the pilots could sit on their wallets. But I agree, that the pilots were super-well trained and had the best aircraft in the skies to hone their skills. My closest school friend flew the 747 for many years before migrating to the 777.
Obviously you wern't pan am. Pam Am employees has orgys in the bubble.
Did u work for ups? Cargolux?
Props to the guy who had an idea to make the freighter version of 747. Without it, there would be way less 747 flying in the skies now
I have flown over 3 million miles on a 747 going back to the early 80's. Mainly the USA and Asia, Europe, Australia. The irony is that my first job out of college was working in the 747 factory in Everett 2 years before my first 747 flight. I've flown on almost every version including a combi and an SP. I've flown in every class including the upper deck which was my favorite. Thank you Boeing 747,
There was a SP in Hamilton. It was flown to Arizona to its new owner and to be fixed up. Wonder if that thing is still around.
What is an SP?
@@gert-janbonnema Special Performance. It was shortened and could go further without refuelling. But it carried a lot fewer passengers.
You are high rolla😎
Try not to begin every sentence wth "I"
My uncle was the facility maintence supervisor for northwest airlines at one time. He took me into the hanger in Duluth, MN, and they had been restoring two 747’s. They had the glass cockpit installed but the fuselage was an empty shell. Got to sit in the pilots seat and fondle anything I wanted in that plane. It was incredible. Uncle threw me up inside one of the engines and we took a picture together inside the jet engine. Still have it framed 30 years later.
Wow, that's really cool 😌
Fondle?
Great story. I love the 47. The last time I flew on one was when I flew back from Australia. It is hard to believe any plane can fly from Sydney to San Francisco nonstop. But the 747 could.
Uncle Hershel's soap 🧼
@@pooryorick831 If you find that hard to believe, there are planes now that are flying from Houston to Sydney nonstop. Over 1000 miles further than the distance from Sydney - SF!
My most memorable 747 flight was from Montreal to Amsterdam. There was a bad thunderstorm in Montreal and we were one hour late on our departure. The flight attendants were adamant that we would not put anything other than just overcoats or other soft items in the overhead storage. People were unhappy about all the luggage that had to go under the seats, occupying all the accustomed foot space. But what else could we do. Like said, the crew was adamant. So, we took off and my seat was far back, where the plane started getting narrow. In fact, I had a straight view along the right isle all the way to the very front. And then it happened, we flew right through the remainder of the storm. Looking at the isle, I saw what felt like 15 degree twist left and right. Probably it was less -- I said it felt like that much. Anyway, about half of the overhead storage doors popped open and the coats dropped down. I think not many passengers were unhappy any more that there were no hard pieces of luggage up there. Well, the frightening experience lasted some 5 or 10 minutes. And the rest of the flight was smooth. But I keep my memory of the big 747 twisting that way.
I also made a trip in a 747 from Montreal to Vancouver, it was before september 2001 and I got to spend about half an hour in the cockpit with the pilots and had the best view over the snowy peaks of the rockies, the windows allow you to see below you, just breathtaking
Good story
@@George.Andrews. - ...and well told! 😀
Sometimes will happen we don’t expect by 😢very much but we all need the toilet and right behind the cockpit we have a toilet I needed the toilet and then we got in a air hole so long time that I was thinking we don’t stop before we are all the way down we dropped 800 meters free fall i stud and got almost airborne in the toilet and when we got air again over the wings and I went out and I had never seen anything like that all coffee ☕️ cups and food was all over top sealing and passenger was chock 😅
The end for now, however but how much does a boing with full fuel ⛽️ and cargo and 400 passengers 200000 liters is filled In Copenhagen and with 1012 millibar truly and we can fill 200 tons fuel in danmark but when we need to take of in Bank convoluted can we only have 180,000 liters why?because we normally have 1012 bar to press down the fuel ⛽️ but in bk the weather doesn’t have so much pressure like maybe 8010 bar pressure so we can’t have more fuel and the distance must we safe on the home flight ✈️ 😊
This is about "Evolution of the Market," not a "Fall" of the B747. She served her purpose and helped usher in the age we are now if even if she precepted her own obsolescence. Loved flying the 747 - especially the -400 and, more recently, the -8. Always a fantastic ride.
She fell bro she’s obsolete thats how it works grandpa
She fell bro she’s obsolete thats how it works grandpa
Best plane ever built. My father flew for Pan Am for 37 years. He loved his job and loved the 747. Thanks great tribute. Glad they mentioned PanAm that's why we had the 707 and 747.
I’m a bit sad that in 1977 that the 2nd ever built 747. More specifically the Boeing 747-100 registered N747PA. Flying as Pan Am 1736 Was involved in an accident with KLM 4805 another Boeing 747 specifically the 747-200. I’m unsure about the registration but definitely under Dutch registration. Both planes were a write off. I’m likely aware you may know this accident but I thought I would mention it.
I never flew Pan Am and I miss it.
not sure what you mean by "best", if you consider environmental impact, cost efficiency, range and capacity, it has got to be the a350
You might want to read the comment I just posted, disparaging Pan Am's dismal service. The plane was great. But Pan Am's service was terrible.
@@gregparrott If Pan American World Airways service was ‘dismal’ as you state , then why have todays best international carriers Emirates , Qatar , Singapore Airlines modeled themselves on the “Worlds Greatest Airline” R.E.G. Davies ??
I retired in 2016. I flew several iterations of the 747 twenty two years. I loved every minute of it.
did you fly the A380 too?
@@spezi_korn2019 No.
I can barely drive a car, let alone a plane! Lol Much respect for you and the services you provided! :)
do you know the name of the airline at 17:00 the one between ana and asiana?
@@blablabla4316 Mandarin Airlines
I remember as a child flying on 747s during family vacations. The comfy seats and real soft landings. Definitely a far cry from today's airline experiences.
747 is legend. Planes will come and go but 747 will forever remain most iconic plane ever built.
In '73 I flew United from JFK to SFO, I made reservations on the flight just because it was scheduled to go as a 747. It was a repositioning flight for the airplane, there weren't more than 30 passengers on board. The flight crew was so accommodating, I got to tour the entire aircraft during our flight. It was a grand experience of one grand aircraft.
I had the same experience, in the opposite direction: SFO ->JFK, a TWA red-eye flight with more crew than passengers. We all gathered at the bar and had a great time - I'm sure the attendants, who were delighted to have no workload to speak of, broke more than a few rules on that flight. They enjoyed an enviable lifestyle (from my 23-year-old point of view) in the mid-'70s.
I do envy you Sir.
I have flown on the 747 numerous times. When I was active duty military, the charter airlines would sometimes deploy these for overseas flights from the US. I felt like I was riding a ship in the sky. My best experience was on an Air France 747-400 from Atlanta to Paris. Besides the awesome service, the aircraft felt like butter in the air. It is such a beautiful aircraft!!! I've worked on National and Atlas cargo 747s for years. Highly efficient jets. Definitely gonna miss flying them.
Thank you for your service. I too have flown in this beautiful jet many times, as civilian , but would have loved a chance to fly on one of those charters!
Hi there, I need to learn from you🥺
I concur with you, from my limited experience a 747-400 did feel like a ship. Always very smooth.
You said on another video that you work at McDonald's, ranting about minimum wage. Which is it?
@@igisanchez265 yeah. Wrong guy, buddy! Lol!!!!
My father was a Flight Engineer for the 747 for 36 years. There's a small bunk bed in there for staff to sleep in for long hauls. I've sat in the cockpit over a few dozen times during take offs and landings.
Ohh you scared me, I thought you meant you slept in the cockpit
I still remember my first 747 flight. South African Airways from Johannesburg to London Heathrow. I was an unaccompanied minor, flying to visit the UK at the age of 7. I was in awe of the double isles, how long the wings were and how smooth the plane was. I flew this route many times over, but never got over that initial fascination when I stepped on the 747 for the first time. What a lucky experience!
I flew 747s several times when living in Hawaii and flying to the East Coast. Take offs were smooth and powerful - impossible to lift my head from rest until it had climbed in altitude. Landings were smooth. Their were bars throughout the plane where (and when) passengers could stand and chat with others. Unlike today's flights, seats were comfortable and plenty of legroom. Food was delicious and free! First Class was "upstairs". I miss the glory of 747s...nothing like it since.
I wish I could have flown it. But it probably would have costed so much and I didn’t know about it at the time
@@nhjhbvfggfvcf8508 it was regular fare and didn't cost any more than other airlines.
@@musicinggp Dayum
@@nhjhbvfggfvcf8508 you still can. worth saving up for and taking a trip on one. I know I will, in the coming years.
It isnt "free food" you dummy, you paid to be on the plane.
I remember when this plane came out when I was a kid. It STILL is the most beautiful plane out there. I was glad I got to fly on one by accident because another flight got cancelled.
by luck
I was a kid when this aircraft was introduced and was lucky to see it take off and land throughout the day when the pilots did actual manual training before sim was available . Never got tired of it. I've seen it up close while it was parking and it was like a giant bearing down . In the air at more than 30k feet going to London it was smooth as silk and touchdown was a caress. It is more like an emperor with the sky its realm. Certainly wrong to term it a fall; more like a gradual phase out . Long live !
A similar experience could be had at Shannon Airport where 747 aircrew would practice take offs and landings in comfort because Shannon is not too busy at the present time. The National flag carrier, Aer Lingus, no longer flies the 747 because it is more economical to fly twins, mostly from Dublin to the US. Shannon only has a very limited service now since the government mandated stop-over was got rid of. I was lucky to have at least 8 flights in this type and enjoyed every minute of those flights.
As someone born in the 1970s, the Boeing 747-400 represented the apex of all the airplanes that I know of. The model name comes naturally with an impression of importance, grandeur, and safety. Somehow I felt more relaxed if I was in a 747-400. Kind sentimental to see it’s becoming part of the passing history too.
right? because we were introduced to the world of 'big planes" through the 747, all the movies the stories are 747, and it was THE plane to carry heavy things, like the Space shuttle.
yeah, remember 747 non-stop flight from nz to hk, as kid.
My first trip on an airplane was in 1979. I flew out to LAX from JFK with my grandma and the flight out to LAX was a 747. I remember looking out the window at the gate in awe of that jet. I also remember walking past the spiral stair case on my way to the coach section of the plane. I got to fly on the 747 quite a few times as an adult but I will never forget the first time I got to fly on that plane.
When I took my first European trip I was excited to see it was a 747. Such a iconic plane I always wanted to travel on.
My grandparents would always fly Lufthansa when they lived in Germany. From what they told me they had a great fleet of 747s
@@penskepc2374 Still do.
I am a retired LA City employee after 36 years of service. I worked as a gardener for LA city near LAX. I first saw a Continental Airlines 747 in 1970 taking off from LAX. I just stood in awe as SHE was "getting out of dodge" if you know what I I mean. Then in 1979, I flew on a PAN AM 747 from LAX to New York JFK. Maaaan, she was huge and during the flight I was ALL over HER and I could not stay seated. None of the flight attendants was on me about keeping my seat. I had never been on anything so huge and so beautiful. And with as many of other passenger jets I have flown on(mostly all of them), that flight on the PAN AM is my most memorable one. Times change and it really breaks my heart to see HER leave us. She WILL forever be the QUEEN OF THE SKIES. I sit here @ my computer for hours and hours watching the videos of the 747 taking off and landing and continuing to move passengers to and fro. Thank You Mr. Boeing. Keep building the best planes.
I’m sad that they discontinued 747. 😢😢. It was the best plane ever, and the best landing. The touchdown was so smooth, it’s magical.
They will be forced to return it back
It's an aircraft you have to see in person to fully understand just how massive and beautiful it is. Sad to hear this news of no more production.
Planes come and go. Technology keeps changing. More and more airlines are moving towards twin engine planes. Even Airbus had this problem with the gorgeous A340. I was glad to fly one of those before the A330 rendered it obsolete overnight. Soon airlines were canceling their orders and asking Airbus to make more A330s as well as the A300NEO. According to some aviation business analysts, the A300NEO may have been the catalyst that led to the LionAir tragedy. Boeing was in panic mode when the NEO got its first customer so they rushed out a modified 737 with much larger engines and called it the 737MAX. They didn't bother telling the customers that the plane had a deadly flaw in its software called MCAS. This was blamed on not one but TWO crashes that tragically killed all aboard and led to a massive investigation which led to Boeing's reputation being permanently stained. It was so controversial that the suffix MAX isn't even used on new Boeing planes any more because hearing it angers people so much. Just tragic. I still cannot believe how many lives were lost because of one tiny flaw in the software...
The 747 is an icon. The queen of the skies. She’ll always have a special place in our hearts as plane enthusiasts. The 747 blazed a path for the next generation of wide-body
😅
MY first and only trip on a 747 was from SFO to Ohare (Ord) December of 1972 with TWA. I skipped a 707 flight just to fly on a Jumbo. I will never forget it. We came into O' hare and there was a backup of 747s waiting to dock. It was fantastic!! We waited 45 minutes to disembark.. I don't think anyone minded. I love the 747!!
The most inspiring part of this story other than Boeing’s sheer confidence during development, is Capt. Lynn Rippelmeyer’s segment. You go girl, what a brave woman! 😊
I absolutely LOVED her interview!!!!! 😺💕🐾
The rise and fall? She may have finally gone out of production, but the Queen never fell. She had but one actual competitor (the A380) and watched her come and go. The A380s will be long retired when the last 747 makes its final flight decades from now. Even then she will live on as one of the legendary aircraft of all times. Long live the Queen.
Correct!
747-8 didn't sell, that's the fall
Should be the legacy of the 747 Queen of the skies
Don't think so. If you think the A380 will be retire first and then747 will continue, I must say it's more of an American poverty than the t4uth.
My cousin was a 747 pilot for Delta. On his retirement flight, he flew Delta's last 747 which was retired after that flight.
So did he get to keep the plane?
@@pushslice I cant tell if you are joking or serious
@@pushslice he kept both wings
I flew that aircraft from the beginning at Pan Am then again at DeltaI took the first Delta 747 to Tokyo after so many years. It was like riding a bicycle..you never forget.. I loved that airplane❤ Valerie Matei
We all got pieces of the plane cut to look like puzzle pieces…pretty cool
I'm so glad that I had the opportunities to fly on the 747---always a smooth and comfortable experience.
I went to Germany from Minneapolis on a 747. I specifically remember taking off and watching the plane's wing starting to lift as we were taxing down the runway an thinking Ok, at any moment the rest of the plane should follow suit. It quickly did. It was the best quality flight the entire way.
Wonderful memory! I used to fly out of Minneapolis to Tokyo and back on the 747 every summer as a child. Sometimes in both the lower and upper deck First Class thanks to a family friend who worked at NWA at the time. Fabulous experience and memories. The most memorable probably being flying right through a typhoon out to Tokyo and being in the lower first class, right at the nose. I certainly miss seeing the regular NWA/Delta 747's at MSP, but we still get regular UPS 747 freighters coming in :-)
Sounds like a Northwest flight.
The 747 is an icon. The queen of the skies. She’ll always have a special place in our hearts as plane enthusiasts. The 747 blazed a path for the next generation of wide-body aircraft to innovate. I’m excited and interested to see what Airbus and Boeing will do in my lifetime, especially with COMAC entering the market.
Exactly the 747 Connected Australia, (my country) with the world. The 747 is essentially the penultimate toyota landcruiser of the sky, she was built and is still improved on until im guessing the very last one graces our skies. Shes a lot noisier than say the new dreamliner, but if i ahd a choice id go 747 over a dreamliner anyday.
@@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi - penultimate means second to last. What to YOU believe it means?
747 to me represents the brilliant minds and leadership that made her into existence, power of human ingenuity and creativity
The 747 is the most beautiful commercial aircraft ever designed. They really do define the skies. It is great to see them in use as freighters today and hopefully decades to come.
Nope never
My first international flight from South Africa to New York was on a 747 when I was just 7 years old. One of the fondest memories of my childhood. I was so amazed at the sheer size of her and that iconic hump. I remember wishing me and my sister would sit on the top deck, didn't understand the differences in classes. She's truly the queen of the skies❤❤
My Dad was a Manager at United in the 70's and 80's. We flew on the 747 at least 5 times! It was an epic event each time!
Back in the late 60's, my grandfather was an engineer at Boeing. He was so proud of being a part of the 747 development team. He used to tell me stories about certain tests that the 747 had to go through. For example, he told me about the wing flex testing as well as measuring heat buildup in the brakes during a hard stop. He was especially proud of the design of the landing gear. He and my grandma lived on Whidbey Island. They had a small ranch there with a few cows. He built a go-cart for us to drive around the property. It was powered by a chainsaw motor. Whenever something broke, he would stay up late at night and re-engineer it so the go-cart would be ready to go the next morning.
I recall as a child watching the very 1st 747 do its madden test flight on television. I heard the loud sound of its jet engines; I ran outside and looked up as she flew over our house at low altitude, my gosh id never seen anything so large in the skys before. I fell in love with that aircraft at that moment!
My first time flying the upper deck was something I never have forgotten… after dozens of journeys across the Atlantic and Pacific from the 747-100 to the 747-400 I’ll never forget the magical experience that came with it, I’ll surely miss her.
She'll be in operation for decades to come, so probably don't need to miss her just yet.
i flew on british airways on a 747 in december of 2019 mainly so i could fly on one before they were phased out, little did i know about covid which would put them out almost right after :( they’re such amazing planes
As soon as they started with that Covid nonsense I knew BA would phase them out almost immediately and they did. They had 31 in service when they scrapped them. Outrageous.
As a recent retired flight attendant I always loved flying on many 747 planes ✈️ they were so iconic and the pilots were so professional they could land them like glass I miss flying on them
Fresh out of the Army in March of 1975, I began my aviation career with Cargolux Airlines in Luxembourg. (Using my GI benefits I soon earned my FAA Dispatcher certification.) Working in Flight Ops, I was used to dispatching the 4 CL44 and 2 DC8 freighters at a time when all flight planning was done by hand. Rapid growth meant that Cargolux eventually ordered 2 B747-200 freighters. Having attended the B747 dispatch school at Boeing headquarters in late 1978, I knew there was something very special about this aircraft. So did management. Cargolux now operates a fleet of 30 B747s serving customers around the world.
I was 3 and half when my family and I immigrated from India to the USA, it was on a 747. I remember it being big. This was in 1974. It will always hold a special place in my heart.
USA > India 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
me too, from europe. i was 7. our seats were broken and the only extra seats were upstairs first class. best flight ever! and we had nothing at the time.
There is no "fall" of the 747, she is and will always be the Queen of the skies.
My wife and I were lucky enough to be upgraded to 1st class on a Air France 747 from Paris to New York City in being a commercial rated pilot it was a dream come true!
In 1975 I flew in a 747 from San Francisco to Oahu. Nothing compared to it. It was like a huge butterfly in the sky. Unfortunately for United Airlines it was less then half full. Talking with a stewardess the flight only made money because of the added cargo it was able to carry. The 747 consumed 500 gallons of fuel per hour according to the stewardess. When it touched down I could see but not feel it landing. Smooth is the best word to describe the jet on take-off, flight, and landing.
try more like 4,500 gallons per hour
I also flew the same route on a 747 in 1975 - I was 6 years old. Still thought it was cool to be on a plane like that.
I dont think the 747 failed in these modern times It paved the way to our airline industry. Its contributions alone outweigh its shortcomings. So yeah this plane will forever be the queen of the skies
I was at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) the day the first 747 arrived. Awesome. I later worked for Singapore Airlines (SQ) for 8 years at LHR and my heart was always pumping when I saw our SQ 747 take off. Bootiful aircraft and the real Queen of the Skys.
My grandfather learned to fly in a stearman biplane and retired flying the 747. He was born in the 20’s and went from flying a fully analogue, unpressurized Douglas C-47 over the Hump to a mechanized, computer-filled, jet-powered, fly-by-wire beast internationally for Pan Am. I envy that man’s career.
I remember seeing a 747 for the first time at Heathrow airport London , I was flying Pan am to Hong Kong , the first thing to appear was the rear tail fin behind a building like a shark fin in the sea , then the nose appeared ..it was magnificent just amazing, my first thought after being seated was how it would get off the ground , I looked around and thought you could play football inside here..such a smooth plane... A 747 was just a special plane .
indeed
When I graduated as an engineer in 1996, my first job was with Boeing. My first flight on the 747 was from London to Los Angeles at the hump. What a beauty. At the time, British Airways still preserved a high level of service, which made the experience delightful.
My first flight on a 47 was in 1970 with Japan Air lines from San Francisco to Tokyo. The attention to detail back then was unimaginable in todays world. I felt like royalty. Now I would rather take the Greyhound than an airplane. LOL I spent over 50 years in the aviation industry, and the aircraft I loved to fly in most were the DC-3, The 707. and the 747. Three of the most iconic aircraft in aviation history.
@@Dave-ty2qp Above all, it has always been a symbol of American inventiveness and business savviness. As to the service, my experience was good, but I am sure you experienced it at its apex.
I honestly haven't seen one in like 20 years. But I think a new twin-engine concept can work today. Nothing beats its freight capability, military and civil.
It's crazy to think that finally after 50 YEARS they finally stopped making her, truly a sad day for the aviation world. Godspeed Queen of the Skies, you will fly for an eternity in our hearts.
It's not a Fall for 747, its Glorious Ending....
I flew the 747 since infancy while traveling to Hong Kong. It was always a given that I'll be on a 747. But in 2001, a new 777-200 from Continental flew me to Tokyo from IAH Houston and I was so impressed that a 2 engine jet could do the 747's job. I was impressed but at the same time a little sad that the trusty 747 that's always been synonymous with long haul travel was now losing its glory, 22 years ago. I was thinking to myself then that the 747 is quickly becoming an outdated aircraft as much I loved it. Going forward after my first 777 flight in 2001 I was able to catch a few 747-400s, which I thought then would last for many years to come but, sadly less than a decade after those flights, the 747-400s were quickly being replaced by many airlines. My last ever 747 flight was on a United 747-400 from SFO-HKG in late 2016. It was time I wished could last a little more longer. Now as of 2023, I don't think I'll ever catch a 747 again. Well, if there any airlines or even freighters that are flying the 747 for "decades to come" I'd hope every 747 owner would completely retire the airplane on its 100th anniversary since its first flight on February 9, 2069! That would be the GREATEST 747 farewell ever!
Retirement at 100 would be epic! Another aircraft that may actually reach that milestone is the B-52
Travel on Lufthansa if you want to catch a 747. From LAX, Chicago, Houston.
Power, style, function: the 747 will always be Queen of the Skies ! Others may be bigger, but no plane can equal the legendary 747. I'm crushed that the last 747 has left the building. PETITION BOEING TO KEEP MAKING THESE PLEASE !
Having worked for an international airline in marketing and sales, I had the pleasure of flying our fleet of Boeing747 for almost a decade (80's) in their business class which was on the same upper deck as the cockpit. The plane was a delight to be a passenger with wide leather bound seats, especially on long range flights 14-16 hours. The staircase to the upper deck was especially grand as in a cruise ship. I still miss the wonderful flights on those magnificent aircrafts.
To an ordinary flier, I am proud to say that I flown once from Manila to Davao via Philippine Airlines in 2012. And the experienced was superb, I haven't feel any turbulence during the entire flight. It was fantastic! The sad thing, when I came back to Manila - the Davao to Manila flight operated by A321 aircraft. But I was grateful to experienced it.
It was probably in 2012 that I also flew Manila to Davao. Funny thing was I just walked into the ticket office at NAIA and asked what flights would cost to various places. They had a Manila/Davao flight for 1000p leaving in 2 hours so I booked it. Much to my surprise, it was a 747 (I was accustomed to much smaller planes when flying domestic in the Philippines). To my greater surprise, I was seated in the top level business section. I think the flight was only 90 minutes and that was the worst part of the experience…we had to land…I wished I could have spent many more hours in that seat.
What still amazes me is that it's the only airplane able to put cities, airlines, and airports on the map. It raised the profile of every place and everything it went to.
My all time favourite aeroplane is The Boeing 747-400. ❤️ The most beautiful aeroplane ever. 🥰
I fly the 74-8 for a cargo operator and I have many hours starting in the odd ball 74-1 and the 74-2 and the 74-4. It has been a very safe air frame for myself to make a living since 1992. The airline business has had many ups and downs but I feel like a survivor and the govt. will clip my wings long before the last 74 leaves the sky
No matter what, she'll always be the Queen of the Skies.
I'm a Proud Incredible. Part of the Multiple Award Winning 747 E-4440 final assembly crew, that went 2 1/2 years on a 3 day cycle, at 100%. Not a single traveler in all that time. We could have done it in 2 days 🤗 But we were pretty much 100% all the time. It was Fun !!! Best Aircraft Ever. ...no bias 😏
Flew in first class because of work from LAX to JFK several times on QANTAS 747's. It was such a treat, and luxury that I never took for granted. Miss those days.
My first flight from Delhi to Mumbai back in 2012 was in in an Air India 747. At that time I didnt knew what the aircraft was, but now I know and I feel proud and happy to have flown in the Queen of the Skies.
My first flight in a 747 was also with air India, probably in 96 or 97. I remember being in awe of the sheer size of the aircraft.
I started my career as an Air traffic controller in control tower at Karachi International Airport . Those days Clipper 1 & 2 were flying all around the world. B747 had the Majestic takeover and landing . It could land using short part of runway. Even in case of immediate takeoff the aircraft was borne before our estimation. I still missed those graceful takeoff and majestic landing. It is life . New innovation takes place . Now I am a retired aeronautical engineer.
747s were “LOUD” back in the day. When they flew out of Paine Field they flew directly over my high school.
Flown on every Boeing aircraft class and the 747 is by far my favorite! Beautiful aircraft and will always be the Queen of the skies.
My first international flight was in 1992 on a Qantas 747 bound for LA. I was upgraded to business class and sat up in the hump, it opened up the world to me
A few more points: 1. The 747 was in good part recycled from rejected plans for a USAF super transport; Lockheed won that with the C5A. The 747 also helped stop plans for a stretched 707. 2. For many 747 customers, it was their first-ever Boeing aircraft, many of those were previously (McDonnell)-Douglas or Lockheed loyalists. Those airlines later bought other Boeing models, and of course Boeing absorbed McD-D in 1997. 3. Many of the "big twins" were not only 2-engine, but also 2-crew. The first victims of that trend were 3-crew trijets and quadjets like 707, 727, DC-8, DC-10, L-1011 - and older 747s. They were already losing favor well before 9/11, which sped up the retirements of those types. 4. In the list of 747 crashes, the March 29, 1977 ground collision at Tenerife wasn't mentioned. Two 747s, Pan Am and KLM, collided on the ground, killing 583. The KLM captain - their chief instructor, no less - had started his takeoff roll without clearance, though there were many other contributing factors - starting with neither plane was even supposed to be at Tenerife in the first place.
as a ground staff... it really is a great experience to service this plane. its awesome especially the freighter versions. its mind blowing just how much weight this thing can carry and how on earth its able to fly being that heavy.
A timely doco'. Thank you folks for the snapshot history. I have only flown on the 747 a couple of times during my 72 years, but - among the thousands watching this looming giant approach Auckland airport on its inaugural flight to New Zealand to a perfect touchdown in just a few hundred metres was astounding! It is imprinted on my memory for ever.
I’m not really an aviation geek but can appreciate the 747 for its distinctive design. I also happened to have gotten randomly assigned a license plate that ends in “00747,” and I took the chance to take a picture of my car (license in view) with the 747 prototype (at the Museum of Flight in Seattle) in the background. I get giddy looking at that picture.
You should become an aviation geek
I don't remember any 747 doors flying out of the air. As a lifelong Seattleite and a son of a "Boeinger", it's been sad to see this company lose its roots and quality. Condit was the beginning of the end.
"We can do amazing things!" I'll definitely agree with that, this airplane shows it very well. What I love about it is that despite its size it still flies amazingly well; not as heavy as you might think. It's obvious drawback is that it's clearly not economical at all with 4 engines.
Interesting that Tenerife wasn't mentioned as a memorable disaster with the 747. Two 747 crashed into each other on the foggy runway. I've only been on a 747 a couple times, and each time was a great memory.
True.
Good point
Tenerife! What a tragedy it was!
I'm glad they didn't mention it. Talking about a bombing and a potential missile strike was bad enough. Most of these tragedies were not a design flaw, but human interference.
It's 100% human error though. Doesn't make sense to put it here.
I made a 13-hr flight from San Francisco to Tokyo on a JAL 747 in 1983. I had flown back to the States on a C-5, accompanied by 40 drunk Marines, so my pregnant self was very appreciative of the space and whisper-smooth ride of the Queen of the Skies.
I Flew from South Korea to Atlanta on a 747 ! Best plane ride ever !
It's not "....the fall of the 747" but the graceful exit of the 747 ❤❤😊
747 still flies across the world ,may not fly passengers but it still grace the sky with its beauty ,this clip should be titled the indelible life of 'The queen of the sky"
I saw the very 1st 747 flight and still remember it for it being so big. Forward 10 years and I was an engineer for the 747. It was interesting to look through all the different studies that had been done on how to vary it’s design for different uses.
To me, the 747 is the most beautiful airliner ever built. So elegant and refined despite its size and power.
I am so grateful to have ridden this beauty. When I was little between the years 2002- until about 2010, we went from Sweden to Bangkok in a 747 every year. The last time I went on it was in 2020 (probably the last time :(.... Then it was a 747a extra inserted between bangkok-Phuket, I called up upgraded to Business class immediately I saw it was a 747a. An old beautiful classic plane a this once. Rest in peace
She will always be the Queen of the skies.Such an iconic aircraft might be succeeded,but never replaced (in our harts,at least)...
I flew on one of the earliest Pan Am trips from Heathrow to Dulles in the summer of 1970 in first class. That sky lounge was a incredible upgrade. The entire 747 was an iconic, majestic beauty!
Amazing airplane deserves to be on display for all eternity. What a peice of history.
I have flown on the 747 once in my life, way back in 1978 with Air India from London Heathrow to JFK, and to this day, it's still my favorite plane ever!!!
In my opinion, what killed the 747, overall, was when the United States Federal Aviation Administration gave the green light for twin engine jets to fly trans-Atlantic. Prior to that, only triple and quadruple engine jets were permitted.
The more accurate version is that engine and overall technology advanced enough that ETOPS was possible.
@@johniii8147, exactly. I thought that might have lost people if I mentioned. Nevertheless, you are exactly right.
There will never be another plane like 747 it was iconic.
Airbus A380 It's an absolute beast
I flew the 747-400 many times between LAX and AMS over the last 20 years.... KLM, the one seen in the opening of this video.... I have always been amazed how massive this plane is, and how smooth it flies and lands..... Last time I flew one was in September 2019 on a trip back to The Netherlands from California, where I live. I already knew then that this would likely be the last time, as they had announced its retirement in 2021, and with me flying between LAX and AMS about every 2 to 3 years, I figured I wasn't going to fly it another time. Then, the pandemic hit, and they were retired early in 2020. And indeed, on my next trip back to NL, the 777-200/300 were the preferred types to fly the AMS-LAX route. They also have 787-9's flying that route now. But yeah, I have fond memories of the KL601/602 flight between LAX and AMS. I think I flew the 747 five times, and it was always an experience. It has been my favorite plane since. Never ever made it to the top deck though.
Flew from MEX-AMS with KLM in 2005 or so. Will never forget the feeling of taking off… so slow and smooth…
My first flight to Japan was in a 747 of Lufthansa. Its just a magic plane.
I saw the first B747 arrival at LHR as I was departing as a pax on a B707 to SIN. Never thought years later I would log 5K hours in command of the B747-400, both passenger and freight. It handled like a dream and the without effort touchdowns were almost undetectable. Those 4 engines gave a feeling of security mid Pacific unmatched by many previous wide body twins.
it is and always has been a beautiful and graceful machine. A work of art. So sad to see it go. My first flight on a 747 was in April 1970 aboard Pan Am Clipper Flying Cloud
I was 26 in 2973 and flew on a 747 to Rome on a student tour. 2nd plane i was ever on. It flew high and smooth and we saw the spiral staircase. Ill never forget it. Sad to see the Beautiful aircraft be grounded.