AvGeek-in-training: How to tell Boeing 747s apart
It's the Queen of the Skies. And, you'd better fly one soon if you haven't already. No U.S. airlines operate this majestic aircraft, and several of the carriers that were still flying the double-decker giants have either grounded them or are planning to phase them out. That includes those operated by British Airways among others.
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The last passenger version of the 747-400 was delivered to Air China in 2005. The production line is now closed, but there were as many as 350 such aircraft still flying at least until COVID-19 hit and sent demand plummeting.
British Airways was the largest operator but grounded them all this year. We first reported the news back in July that BA would be is retiring all 28 of its Boeing 747s.
Related: Where is British Airways parking its jets during the coronavirus
British Airways says it's because the air travel recovery will take years. BA also notes that these four-engine jets just aren't as fuel-efficient as their modern counterparts.
Pre-pandemic there were also around 120 747-8 in the wild, notably in the hands of Lufthansa and Korean.
You'll still find 747s operated by Air China, Korean Air and Lufthansa, among others, but the continued weakness in international travel means they might have shorter lifetimes than first thought. All U.S.-based carriers had retired their 747s by the end of the 2010s.
Related: Boeing ending production of the 747
Like the A330, the Boeing 747-400 features canted winglets. You're not likely to confuse the two aircraft, however as the 747 has a GIANT second story that the A330 doesn't have.
The Boeing 747-8, meanwhile, features raked wingtips like you'd find on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. In addition, the Boeing 747-8 features chevrons that are notched into the nacelles of the engine, just like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
That's the easiest way to distinguish between these two models of Queens of the Sky (see chart below).
Related: These are the last Boeing 747s you can fly in the world
| Boeing 747-400 |
|
|---|---|
Boeing 747-800 |
|
Related: How you can still use points and miles to fly the 747
If you want more AvGeek coverage check out our other posts on identifying aircraft in the "wild": How to tell commercial aircraft apart and how to tell Boeing 757s, 767s and 777s apart.
Additional reporting by Zach Griff and Clint Henderson.
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