The end of an era - last Boeing 747

Hangar Flying
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What an iconic plane.

Here’s a good article on the designer of the 747, Joe Sutter.

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Boeing has been building versions of the 747 since before I was born… :exploding_head:

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I wish that I could say that :confused:

I wonder how many airliners came and left during that time? The B757 and A380 come to mind.

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747s have about a 30 year airframe lifespan so it might be an end of a “manufacturing era”, but we’ll be seeing the Queen for some time in the future.

What’s crazier is the the last (Boeing) B-52 was built in 1962. And here they are 60 years later getting massive upgrades and airframe extensions. I believe the latest proposed avionics upgrades will constitute a model upgrade from H to J or K and service life has been extended to the 2050s. They’ll be pushing 100 years old!

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Didn’t that one general recently say the mother of the last B-52 pilot hasn’t been born yet? :laughing:

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