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After more than half a century of production, the last Boeing 747 has rolled out of a U.S. factory in Washington state, reports The Guardian.
The final customer was the cargo carrier Atlas Air, which ordered four 747-8 freighters early in 2022. The final plane was rolled out of Boeing’s massive factory in Everett, Washington, on the night of December 6.
The 747 jumbo jet has taken on numerous roles in its lifetime: a cargo plane, a commercial aircraft capable of carrying nearly 500 passengers, and even the Air Force One presidential aircraft.
When it was first produced in 1969 it was the largest commercial aircraft in the world and the first with two aisles. It still towers over most other planes.
Over the past two decades, Boeing and its European rival Airbus have turned to more fuel-efficient and profitable aircraft; widebody planes with two engines instead of the 747’s four.
Delta was the last U.S. airline to use the 747 for passenger flights — ending in 2017 — although some international carriers continue to fly it, including the German airline Lufthansa.
Boeing announced in May that it would move its headquarters from Chicago to Arlington, Virginia.
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