LONDON – The final Boeing 747 delivery is amongst us! Be sure to follow our live blog for updates over the course of today!
Almost exactly 54 years since the iconic airliner’s first flight, Boeing is preparing to say its final farewells to the last Queen of the Skies – the Boeing 747.
At 1.00 PM PST today, Tuesday, January 31, 2023, thousands of current and former Boeing employees will gather at Everett, Seattle factory to farewell the last Boeing 747 aircraft.
The final Queen, a role-modified cargo freighter destined for air cargo operator Atlas Air, will officially close the page in aviation history, becoming the 1574th aircraft ever built.
As much as today will mark something of a bittersweet commemoration for the Boeing community, so too will it be a milestone that will impact the entire aviation community.
LIVE: Delivery of the Final Boeing 747…
Hello, and welcome to our live coverage of the Final Boeing 747 Delivery, with it being bound to customer Atlas Air.
Boeing Company executives have flown into Paine Field today for the final ceremony at the Everett factory.
Tributes are already beginning to surface via social media in advance of today’s farewell ceremony.
Such is the broad-reaching impact that this iconic aircraft has had not only on the aviation sector but, indeed, the world at large.
Boeing will also be live-streaming this momentous event via Vimeo, which you will be able to view on our website as well!
Continue to follow live updates as well via AviationSource News’ Twitter, which you can access and follow by clicking here!
For now, continue to check back on this post, as it will be updated frequently as the event goes on, especially after the aircraft departs as well! For now, all eyes are on the manufacturer for this momentous occasion.
UPDATE #1 @ 1906 UK time – American Airlines paying their tributes to the 747 programs, having previously been a customer of the type.
UPDATE #2 @ 1909 UK time – The final Boeing 747 is a 747-8 Freighter registered as N863GT, which will be operated by Atlas Air for Apex Logistics. It also features an amazing decal paying tribute to Joe Sutter.
UPDATE #3 @ 1923 UK time – Above, you can see a collection of photos of the 747 taken by the AviationSource photography team!
UPDATE #4 @ 1941 UK time – Scenes from Paine Field, where hundreds, if not thousands, of people have gathered to watch today’s spectacle.
UPDATE #5 @ 2000 UK time – @HowardSlutsken offering an incredible view of the final Boeing 747.
UPDATE #6 @ 2008 UK time – As per RadarBox.com data, here is N863GT’s history so far, with flights taking place between December 18, 2022, and January 25, 2023.
UPDATE #7 @ 2014 UK time – More imagery appearing of the final Boeing 747 up-close in Seattle. Isn’t she a thing of beauty?
UPDATE #8 @ 2017 UK time – @JenSchuld showing the sheer size of the Boeing 747-8 Freighter via a wide-angled shot.
UPDATE #9 @ 2019 UK time – Up-close and personal with the special decal honoring Joe Sutter, the brainchild behind the 747.
UPDATE #10 @ 2054 UK time – The Boeing live stream is due to begin in the next few minutes! Continue to follow our coverage!
UPDATE #11 @ 2102 UK time – People are walking around with flags of the customers of the 747 over its lifetime.
UPDATE #12 @ 2106 UK time – Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stan Deal addresses the massive crowd, paying tribute to Bill Boeing and Joe Sutter.
UPDATE #13 @ 2110 UK time – Over 4 million yards of dirt were needed to level the 747 production line as it was getting built.
UPDATE #14 @ 2114 UK time – Boeing employees watching a tribute-based video on the 747 production line being built and the first aircraft constructed.
UPDATE #15 @ 2118 UK time – Boeing pays tribute via video to Pan Am, who was the launch customer of the 747 during the historical overview-based video of the jet.
UPDATE #19 @ 2121 UK time – Boeing now discussing its relationship with Japan Airlines, which was one of many that helped the American planemaker in the design process.
In 1970, Japan Airlines entered the 747 into service and used it for routes to Honolulu initially.
UPDATE #20 @ 2125 UK time: Earl Exum of Pratt & Whitney: “Joe Sutter, of the 747, would be proud”. Exum continues the relationship with Boeing during the production of the 747. “P&W took a big bet on the 747”.
UPDATE #21 @ 2141 UK time – Elizabeth Lund discusses the many uses of the 747, from passenger use to carrying the U.S. President via Air Force One, as well as the Space Shuttle program.
UPDATE #22 @ 2143 UK time – The topic of conversation now changes to the -8 variant of the 747, which was the current day program.
UPDATE #23 @ 2145 UK time – Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr goes into his love for the Boeing 747-8I aircraft.
UPDATE #24 @ 2147 UK time – Lufthansa was the first operator of the 747 in Europe, which highlights the relationship the German carrier has with Boeing. “Even spotters love it too because it’s so damn good-looking”, Spohr said.
UPDATE #25 @ 2151 UK time – UPS’ Bill Moore – The 747 has been a key player in global connectivity. “It has played a significant role at UPS”.
UPDATE #26 @ 2154 UK time – UPS will install a special tribute-based decal on its 747 Freighters to honor its legacy.
UPDATE #27 @ 2155 UK time – Famous actor and aviation enthusiast John Travolta speaks to Boeing employees on his time and the 747. He worked for Qantas for 17 years.
UPDATE #28 @ 2158 UK time – Atlas Air President John Dietrich comes on stage to showcase the new aircraft.
UPDATE #29 @ 2202 UK time – And that is the final Boeing 747 officially unveiled in front of Stan Deal and John Dietrich.
Dietrich: “She’s a darn good-looking airplane. An incredible honor for me.”
UPDATE #30 @ 2204 UK time – Dietrich emphasizes relationships with the likes of Amazon, Kuehne+Nagel as well as Apex Logistics, amongst others. Thanks them for their relationships.
UPDATE #31 @ 2208 UK time – Atlas Air reveals the flight plan for tomorrow’s special delivery flight! What a fitting tribute!
UPDATE #32 @ 2217 UK time – And that brings to an end our coverage of a major milestone within the aviation world. Thank you for following our coverage, and thank you to the 747!
