Boeing 747 from the Flight Deck

The final 747—a 747-8 model—left the production line for its inaugural flight on February 1 this year. The crew traced a unique pattern in the sky: a queen’s crown underlaid by the numbers “7-4-7.”

Julie Boatman

Friday, November 17, 2023 at 02:17 PM ET

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The Boeing 747-400 freighter in final assembly in the Everett Factory. [Courtesy of Boeing] K63934

Key Takeaways:

The article commemorates the final Boeing 747's departure from the production line, highlighting its enduring legacy and the deep admiration held by pilots and engineers for the "Queen of the Skies."
Pilots intimately familiar with the aircraft describe its surprisingly graceful flight characteristics, noting its benign handling and maneuverability despite its colossal size.
Despite production ending, the 747 is expected to remain in service for decades with continuous engineering support, and pilots fondly recall its capabilities, including the crucial role of flight engineers in its earlier operations.

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Pilots have long held a deep connection to the airplane that Joe Sutter and his team built. I for one devoured the legendary engineer’s book, 747: Creating the World’s First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures, and witnessed from afar the genius woven into that airplane. I would have loved to have talked with Sutter, or Jack Waddell, Boeing’s chief test pilot who took the first 747 on its initial flight on February 9, 1969.