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A Look at the Remaining Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 Orders & Deliveries
Jumbo and Superjumbo jets have captivated passengers and airlines for decades. Unfortunately, the economics of these aircraft are becoming a tough sell for the manufacturers, partly due to the dwindling economic performance. The days that the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 are in production could become numbered soon. (airwaysmag.com) Plus d'info...
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I wonder if the retiring 747s will find a new career as an aerial fire fighter? Evergreen Aviation of Oregon and Global Supertankers of Colorado have already converted the 747 into a fire bomber. Global Supertanker 944 could be one of the air tankers delivering retardant on a wildfire near you.
Just received word that Tanker 944 (B747) is responding to the disastrous fires in Chile.
Hopefully the Air Force will go for a B-52 replacement, get some 747-8s before Boeing shuts them down and configure them as flying arsenal ships full of cruise missiles and JDAM racks.
http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/why-boeings-design-for-a-747-full-of-cruise-missiles-ma-1605150371
http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/why-boeings-design-for-a-747-full-of-cruise-missiles-ma-1605150371
That certainly is an interesting idea. However, so many people identify the iconic 747 hump with Boeing that I'm not sure Boeing would like to see it turned into a lethal weapon. (Although every aviation fan knows Boeing produced the B-52, but I'm not sure the average person does.) Such an offensive weapon also might make commercial aircraft more of a "legitimate" target for outlaw regimes -- think USSR's downing of KAL 007 and Russia's involvement in the shoot-down of MH17 over the Ukraine. If the program does come to fruition, I would think retired 747-400s would be used instead of expensive new 747-800s.
