Boeing stops production of Boeing 747 - Bloomberg

Boeing is ending production of the legendary Boeing 747 wide-body airliner after more than 50 years of production, Bloomberg reports citing sources. The last Boeing 747-8 will be assembled in two years.

This moment, which aviation enthusiasts have long feared, symbolizes the end of the era of four-engine airliners. European Airbus is also winding down production of the giant A380.

Despite its legendary longevity and image, the Boeing 747 has ceased to be a commercially successful project for both the manufacturer and the operators, and in recent years has increasingly gone into cargo transportation. Considerations are purely economic: twin-engine long-haul liners like the Boeing 777 have less kilometer and specific consumption of kerosene. The sale of the last assembled Boeing 747 was complicated by the coronavirus pandemic.

“As it turns out, there are incredibly few routes for which you need an extra-large aircraft,” Bloomberg analyst Sash Tusa said.

• The Boeing 747, which is called the "Queen of Heaven", debuted in 1970 - the liner changed the very idea of ​​\u200b\u200bair travel, but almost ruined the company. Passenger versions had a spiral staircase leading to a luxurious living room on the second deck. Cargo models had a hinged nose for free access to the cargo hold of everything from cars to drilling rigs.

• Boeing has delivered 1,571 aircraft of this model so far, second only to the Boeing 777 in terms of sales. However, according to Jeffries analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu, since 2016, the company has lost about $40 million on each of the 747s, whose production has decreased to six in year.