The Boeing 747 is as iconic as it gets. After 54 years, the last 747 was made. The era is over. “” passes her crown on, but not before painting a huge farewell picture with her flight path through the sky.
Is the Boeing 747 still in use?
Although the last 747 (-8F, to be exact) just rolled off the factory floor, the 747 will certainly still be used for the foreseeable future. Atlas Airlines acquired the last plane. To honor the icon of air travel, the crew of the last 747 stopped their flight over Washington state to paint a giant crown with “747” written inside.
According to the BBC, a large crowd turned out to send off the Queen amid a flurry of cheers. Reportedly, he attended with thousands of other people to pay his respects, as he is an avid aviation enthusiast. Even notes that Travolta has even flown a 747-400 before.
Also in the crowd was the original team that developed the 747. It took the team just 28 months to revolutionize the avionics. This huge aircraft was the first of its kind. It was a double-aisle, double-decker jetliner that could carry passengers across the Atlantic Ocean or anywhere else in comfort.
What will replace the 747?
Drive says there are no four-engine double-deckers to replace the 747. And that’s only because modern avionics shows that twin-engine wide-engine planes can do the same thing without burning as much fuel. Given that giant four-engine planes seem like they’re too old school to be built again.
747 is truly the last of its kind. We will never see another plan like it. While this is a paradigm shift, the planes are long overdue with a major modernization. This seems to be the first step to moving on to the next big thing in aviation.
Hopefully, the next major leap in aviation will come in the form of alternative fuels or even alternative energy sources altogether. The impact on climate change alone is worth the price of admission, even if it means losing icons like 747. RIP to Queen of Heaven. It has flown wildly and magnificently for more than half a century. We will miss her.
And oh who knows? The next step could be cooler than a giant cartoon Boeing 747. Only time will tell. Until then, keep your eyes on the sky.
