Even before the main UK television channels - BBC1 and ITV - had introduced colour pictures the first Boeing 747s were starting to roll off the manufacturer's Everett production line. Now, 46 years later, more than 1,480 have been produced, making the type the most successful widebody airliner programme to date (although the 777 is catching up fast). However, things could have been very different. What has become one of the most iconic aircraft in commercial aviation history might not have flown at all had it not been for the vision and perseverance of the company's then president, Bill Allen. The decision to launch the programme was a major gamble, had it backfired it would almost certainly have resulted in Boeing's collapse. Thankfully, for the manufacturer, the decision paid off and the 747 became the airliner of choice for many carriers wishing to move large numbers of passengers at a time. The inaugural passenger service from Washington/ Dulles to London/Heathrow was by Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) on January 22,1970. Since then the type has gone from strength to strength, with Boeing rolling out improved versions on a regular basis (for a full history of the type see Boeing 747 - Queen of the Skies, Airliner World January 2009). The 'Jumbo Jet' - as it became known - ruled the skies for more than three decades. However, the introduction of the Airbus A380 in October 2007, and the evolution of twin-engined widebody aircraft like the 777 and the A330/A350, have dramatically cut airline interest in the once mighty 747 and sales have since dwindled.
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