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The lasting legacy of the Boeing 747-100s that escaped the scrapyard

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The lasting legacy of the Boeing 747-100s that escaped the scrapyard
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Boeing 747-100s | Wikipedia

The Boeing 747-100 series, known for its widebody design, first launched with Pan American World Airways in 1970. Although production ended in 2023, several models remain in use with cargo carriers, and some managed to avoid being scrapped. The original series has largely exited passenger operations, although certain airlines like Air China, Lufthansa, Korean Air, and Rossiya Airlines still operate them.

Recent data from ch-aviation highlights four unique Boeing 747-100 variants not scrapped. A well-known prototype, the "City of Everett," resides at Seattle's Museum of Flight. Built as a testbed and making its first flight in February 1969, it contributed significantly to Boeing, including tests for the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engine. Its last flight was in 1995, and it clocked a total of 5,300 flight hours.

At Laurinburg-Maxton Airport lies an old Northwest Airlines Boeing 747-100, registered as N603US. Despite entering service in May 2010, it hasn't flown since 1998 and remains in a state described variably as "stored" or "retired."

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Iran Air's remaining Boeing 747-100, registered EP-IAM, first flew in 1979. It faced storage at Imam Khomeini International Airport since 2014 due to Iran's severe aviation industry restrictions following political sanctions.

In Saudi Arabia, ex-Saudia Boeing 747-100, registered HZ-AIG, last flew in 2006 and resides now in storage at Jeddah Airport. Although younger than some later variants, it is among the few original models in existence.

The Boeing 747-100 series, originally designed with a limited upper-deck lounge, transitioned to premium seating and later included more upper deck windows. No specific freighter version was developed, though many were converted over time. The 747 family, reaching 1,574 units across variants, left an indelible mark, helped by its widespread commercial success.

Its decline marked the shift to smaller aircraft models, though its production lasted longer than the Airbus A380. The final A380 and 747 deliveries occurred in 2021 and 2023, respectively. U.S. airlines now eschew larger models, including newer offerings such as the Boeing 777X, which have found more receptive overseas markets.

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