Although Boeing is no longer making the 747, and most passenger versions are retired in favor of more fuel-efficient twin-engine planes, the 747-8s will grace the skies for several more decades.

All-cargo airline Atlas Air will operate the final production 747 freighter for global logistics giant Kuehne + Nagel under a dedicated contract. The plane actually bears the livery of Apex Logistics, a Hong Kong-based airfreight forwarder K+N acquired in 2021. Atlas received the final four 747-8s produced by Boeing. Two are assigned to Kuehne + Nagel and one is flying under the control of Cainiao, the logistics arm of e-commerce platform Alibaba.

Atlas Air, Purchase, New York, is the largest operator of 747 aircraft in the world. As of Tuesday it will have 43 747Fs, including nine -8s. In total it has 50 jumbo jets, including seven 747s it flies as passenger charters for the military, sports teams and other airlines, according to the FlightRadar24 database.

Other airlines with large 747 cargo fleets include Cargolux, Cathay Pacific, Kalitta Air, Korean Air and Singapore Airlines. //

Innovations

First commercial widebody freighter and first long-haul, international freighter … First twin-aisle passenger plane, which lowered per-seat cost and made travel more affordable for the masses … First nose-loading freighter to enable loading of extra-large, nonstandard shipments … Hemispherical Hump — the 747 was originally designed as a freighter with ideal loading through the tilt-open nose. Engineers determined the best place for the flight deck was on its second level so the nose door could open without interference, which explains the iconic hump … First full-motion simulator to provide pilots immersive flight training … High-Bypass Turbofan Engines — These more efficient, quieter engines helped improve takeoff acceleration.