Death of another Queen . . : The queen of the skies. What a classy way to go.

Cheese

The queen of the skies. What a classy way to go.

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rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Cheese wrote:

The queen of the skies. What a classy way to go.

The 747 is NOT dead! They're simply not making them anymore. 747's will be flying for many, many more years.

Dan' de Bourgogne

Cheese wrote:

The queen of the skies. What a classy way to go.

therwol Loc: USA

rmorrison1116 wrote:

The 747 is NOT dead! They're simply not making them anymore. 747's will be flying for many, many more years.

Boeing has a contract to make one more, a new Air Force One. I've read that it's late and running over budget.

therwol Loc: USA

rmorrison1116 wrote:

The 747 is NOT dead! They're simply not making them anymore. 747's will be flying for many, many more years.

They won't be flying passengers. There were only 44 still operating as passenger planes as of December 2022, and most airlines have phased them out. They aren't fuel efficient like newer planes. It is becoming increasingly difficult to get parts to repair them. I'm sure that some of those retired will be repurposed to carry freight, and they may continue to fly for some time. Time will tell.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

therwol wrote:

Boeing has a contract to make one more, a new Air Force One. I've read that it's late and running over budget.

I believe they were building two of them. Not really 747's but the military version, the VC-25. People call them 747's because they look like 747's and are based on 747's but really aren't 747's. Also, there is no single aircraft designated Air Force One. Air Force One is the designation of any US Government owned fixed wing aircraft that POTUS is traveling on, which more often than not is one of those highly modified high performance jumbo jets.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

therwol wrote:

They won't be flying passengers. There were only 44 still operating as passenger planes as of December 2022, and most airlines have phased them out. They aren't fuel efficient like newer planes. It is becoming increasingly difficult to get parts to repair them. I'm sure that some of those retired will be repurposed to carry freight, and they may continue to fly for some time. Time will tell.

Which makes perfect sense. Not only are they fuel hogs, they are getting, have gotten, old. But they indeed are ideal for freight. They can carry a lot of freight very long distances and the freight carriers don't have to worry about getting people to their destination, on time.

BebuLamar

rmorrison1116 wrote:

I believe they were building two of them. Not really 747's but the military version, the VC-25. People call them 747's because they look like 747's and are based on 747's but really aren't 747's. Also, there is no single aircraft designated Air Force One. Air Force One is the designation of any US Government owned fixed wing aircraft that POTUS is traveling on, which more often than not is one of those highly modified high performance jumbo jets.

I wonder why it has to be based on the 747? Because of the 4 engines for redudancy? As far as room the 777 is big enough to be used as air force one.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I'm sorry to see production stop. That was always a favorite of mine. I'm glad I was able to fly on them several times. If companies don't to burn fuel in four large engines, there's little reason to keep producing them.

BebuLamar

jerryc41 wrote:

I'm sorry to see production stop. That was always a favorite of mine. I'm glad I was able to fly on them several times. If companies don't to burn fuel in four large engines, there's little reason to keep producing them.

The one that is bigger than the 747 is the A380 which were introduced way after the 747 and yet discontinued much earlier. Even worst many A380's are not used just because it makes no economic sense to fly them.

Toby

therwol wrote:

Boeing has a contract to make one more, a new Air Force One. I've read that it's late and running over budget.

Surprise, surprise!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

BebuLamar wrote:

The one that is bigger than the 747 is the A380 which were introduced way after the 747 and yet discontinued much earlier. Even worst many A380's are not used just because it makes no economic sense to fly them.

The A380 seems to be making a comeback. There is one airline that specializes in them.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Considering that I was about 22 when they were first building the 747, and I am 74 now, it has had a long run, considering that there are other jumbo jets out there. Since they're still flying, a longer run still. My college roommate when I was in Detroit was mesmerized by the 747. His Dad was an airline mechanic, so he got a better up close view of the than I could.

A high school friend of mine became a NW airline pilot and put in 7000 hours on the 757. He said that when IT was empty it flew like a fighter jet.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

SteveR wrote:

Considering that I was about 22 when they were fir... (show quote)

And the B-52. I saw a bit on TV where a son was piloting the same B-52 that his father had flown. I'd rather not fly in a plane that's so old.

therwol Loc: USA

jerryc41 wrote:

The A380 seems to be making a comeback. There is one airline that specializes in them.

When the pandemic started, British Airways grounded the A380 and retired their 747s ahead of schedule. They're putting the A380 back in service for long haul flights. I know because I just booked tickets to the UK, and I'll be flying on an A380 on the return trip. (777 going over)