Five decades of the “Queen of the Skies” On February 9, 1969, the first Boeing 747 took to the air. The “Queen of the Skies” was the first wide-body “jumbo jet” capable of carrying more than 400 passengers, driving down the cost of flying for millions of people around the globe Hump: Conceived in 1960s as multi-purpose passenger and cargo aircraft with flip-up nose. Upper deck added to house cockpit Boeing 747-100 Length: 71m, range: 8,580km Cockpit crew: 2 pilots plus flight engineer Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines: First commercial high bypass turbofans generate 193kN of thrust ------------------------------- 1969 February 9 First flight of 747 prototype, RA-001. Aircraft built in custom assembly plant in Everett, Washington – biggest building by volume ever constructed – in just 16 months December 12 First 747-100 delivered to Pan Am 1970 1970 January 22 First Boeing 747 enters service with Pan Am, flying from New York to London 1970s Golden age Airlines turn upper decks into cocktail lounges and restaurants – American Airlines features economy class piano bar 1974 Movie star American Airlines 747 joins Charlton Heston, Karen Black and George Kennedy to star in Airport 1975 1976 Two 747s modified to transport Space Shuttle 1977 March 27 Two 747s collide on runway at Tenerife killing 583 people – deadliest accident in aviation history 1980 1989 August 16-17 Qantas 747-400 makes record 18,000km non-stop flight from London to Sydney 1990 1991 May 21 El Al 747 carries 1,088 people during airlift of Ethiopian Jews 1991: Two highly modified 747-200s are built to carry U.S. presidents. With call sign Air Force One, they are capable of refuelling in mid-air and can seat 70 people 2000 2005 November Plans for 747-8 – final version of 747 – announced 2009 747 Supertanker Modified 742-200 is world’s largest firefighting aircraft, holding 70,000 litres of fire retardant chemicals 2010 2010 February 8 Maiden flight of 747-8F freighter. Deliveries will continue until 2022 2018 January Delta is last U.S. airline to retire its 747 fleet 1,572 Total 747 orders through end of December 2018 ------------------------------- Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental Length: 76.3m, range: 15,000km Three-class capacity of 467 seats Joe Sutter, 1921-2016: Industry legend who headed jumbo jet design team 2017 July 31 End of an era – last passenger 747-8 delivered to Korean Airlines 2024 Two 747-8s will replace older models as Air Force One Air Force One Designation: VC-25A General Electric GEnx-2B67 engines: Produce 50% more thrust (296kN) than original JT9Ds. “Sawtooth” chevrons reduce noise Fly by wire replaces hydraulic systems ------------------------------ © GRAPHIC NEWS Sources: Boeing Media Room, Flight Global, White House Pictures: Elaine Thompson / Associated Press, Boeing Media Room