But after five decades, customer demand for the 747 eroded as Boeing and Airbus (AIR.PA) developed more fuel efficient two-engine widebody planes. When Boeing confirmed in July 2020 that it would end 747 production, it was already only producing at a rate of half an aircraft a month.
Why did they stop making jumbo jets?
Eroding demand from customers led to the demise of jumbo jets. According to the Reuters report, "Boeing delivered five 747s in 2022, while in 1990, the peak delivery year of the best-selling 747-400 version, Boeing delivered 70 747s." A similar scenario befell the A380.
Why are Boeing planes named 7×7?
The first plane might well have been named the 700, but it just didn't sound right to the marketing Mad Men of the era. "Seven-oh-seven" sounded sexier — with a ring like 'double-oh-seven. ' The naming tradition's been carried down over the decades. Internally, Boeing is noncommittal before an aircraft is released.
Why is 747 obsolete?
The 747, with its ability to seat more than 500 passengers at maximum capacity, doesn't reflect the current market for air travel. Many travelers make shorter journeys than the long-haul, transatlantic trawls the 747 was designed for, meaning airlines need smaller, single-aisle planes.
What happens to retired 747 planes?
Many aeroplanes end up in so called 'boneyards' like this one at Victorville in California. On the edge of the Mojave desert, the arid environment is ideal for storing aircraft long term with minimal corrosion.
Are any original 747s still flying?
Despite quad jets beginning to fall out of favor in the 1980s, the 747-400, which launched in 1988, remains the most popular variant to date, with 694 built until its completion in 2009. Excluding General Electric's testbed jet, 24 747-400 passenger jets remain active, though only ten are in regular passenger service.
Why is 747 called jumbo?
Are jumbo jets obsolete?
The last jumbo jet was delivered in January, but it has been obsolete for decades. The 1,574th and final 747, which rolled off Boeing's production line in Everett, Washington, on January 31, is destined for a life shipping goods around the world on behalf of the New York–based cargo company Atlas Air.
Why is 737 called 737?
Boeing's aircraft naming convention dates back to the 1950s and its first jet-powered commercial aircraft, the 707. From then on, Boeing's jet-powered aircraft follow a naming pattern of 7X7, with few exceptions. This leads to the 727, 737, 747 and so on, right up to the 787.
What does 777 mean in Boeing?
The Boeing 777 is a long range, twin-engine, widebody commercial airliner. It is the world's largest twinjet plane. It is often called the "Triple Seven". It can carry between 283 and 368 passengers. It has a range from 5235 to 9380 nautical miles.
What is the lifespan of a 747?
around 35 yearsThey have estimated the lifespan of their aircraft as follows: Boeing estimates that their 737 series aircraft have a lifespan of 90,000 flight cycles or 55,000 flight hours, whichever comes first. The 747 series aircraft have a lifespan of around 35 years or 90,000 flight hours.
Has a jumbo jet ever crashed?
As of July 2020, a total of 60 Boeing 747 aircraft, or just under 4% of the total number of 747s built, first flown commercially in 1970, have been involved in accidents and incidents resulting in a hull loss, meaning that the aircraft was either destroyed or damaged beyond economical repair.
Is it possible for a jumbo jet to fly upside down?
The scene, a Hollywood masterpiece of special effects, has people asking can an airliner fly upside down. The answer is yes for a “little” bit! Unlike military fighters, commercial planes do not have the engine power for sustained inverted flight and rely on lift from the wings.
What is the f18 nickname?
The F-18 Super Hornet is also called the “Rhino” because of a rhino-like protrusion on the front part of the aircraft's radome.