Boeing 747

The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body airliner made by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States from 1968 to 2023. It was designed to carry many passengers over long distances and became famous as the first "Jumbo Jet". After the success of the smaller Boeing 707, the idea was to create an even larger plane to make travel more affordable. The first 747 flew in 1969 and began regular service in 1970 with Pan Am.

This airplane stands out because it has four engines and can carry up to 366 passengers in comfort. It was one of the first planes with a double deck and a tall cockpit to allow easy conversion for cargo use. Over the years, Boeing made many versions of the 747, including models that could fly farther and carry even more people. The 747 also served special roles for governments and military use, such as being the basis for Air Force One.

Many other airplane makers tried to compete with the 747, but it remained a popular choice for both passengers and cargo for decades. Production finally ended in 2023 after building almost 1,600 of these iconic planes, leaving a lasting mark on aviation history.

Development

Cargo nose door open with cargo loader

The Boeing 747, often called the "Queen of the Skies," was developed in the 1960s. It was designed to meet the needs of airlines that wanted a larger plane to carry more passengers and cargo over long distances. The idea came from Pan Am, which wanted a plane about two and a half times bigger than the popular Boeing 707. This would make flying cheaper and help fill more seats.

Joe Sutter led the design team for the 747. The plane was made to be flexible, so it could carry passengers or cargo, depending on what was needed. It was a big challenge for Boeing, but the company managed to build it. The first 747 flew in 1969 and entered service in 1970 with Pan Am, becoming a symbol of modern air travel.

Design

Three-view diagram of the original 747-100, showing its general configuration maintained in later variants

The Boeing 747 is a large, wide-body airliner with four engines under its wings. Its special wing shape helps it fly fast and efficiently while also fitting into regular airport hangars. The plane can seat over 366 passengers, with a special upper level that often includes extra seating or a lounge area.

The 747 was built to be very safe, with strong structures and several backup systems. It can also carry a fifth engine under its left wing for spare parts or special cargo, like rockets for space launches.

Operational history

After the Boeing 747 began flying with Pan Am in 1970, many other airlines started using it too. Boeing believed that many early buyers chose the 747 for its ability to fly long distances rather than its capacity to carry many passengers. Although the 747 could be economical when full, it became less so when not fully occupied. Despite this, many airlines bought the 747 because it was seen as a prestigious aircraft, even when it wasn’t the most economical choice.

The economic challenges of the early 1970s, including a recession and the 1973 oil crisis, made it hard for some airlines to use the 747 effectively. Some replaced their 747s with smaller planes like the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, Boeing 767, and Airbus A300 and A310. Airlines such as American Airlines and Delta Air Lines eventually stopped using their 747s for passenger flights, though Delta later brought them back briefly after merging with Northwest Airlines. Over time, the 747’s use changed, with many international carriers keeping it for long-distance routes, especially across the Pacific.

Variants

The Boeing 747, a long-range wide-body airliner, came in several versions from the original 747-100 to the final 747-8. The 747-100 started in 1966, followed by the 747-200, 747SP, 747-300, 747-400, and finally the 747-8 in 2005. Each version brought improvements in range, capacity, and technology.

The 747-100 featured an upper deck for lounges or premium seating and used Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines. The 747SP, a shorter version, was designed for longer routes and included design changes like a tapered aft fuselage. The 747-200 offered more range and payload, and came in passenger, freighter, and combi versions. The 747-300 had a longer upper deck and introduced new stairways and aerodynamic changes. The 747-400 brought wingtip extensions, a new glass cockpit, and improved fuel efficiency. The 747-8 was the last version, featuring a stretched fuselage, more payload capacity, and modern engines, and was offered as both a freighter and a passenger plane.

Model	747-100	747-200B	747-300
Typical seats	366		400
MTOW	735,000–750,000 lb (333.4–340.2 t)	775,000–833,000 lb (351.5–377.8 t)
OEW	358,000–381,480 lb (162.39–173.04 t)	376,170–388,010 lb (170.63–176.00 t)	384,240–402,700 lb (174.29–182.66 t)
Fuel capacity	47,210–48,445 US gal (178,710–183,380 L)	52,035–52,410 US gal (196,970–198,390 L)
Turbofan (×4)	Pratt & Whitney JT9D or Rolls-Royce RB211 or General Electric CF6
Thrust (×4)	43,500–51,600 lbf (193–230 kN)	46,300–54,750 lbf (206.0–243.5 kN)	46,300–56,900 lbf (206–253 kN)
Range	4,620 nmi (8,560 km; 5,320 mi)	6,560 nmi (12,150 km; 7,550 mi)	6,330 nmi (11,720 km; 7,280 mi)
Takeoff	10,650 ft (3,250 m)	10,900 ft (3,300 m)	10,900 ft (3,300 m)

Operators

Main article: List of Boeing 747 operators

In 1979, Qantas became the first airline to use only Boeing 747 planes, with seventeen of these aircraft. By July 2019, 462 Boeing 747s were still in service, with Atlas Air and British Airways each operating 33 of the 747-400 model.

The last U.S. passenger Boeing 747 was retired by Delta Air Lines in December 2017. The plane had flown for nearly every major American airline since it was introduced in 1970. In July 2020, British Airways also retired its 747 fleet, with the final flights leaving London Heathrow on October 8, 2020.

As air freight grew, especially for items like smartphones and fresh flowers, there was strong demand for cargo versions of the 747, even as passenger versions were phased out.

Year	Total	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006
Orders	1,573	–	–	5	1	–	13	6	18	6	2	13	7	3	1	5	2	16	53
Deliveries	1,573	1	5	7	5	7	6	14	9	18	19	24	31	9	–	8	14	16	14

Year	2005	2004	2003	2002	2001	2000	1999	1998	1997	1996	1995	1994	1993	1992	1991	1990	1989	1988	1987	1986
Orders	46	10	4	17	16	26	35	15	36	56	32	16	2	23	31	122	56	49	66	84
Deliveries	13	15	19	27	31	25	47	53	39	26	25	40	56	61	64	70	45	24	23	35

Year	1985	1984	1983	1982	1981	1980	1979	1978	1977	1976	1975	1974	1973	1972	1971	1970	1969	1968	1967	1966
Orders	42	23	24	14	23	49	72	76	42	14	20	29	29	18	7	20	30	22	43	83
Deliveries	24	16	22	26	53	73	67	32	20	27	21	22	30	30	69	92	4	–	–	–

Model Series	ICAO code	Deliveries
747-100	B741 / BSCA	167	205
747-100B	B741 / BSCA	9
747-100SR	B74R	29
747SP	B74S	45	45
747-200B	B742	225	393
747-200C		13
747-200F		73
747-200M		78
747 E-4A		3
747 E-4B		1
747-300	B743	56	81
747-300M		21
747-300SR		4
747-400	B744 / BLCF	442	694
747-400ER		6
747-400ERF		40
747-400F		126
747-400M		61
747-400D	B74D	19
747-8I	B748	48	155
747-8F	B748	107	155
747 Total		1,573

Preserved aircraft

Many older Boeing 747 airplanes have been retired and are now displayed in museums around the world. These airplanes, known as "classic" 747s, are preserved so people can learn about aviation history.

Some notable preserved 747s include:

The first 747, named City of Everett, is at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.
A 747 used by NASA to carry space shuttles is at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Another 747, turned into a flying telescope named Clipper Lindbergh, is at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.

After retirement, some 747s have been used in creative ways, like becoming restaurants or movie sets. For example, one 747 was turned into a hostel in Stockholm, Sweden, and another was used as a setting for the James Bond movie Casino Royale.

Specifications (Boeing 747-200B, with JT9D-7R4G2 engines)

The Boeing 747-200B could carry a crew of 3 and up to 366 passengers. It also had space for cargo, including 5 pallets and 14 containers, totaling about 6,190 cubic feet of cargo area. The plane was very large, measuring 225 feet and 2 inches long, with a wingspan of 195 feet and 8 inches, and a height of 64 feet and 3 inches when the landing gear was up.

It was powered by four Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4G2 engines, each providing strong thrust. The plane could travel up to 7,550 miles at its maximum speed and needed about 10,900 feet to take off and 6,150 feet to land.

Cultural impact

See also: Aircraft in fiction § Boeing 747

After its debut, the Boeing 747 quickly became an iconic airplane. It earned the nickname "Jumbo Jet" because of its huge size and was also called the "Queen of the Skies." Many people think it is one of the most famous airplanes in movie history. The 747 has appeared in over 300 films, including Airport 1975, Airport '77, Air Force One, Die Hard 2, and Executive Decision.