Boeing has finally – and quietly – delivered the last of the original 747 family off the line, a -400ER Freighter (MSN 37304).
The General Electric CF6-80C2-powered aircraft, which is the 1,419th 747 to be built, was officially delivered on 10 November to Kuwaiti freighter cargo start-up LoadAir, along with its sister-ship.
The hand-over of the last original 747 marks the end of a chapter in Boeing’s Jumbo Jet story, which began 40 years ago with the delivery of 747-100 N733PA to Pan Am on 12 December 1969.
Shame it was done quietly. The 747-400 deserved a little fanfare, in my opinion.
By: chornedsnorkack - 23rd December 2009 at 11:51
747 has already changed wingspan (-300 to -400). The only thing which 747 had unchanged from -100 to -400 and which will be different on -800 is length.
So the last -400 belongs together with the last SP.
By: Ren Frew - 23rd December 2009 at 08:53
Why is the 400 considered to be “the last of the originals” ? Even a 200 stands a better chance of being considered “original”.
By: Arabella-Cox - 23rd December 2009 at 06:03
I agree also. The B747’s contribution to long-distance air travel cannot be underestimated.
That said, the B747-8 isn’t really a new aircraft, so perhaps Boeing thinks that the transition from 400 to 747-8 is no more significant than, say, from the 100 – 200 series.
By: Arabella-Cox - 23rd December 2009 at 05:54
Agreed:(
Sign In
December 23, 2009 at 5:39 am