The Last Boeing 747 Leaves the Factory

January 31, 2023
Business

Once the wings were ready, they were hoisted several stories high by a crane and moved into a bay sandwiched between where the wings and fuselage were built. There, they were attached to either side of a stub known as the center wing box. Next, the middle section of the fuselage was lowered and attached to the wings. Then, the front and back sections were lifted and moved into place on either side.

“That’s the place where the airplane actually finally becomes an airplane,” Mr. Kopecki said.

After the body sections were attached, the landing gear was installed and 14,000-pound counterweights were hung from the wings. Then, the plane was lowered from its supports and allowed to stand on its own, a major milestone.

“If you’ve done that, there are many, many important steps behind you already,” Mr. Kopecki said. “And you have a very clear path of what lies ahead.”

Soon after, flooring, lighting, walls, parts of the flight deck and other interior fixtures were installed. All of the airplane’s systems were tested. Near the end of assembly, the engines were added. Finally, the airplane was rolled out of the factory, through bay doors several stories high that could accommodate the airplane’s 225-foot wingspan.

Outside, fuel systems and other features were checked and the plane embarked on a test flight, landing in Portland for a paint job before flying back. The plane and its systems continued to be evaluated. On Tuesday, it will be handed over to Atlas Air Worldwide, a cargo and passenger airline that will use it to haul goods.