Boeing ramped down production of 747s for decades. It's actually extremely difficult contract-wise to shut down the entire supply line for one of these planes. Plus, even though they aren't used in commercial air traffic much any more, they were still profitable because every few years they were able to sell a new Air Force One marked up 1000% to the US taxpayers.
747s were designed as freighters first and even when most airlines switched to two engine aircraft, 747s were continued to be made as freighters because they're a good design for freight. Only two VC-25s were ever built, in the late 80s. And no, the replacement VC-25s are not profitable for Boeing. Boeing has lost more than a billion dollars on each plane so far.
I don’t know the entire history of 747 production, but I do know they officially delivered the final 747 off the production line January 31st of 2023. It got some coverage in the aviation press at the time.
The article I have says that, as of 2020, they were only producing half a plane a month. And the last one went to Atlas Air.
Only -8s and -8Fs. Freighter versions of the 747 will be flying for 50 years yet, fulfilling the original design criteria of being easily convertible to freighters, for when the supersonic passenger planes became an everyday thing.
Amazing, and props for having the receipts. I thought Boeing wasn't producing 747's for a while.
Boeing ramped down production of 747s for decades. It's actually extremely difficult contract-wise to shut down the entire supply line for one of these planes. Plus, even though they aren't used in commercial air traffic much any more, they were still profitable because every few years they were able to sell a new Air Force One marked up 1000% to the US taxpayers.
747s were designed as freighters first and even when most airlines switched to two engine aircraft, 747s were continued to be made as freighters because they're a good design for freight. Only two VC-25s were ever built, in the late 80s. And no, the replacement VC-25s are not profitable for Boeing. Boeing has lost more than a billion dollars on each plane so far.
I don’t know the entire history of 747 production, but I do know they officially delivered the final 747 off the production line January 31st of 2023. It got some coverage in the aviation press at the time.
The article I have says that, as of 2020, they were only producing half a plane a month. And the last one went to Atlas Air.
Only -8s and -8Fs. Freighter versions of the 747 will be flying for 50 years yet, fulfilling the original design criteria of being easily convertible to freighters, for when the supersonic passenger planes became an everyday thing.