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GOODBYE JUMBO: After 53 years, 1,570 built, and millions flown, Boeing rolls out final 747

The aircraft is headed to Atlas Air to become a cargo plane as the Chicago-based company retired the famous model

EVERETT, WASHINGTON: The final Boeing 747 plane was rolled out of an assembly line on Tuesday evening, December 6, after over half a century of production. The aircraft was headed to Atlas Air to become a cargo plane as the Chicago-based company retired the famous model dubbed 'Queen of the Skies.'

The 747 became Boeing's most popular plane, known for its gigantic dimensions and signature second-floor bulge. The sheer size of the craft meant it would contribute to several revolutionary space-related projects over the years, including ferrying the Space Shuttle from a California landing strip to a launch site in Florida.

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"There she goes! The last ever 747 has left our Everett factory ahead of delivery to Atlas Air in 2023. #QueenOfTheSkies," Boeing Airplanes wrote in an emotional post on its Twitter page. The post drew appreciation from space entrepreneur Elon Musk, who paid tribute to the sentimental sendoff. "One of the best aircraft ever," he gushed under the post.

The 747 was the world's first twin-aisle aircraft and it transformed global travel after debuting in 1970. The mammoth plane was once the preferred mode of travel of the rich and famous, but the model's days as a passenger jet are now mostly over. Nonetheless, the 747 is still the model of Air Force One and has been since 1990. The passenger versions of the aircraft could easily carry between 400 and 500 people. Many have compared the 747's sprawling interiors to a living room, facilitated with large easy chairs and space to stretch one's legs.

According to Northwestern University's Transportation Library, the earlier, swankier versions featured a spiral staircase that led to the upstairs lounge, with space for a bar. While it was originally intended to serve as a resting place for flight crews, Pan Am's Juan Trippe — who signed a $500 million deal with Boeing that set the 747 production in motion — recommended a first-class passenger area instead. Individual airlines eventually put their own spin on the lounge area, with TWA calling it the 'Penthouse Lounge' and Japan Airlines naming it the 'Tea House in the Sky', per the library. 

The 747-8 model is the longest commercial aircraft in service at 250 ft 2 in. It travels roughly the length of three NFL football fields per second at typical cruising speeds. The final airplane is reportedly a 747-8 Freighter that can carry a staggering 133.1 tonnes.

Boeing hinted at the end of 747s in 2020 as customers weren't motivated to purchase newer versions of the gas-guzzling model. There are only 44 passengers 747s in service, most of which are operated by Lufthansa, per CNN. It's worth noting that Boeing delivered its 747 passengers jets in 1969 to TWA and Pan Am, both of which are now defunct. And in 2017, Delta Air Lines became the last American airline to fly a passenger 747. As mentioned, the final 747 is slated to go to Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, which will fly the plane for Swiss logistics giant Kuehne+Nagel. Following its Tuesday sendoff, the craft headed to another Boeing facility for painting and final detailing ahead of its early 2023 delivery date.

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"For more than half a century, tens of thousands of dedicated Boeing employees have designed and built this magnificent airplane that has truly changed the world," Kim Smith, Boeing's vice president and general manager of the 747 and 767 programs, said in a statement, adding, "We are proud that this plane will continue to fly across the globe for years to come."

Meanwhile, the fate of the Boeing 747 factory in Everett, Washington is unclear. While the company does not plan to keep it open, the facility is technically the largest building in the world by volume at 200 million cubic feet. Boeing built a total of 1,570 747 planes during the model's noteworthy run, per the Daily Mail.