EVERETT, Wash. — After more than half a century, Boeing is set to roll its last 747 out of a Washington state factory on Tuesday.
The jumbo jet — which has taken on numerous roles as a cargo plane, a commercial aircraft capable of carrying nearly 500 passengers and as the Air Force One presidential aircraft — debuted in 1969. It was the largest commercial aircraft in the world and the first with two aisles, and it still towers over most other planes.
The 747's design included a second deck extending from the cockpit back over the first third of the plane, giving it a distinctive hump that made the plane instantly recognizable and inspired a nickname, the Whale. More elegantly, the 747 became known as the Queen of the Skies.
It took more than 50,000 Boeing employees less than 16 months to churn out the first 747. The company has completed 1,573 more since then.
But over the past 15 years or so, Boeing and its European rival Airbus released new widebody planes with two engines instead of the 747’s four. They were more fuel-efficient and profitable.
Delta was the last U.S. airline to use the 747 for passenger flights, which ended in 2017, although some other international carriers continue to fly it, including the German airline Lufthansa.
The final customer is the cargo carrier Atlas Air, which ordered four 747-8 freighters early this year. The last was scheduled to roll out of Boeing’s massive factory in Everett, Washington, on Tuesday night.
“It’s an incredibly emotional day for the team. I’m filled with so much gratitude for the men and women. They poured their heart and soul into this program," said Kim Smith, who is the vice president and general manager of Boeing's 747 and 767 programs.
David Bruton is an Assembler, Installer and Mechanic at Boeing. He was down in Mukilteo to watch the first 747 flight as a kid and even toured the plane. “It was interesting for me then and I had an interest in planes from that,” he said.
Bruton has now worked at Boeing for almost 34 years, following in his grandfather's and mom and dad’s footsteps. “I feel like it’s a legacy to work on this plane for me but it’s been sad to see this last one roll out,” said Bruton.
Boeing’s roots are in the Seattle area, and it has assembly plants in Washington state and South Carolina. The company announced in May that it would move its headquarters from Chicago to Arlington, Virginia.
The move to the Washington, D.C., area puts its executives closer to key federal government officials and the Federal Aviation Administration, which certifies Boeing passenger and cargo planes.
Boeing’s relationship with the FAA has been strained since deadly crashes of its best-selling plane, the 737 Max, in 2018 and 2019. The FAA took nearly two years — far longer than Boeing expected — to approve design changes and allow the plane back in the air.