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Boeing 747“Queen of the Skies”
Boeing · First flight 1969 · in service since 1970
Seats
≈410 (747-8i)
Range (nmi)
≈7,700 (747-8i)
Cruise
Mach 0.855
Wingspan
68.4 m (747-8)
Length
76.3 m (747-8)
Engines
GEnx-2B (747-8) / CF6 / PW4000 / RB211 (-400)
Variants
747-400, 747-8 Intercontinental, 747-8F
How to spot one
- ✓The hump. Enough said — but the 747-8's is longer than the -400's
- ✓Four engines and a five-abreast landing-gear footprint of 18 wheels
- ✓747-8 wings are gracefully raked with no winglets; -400s carry canted winglets
- ✓On takeoff, listen: four engines at partial power sound completely different from a straining twin
The airplane that invented long-haul travel for everyone. The 747's hump exists because Pan Am's Juan Trippe wanted a freighter with a nose door — the cockpit moved upstairs and an icon was born. Production ended in January 2023 after 1,574 aircraft and 54 years. Passenger Queens are now rare treasures — Lufthansa's 747-8s are the flagship survivors — while freighter versions will haul for decades yet.
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