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Boeing Closing in on Final Assembly of Last New 747

The left wing for the last 747 order reportedly has been staged on Boeing’s production line.

Atlas Air 747-8F Freighter in Flight
The final Boeing 747—a 747-8F—is being assembled in Everett. [Courtesy: Atlas Air Worldwide]
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Key Takeaways:

  • Production of the iconic Boeing 747 is concluding, with the final 747-8F expected to be delivered to Atlas Air by year-end.
  • The 747 fundamentally changed aviation, serving as the first widebody jetliner that revolutionized international travel and adapted for various roles including cargo, military, and space support.
  • Over its five-decade run, 1,569 units of the "Queen of the Skies" were produced, notably dominating global freighter capacity, though a more fuel-efficient 777-8F is now being developed as its successor.
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More than half a century after the model first flew—changing aviation forever—final assembly of the last new Boeing 747 reportedly is near at the company’s factory in Everett, Washington. 

The left wing for the freighter, a 747-8F variant, has been staged on the production line, according to an Aviation Week report. Atlas Air is expected to receive delivery of the last 747—along with three identical 747-8Fs—by the end of this year. (Two former Transaero 747-8s are currently being converted into military variants for the Pentagon to serve as Air Force One.)

Thom Patterson

Thom is a former senior editor for FLYING. Previously, his freelance reporting appeared in aviation industry magazines. Thom also spent three decades as a TV and digital journalist at CNN’s bureaus in Washington and Atlanta, eventually specializing in aviation. He has reported from air shows in Oshkosh, Farnborough and Paris. Follow Thom on Twitter @thompatterson.

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