Boeing's last commercial 747 is set to be delivered today, more than 50 years after the iconic plane helped change air travel forever.
Driving the news: The last "Queen of the Skies," as they're sometimes called, is a freighter variant made for cargo operator Atlas Air.
Why it matters: The 747 — the world's first twin-aisle passenger jet — came to symbolize the era in which mass travel by air became not just possible, but commonplace.
- Yet advances in airplane design and engine technology eventually led airlines to favor more efficient twin-engine designs, like Boeing's 777 and Airbus' A350.
What they're saying: "On the ground, it's stately, it's imposing," Iron Maiden lead signer and — fun fact! — 747 pilot Bruce Dickinson told Reuters. "And in the air it's surprisingly agile."
Yes, but: The 747 isn't disappearing from the wild blue yonder anytime soon.
- Germany's Lufthansa and South Korea's Korean Air both still offer 747 passenger service — though many other airlines, like British Airways and KLM, have retired their fleets.
- Cargo operators such as Atlas, however, are still flying their 747s.
- And the president of the United States will keep flying on (heavily modified) 747s for the foreseeable future.
The intrigue: Today's delivery comes at a sensitive moment for Boeing, which is still recovering from the 737 Max debacle and has suffered numerous delays in its Starliner spacecraft program.
The bottom line: It's a big day in aviation history, and plenty of avgeeks — including yours truly — will be pouring one out in the 747's memory.
