Boeing Inks Final VIP 747 Sale

Boeing has inked the last sale of a VIP 747-8i, marking the end of an era of opulence in private aviation. The airframer confirmed to BJT that the sale of the jumbo jet last month represented the last available executive variant of the iconic widebody, as production heads toward its scheduled end next year. According to Boeing, the green aircraft was not newly built but the company declined to disclose when it was produced or the delivery date. It also did not disclose the customer and origin, nor plans for the completion.

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Three companies have the past experience and current capabilities to outfit a 747-8i—AMAC Aerospace, Jet Aviation, and Lufthansa Technik (LHT). AMAC and Jet Aviation declined to comment on whether they know of or are part of the completion plans for the jumbo jet. LHT told BJT it is “aware of this project and familiar with the aircraft,” adding it is “certainly very interested in offering our services to the owner of the aircraft.”

The announced BBJ777X notwithstanding, supersonic jets that could define the leading edge of global business aviation’s next evolution will be smaller and require substantially less time onboard, obviating the space and need for grand homes in the sky.

With a production rate of six per year, 13 of Boeing's 747-8is remain undelivered; the last four will be freighters ordered by Atlas Air.