IATA 747

Boeing 747

Boeing

TravelerPulse profile

Iconic double-deck wide-body that revolutionized air travel.

First flight

1969

Category

Wide-body jet

Seating

366–524 passengers (variant dependent)

Range

13,450 km (747-400)

Engines

Four turbofan engines (Pratt & Whitney, General Electric, or Rolls-Royce depending on variant)

Status

In service

The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body commercial jet airliner introduced by Boeing in 1968. Commonly known as the 'Jumbo Jet,' it was the world's first twin-aisle, twin-deck passenger aircraft and remained the largest commercial airliner in service for decades. Its distinctive hump on the upper forward fuselage became one of the most recognizable silhouettes in aviation history. The 747 entered commercial service with Pan American World Airways in January 1970 and fundamentally transformed long-haul air travel by dramatically reducing the cost per seat-mile, making intercontinental travel more accessible to the general public. Over its production history, Boeing developed multiple variants including the -100, -200, -300, -400, and the modern -8 series. The 747-400 became the most commercially successful variant, featuring winglets, a two-crew glass cockpit, and extended range. The 747-8, the final and longest variant, offers improved fuel efficiency through modern GEnx engines and a redesigned wing. Passenger versions are increasingly being retired by major carriers, though freighter variants remain widely operated.

Notable operators

Major operators have included British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, and Atlas Air, among many others.

Notable facts

›First flight took place on February 9, 1969, piloted by Jack Waddell.
›The upper deck hump was originally designed to allow nose-loading of cargo in the freighter variant.
›Over 1,500 Boeing 747s have been delivered since production began.
›The U.S. Air Force operates a militarized version as the VC-25A, serving as Air Force One.
›The 747-8 Intercontinental is the longest commercial aircraft ever built by Boeing.

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This profile is AI-generated for general information only. Specifications may be inaccurate or vary by variant/operator — verify with the manufacturer before relying on them.

Encyclopaedia

The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023. It was conceived in response to the demand of Pan Am for a jet 2+1⁄2 times the size of the 707, which had been introduced in October 1958, to reduce the airline's seat cost by 30%. The design team was led by Joe Sutter, who left the 737 development program in 1965 to design the 747. In April 1966, Pan Am ordered 25 Boeing 747-100 aircraft, and in late 1966, Pratt & Whitney agreed to develop the JT9D engine, a high-bypass turbofan. On September 30, 1968, the first 747 was rolled out of the purpose-built Everett Plant, the world's largest building by volume. The 747's first flight took place on February 9, 1969, and the 747 was certified in December 1969. It entered service with Pan Am on January 22, 1970. The 747 was the first airplane called a "Jumbo Jet" as the first wide-body airliner.

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