The Boeing 747 made its first flight on February 9, 1969. It was the first aircraft to feature a wide body design and was the first to be called a “Jumbo Jet”. The 747 features a raised flight deck to allow for conversion to a freighter airplane by installing a front cargo door. This is perhaps the airplanes most iconic feature.
A hugely successful design, the “Queen of the Skies” ceased production in 2023. More efficient and reliable engines have made twin-engine aircraft more profitable and economical to fly resulting in most passenger versions of the 747 being retired. Cargo versions of the airplane remain in operation as well as some specialized aircraft like Air Force One.
A British Airways 747-436 holds the record for the fastest subsonic transatlantic crossing from New York (JFK) to London (LHR) set in 2020. Flight BA112 departed New York on the evening of February 8 and arrived in London on the morning of February 9 completing the flight in just 4 hours, 56 minutes (1 hour, 20 mins faster than usual). This unusually fast speed was made possible with the help of extreme jet stream tailwinds from Storm Ciara.
The aircraft was cruising at Mach .86 however it achieved a ground speed of 825 mph. The plane's speed relative to the air remained subsonic even though its speed over the ground, boosted by jet stream winds over 200 mph, exceeded the speed of sound (approximately 767 mph).
This artwork is a depiction of that record-breaking flight.