Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental moving to final assembly area
The first 747-8 Intercontinental being assembled at Everett — the final passenger version of the 747.
A note on this page. The clip originally embedded here used a Flash player that no longer works. It has been replaced with footage of the same subject: the first 747-8 Intercontinental coming together at Everett.
The 747-8 Intercontinental moves through final assembly — the last passenger 747 Boeing would ever build.
Where this happens
The Everett factory in Washington State was built for the 747 and is the largest building in the world by volume. It exists because in 1966 Boeing had agreed to build an aircraft that would not fit in any building it owned, and had roughly two years to produce both the aeroplane and somewhere to make it.
The 747 line ran there for 54 years.
What final assembly involves
Major sections arrive already built — fuselage barrels, the wings, the empennage — and are joined in position. The wing-to-body join is the critical operation: the wing carries the whole aircraft in flight, and the structure that transfers that load into the fuselage is the most heavily worked part of the airframe.
Systems, interiors and engines follow, and the aircraft rolls out for ground and flight testing before delivery.
Why the Intercontinental mattered, and why so few were built
The -8I was 18 ft 3 in longer than the 747-400, seating 467 in three classes, with a sweeping curved staircase to the upper deck and a 787-derived cabin.
It was also designed to fit existing 747 gates at the same height as a -400 — so an airline could introduce it without any airport spending a penny on the ground. That was a pointed contrast with the A380, which required stands and jetways to be rebuilt.
It did not save the aircraft. 48 Intercontinentals were built, against 107 Freighters. Airlines had moved to twin-engined aircraft, and the last passenger 747 rolled out of this building years before the freighter line closed.
The final 747 of all was delivered on 31 January 2023 — aircraft number 1,574.
Related
Video
More in Videos
Videos
Boeing 747 videos — flight testing, engine overviews, factory documentaries and memorable moments caught on camera.
Awesome demonstration of reverse thrust on landing
An EVA Air Boeing 747 lands at Singapore after heavy showers, showing pronounced wing flex and full reverse thrust.
Boeing 747-400 Engine view in heavy rain
A wing-mounted view of a Boeing 747-400 engine running through heavy rain during taxi, takeoff and climb.
Boeing 747-8 Being Put through some tough tests
Boeing's 747-8 rejected takeoff test — accelerating to takeoff speed at maximum weight, then stopping on worn brakes with no reverse thrust.
Boeing 747-8 Engine Overview from GE Aviation
GE Aviation explains the GEnx-2B engine that powers the Boeing 747-8, covering its fan, core and noise-reducing chevrons.
Boeing 747-8 Extreme Testing!
A short film covering the extreme testing the Boeing 747-8 undergoes, from wing loading to water ingestion and brake trials.
