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The Boeing 747, a widebody, four-engine airliner, was produced from 1968 until its final delivery last year. Known as the 'Jumbo Jet' or 'Queen of the Skies,' Boeing manufactured over 20 variants of this aircraft, including the Air Force One. Since its first test flight in 1969, more than 1,500 units have been sold, accumulating over 118 million flight hours and nearly 23 million flight cycles.
Boeing describes the aircraft as "a symbol of great engineering, innovation and often noted as an outstanding work of architecture." More than 100 customers have purchased a total of 1,574 aircraft. Among these variants, the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental has the longest range at 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi), capable of carrying up to 467 passengers.
One notable historical achievement for the Boeing 747 was when Captain David Massey-Green flew Qantas' first Boeing 747-400 nonstop from London Heathrow Airport to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. The journey covered a distance of 17,039 kilometers (10,587.54 miles) at an average speed of approximately 845.58 kilometers per hour over a span of just over twenty hours. This set a world record for distance and speed over a recognized course by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
