The new aircraft looks like a giant glider with long, skinny wings propped up by diagonal struts to reduce drag. A couple weeks before the 747’s big send-off, Boeing and NASA announced a major partnership, the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project, to produce a wacky-looking single-aisle plane that promises to slash fuel consumption for commercial aircraft. This isn’t the end of the 747 - existing planes could remain in the air for decades - but it is a pivotal moment for the future of aviation. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.įor more newsletters, check out our newsletters page.

The Boeing 747, which can seat over 500 people, is the third-largest plane in the sky, so you can imagine the environmental cost of keeping the so-called “ Queen of the Skies” flying.īy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. A transatlantic flight produces about a ton of CO2 per passenger, which amounts to about half the carbon footprint a person would produce by eating food for a year. Flying accounts for up to 4 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, and as more and more people fly, the United Nations expects carbon dioxide emissions from planes to triple by 2050. In fact, sustainability is on Boeing’s mind as well.Īir travel is a massive contributor to climate change, and it’s getting more popular. Airlines had a similar attitude, as slowing 747 sales reflected higher demand for smaller, more fuel-efficient planes. Aviation enthusiast John Travolta was there and said the plane was the “ most well-thought-out and safest aircraft ever built.” Richard Branson said “ farewell to a wonderful beast” in a Reuters interview, bemoaning the high fuel costs for transatlantic flights on the jumbo jet. After more than 50 years in production, the final 747 is taking to the skies.īoeing delivered the last 747 ever built to Atlas Air on Tuesday.

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