#jumbojet

Boeing 747-400 Delta Air Lines

Registration: N673US Type: 747-451 Engines: 4 × PW PW4056 Serial Number: 30268 First flight: Aug 13, 1999

The world has seen many airlines for which the «Jumbo» became a symbol and backbone of their long‑haul fleets. Unlike others, Delta encountered this legendary aircraft twice. When Delta received its first 747 in October 1970, the aviation world was experiencing a boom in wide‑body aircraft.

But the euphoria of owning the giant didn’t last long. Four years after launching operations, Delta realized a harsh truth: the Jumbo was too large for its route network. At that time, Delta focused on domestic U.S. routes. The enormous aircraft, designed to cross oceans, was about as suitable for Delta’s operations as an elephant in a china shop. The company was forced to replace it with the more cost‑efficient Lockheed L‑1011.

More than thirty years passed, and in 2008 an event occurred that dramatically changed the situation. Delta completed its merger with Northwest Airlines, which, unlike Delta, had been a true enthusiast of the Boeing 747. Thanks to this merger, Delta successfully established itself as a major player in the global aviation market, especially on the Pacific routes, where the Jumbos proved to be the ideal tool. Now Delta had a fleet of sixteen modern Boeing 747‑400s at its disposal. And unlike in the 1970s, the airline now had a suitable route network for these aircraft.

For ten years, the Jumbo continued to support Delta’s profits. But time is relentless, and the aging 747s began to leave the fleet. By 2017, the golden era of four‑engine aircraft had come to an end. The new generation of twin‑engine long‑haul airliners, the Airbus A350XWB, offered significantly lower operating costs with comparable range.

Despite the complex relationship between the airline and this aircraft, Delta became the last American carrier to retire the passenger Boeing 747. Thus ended the 47‑year period of operating this type across Northwest and Delta combined.

Space Shuttle Enterprise and a 747 transport aircraft at Koln-Bonn Airport in Germany, on May 21, 1985.

Five days later they traveled to Paris, France for the Paris Air Show.