The jumbo jet is officially on life support — here's a look at its glory days (BA)
Boeing
Boeing Commercial Airplanes announced on Thursday that it would once again cut the rate of production for its Boeing 747-8 in an attempt to buy the program more time to get on its feet. Last year, the airplane maker cut production from 1.3 per month to one per month. Starting in September, jumbo-jet production will be reduced to just one every two months.
According to Boeing, the decision to slash production of the jumbo will allow the 747 program to "match near-term market demand" for the plane. Further, Boeing announced that the company would take a $569 million loss after deciding to slow 747 production.
For more than 40 years, the wide-body jumbo jet ruled the skies. But with changes in aviation regulations and airline-business strategy and improvements in turbofan-engine technology, the days of huge aircraft are drawing to a close. Since its introduction in 1969, the Boeing 747 has transformed the way people travel. With its ability to fly 500 passengers 6,000 miles, the jumbo jet allowed airlines to reach new destinations while achieving profitability by lowering the per-seat cost of operation.
Over the years, Boeing was joined in the long-haul wide-body market by offerings from McDonnell Douglas, Lockheed, and Airbus. In 2005, Airbus introduced the double-deck A380-800 — perhaps the most capable rival the Boeing jumbo jet had ever encountered.
But these days, Boeing and Airbus are having a hard time finding new buyers for both aircraft. The cost of purchasing such a large craft, combined with the fact that they're relatively energy inefficient, makes them impractical.
Demand for the big jets has also dwindled as aviation regulations changed, airlines moved away from the hub-and-spoke model for their routes, and jet-engine technology improved — making it safer for aircraft to fly long distances with just two engines. In the last eight years, Boeing has sold just 45 jumbos — the majority of which are to be deployed as heavy freighters. Sadly, even the 747's freighter business is struggling.
"Global air passenger traffic growth and airplane demand remain strong, but the air cargo market recovery that began in late 2013 has stalled in recent months and slowed demand for the 747-8 Freighter," Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Ray Conner said in a statement on Thursday.
Airbus hasn't won an airline order for the double-decker jet since it sold Emirates a batch two years ago. Although there are rumors that Japan's ANA is looking to buy, don't expect many others to join in.
James Hogan, chief executive of Emirates' rival, Etihad, was unequivocal when asked by Business Insider if the group will buy another four-engine jet. "No, we're done," Hogan said. "We just believe in two-engine technology — they are much more efficient."
If fact, Virgin Atlantic CEO Craig Kreeger told Business Insider last year that he was surprised Airbus was able to find as many takers for the A380 as they have. Long-distance and transoceanic flights were traditionally exclusively covered by the 747 and its fellow three- or four-engine, wide-body jumbos because, when it comes to the engine count on an airliner, the thinking was that there is safety in numbers.
But as modern turbofan engines became more reliable, and engine failures far less common, the thinking and the regulations changed. As a result, most airlines have turned to twin-engine mini jumbos that are more fuel-efficient.
Further, airlines are moving away from the hub-and-spoke business model that calls for massive numbers of passengers to be routed through a single mega hub. Smaller, fuel-efficient jets, such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, allow airlines to offer passengers nonstop, point-to-point service without transiting through a hub.
Here's a look at the glorious past of the jumbo jet:
The Boeing 747 first flew in February 1969.
The big jet and the Everett, Washington, factory in which it was built were designed and constructed in just 16 months by a team of 50,000 Boeing employees.
AP
This group of people became known as the "Incredibles."
AP
The 747 was a major gamble for Boeing. The prevailing thinking at the time was that the world was heading toward supersonic travel.
AP
Boeing bet that people wanted to travel in comfort for less money.
AP
As the legend goes, Pan Am boss Juan Trippe told Boeing that he needed a plane twice the size of ...
AP
... the Boeing 707 the airline operated at the time.
Flickr/Barry Lewis
To give Pan Am the capacity it was looking for, Boeing added a second aisle to the cabin — thus creating the wide-body jet.
AP
According to Boeing, the 747 could carry 3,400 pieces of luggage and be unloaded in just seven minutes.
AP
With seating for as many as 550 passengers, the 747 truly dwarfs the 707 as well as other workhorse jets of the era, such as ...
AP
... the Douglas DC-8 and ...
AP
... the de Havilland Comet.
Wikimedia Commons
When it entered service in 1970 with Pan Am, the public was mesmerized by the mighty jumbo jet.
AP
In the 1970s, Boeing was joined by a duo of smaller three-engine wide-body jets: the Lockheed L-1011 and ...
AP
... the McDonnell Douglas DC-10.
AP
Boeing followed up the original 747-100 with ...
Flickr/Aero Icarus
... a new variant in late 1971 with more powerful engines and greater range called the 747-200 series.
Flickr/Aero Icarus
A decade later, Boeing updated the 747 again with newer engines and an enlarged second deck. This version was called the "-300."
Flickr/Aero Icarus
The -300 didn't prove to be as popular as Boeing would have liked. So in 1989, Boeing launched the -400. It featured modern avionics, a fully glass cockpit and greater range. It would go on to be the most popular of the 747 variants.
Flickr/Aero Icarus
In 2011, Boeing launched the latest version of the jumbo jet, called the 747-8. At 250 feet, it's the longest airliner ever built.
Boeing
Over the years, the 747 has been deployed in a variety of ways, ranging from firefighting water tanker ...
REUTERS/Johannes Eisele
... and space shuttle carrier ...
REUTERS/Ho New
to freighter ...
REUTERS/Johannes Eisele
... and the official presidential aircraft of China, ...
REUTERS
... Japan, and ...
REUTERS/Jason Le
... the US.
REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun
But the 747 really became a cultural icon when it was the plane to have for the world's major airlines. For many years, it seemed as if you weren't playing in the big leagues unless you were flying the jumbo.
REUTERS/Toby Melville
In addition to Pan Am, everybody else had them as well.
Flickr/Aero Icarus
Qantas.
REUTERS/Jayanta Shaw
Air France.
REUTERS/Franck Prevel
Thai.
REUTERS
Philippines.
REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco
Singapore.
REUTERS
Air China.
REUTERS/China Daily
South African Airways.
REUTERS/Ian Waldie
Northwest.
Flickr/Aero Icarus
Braniff International.
Flickr/Aero Icarus
Delta.
REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
Lufthansa.
Boeing
Air India.
Flickr/Aero Icarus
KLM.
Flickr/Ikarasawa
Cathay Pacific.
REUTERS
Korean Air.
Flickr/Aero Icarus
United.
Flickr/Aero Icarus
British Airways.
Flickr/Aero Icarus
Japan Airlines.
Flickr/Ikarasawa
Air New Zealand.
Flickr/Aero Icarus
Virgin Atlantic. (And these are just some of the airlines that flew the jumbo jet.)
Flickr/Aero Icarus
Over the years, Boeing has sold more than 1,500 747s.
REUTERS
The venerable Boeing jumbo jet has outlasted the supersonic Concorde, as well as ...
REUTERS
... the DC-10 and ...
AP
... its replacement, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11.
Flickr/Rob Schleiffert
Not to mention Lockheed's L-1011, which went out of production after selling just 250 planes.
Flickr/contri
The Airbus A340 ended production in 2011 after selling less than 400 jets.
REUTERS
Unfortunately, it looks unlikely that the jumbo jet will survive its latest slew of challengers, which include Airbus' double-deck A380 superjumbo and ...
Gene Blevins/Reuters
... the A350XWB twin-engine "mini-jumbo."
Airbus
The 747 has also lost sales to its corporate siblings, the 777 mini-jumbo and ...
Boeing
... the 787 Dreamliner.
Wikimedia Commons
To compensate, Boeing has slowed down production of the 747 to just one aircraft every two months in an attempt to buy the sales team more time to generate orders.
REUTERS
Even though sales of the new jumbo are slow, with proper maintenance the "Queen of the Skies" can be with us for decades. We're just at the beginning of the end of the jumbo era, no matter what Boeing decides to do about its most famous plane.
REUTERS/Larry Chan
See Also:
Check out all the Italian cars you can buy in the US in 2016
United Airlines just delivered some terrible news to Canada's largest airplane maker
The Concorde made its first supersonic passenger flight 40 years ago — here's what it was like
SEE ALSO: The Concorde made its first supersonic passenger flight 40 years ago — here's what it was like