Final Boeing 747 rolls out of company's factory: 'Magnificent airplane that truly changed the world'

The iconic Boeing 747 has ceased development with the rollout of the final unit of the storied aircraft from the company's Washington headquarters, Boeing said this week. 

The company said in a press release this week that the final 747 "left the company's widebody factory in advance of its delivery to Atlas Air in early 2023."

"For more than half a century, tens of thousands of dedicated Boeing employees have designed and built this magnificent airplane that has truly changed the world" Boeing Vice President Kim Smith said in the release.

"We are proud that this plane will continue to fly across the globe for years to come," she added.

Production of the model, which Boeing called "the world's first twin-aisle airplane," began in 1967; over 1,500 of the planes were eventually produced. 

The final 747 manufactured by the company is a freighter, Boeing said, with the capacity to carry "10,699 solid-gold bars or approximately 19 million ping-pong balls or golf balls."

The company's model 777 is projected to replace the 747 in the Boeing lineup.