From the beginning, Boeing 747 was designed to serve as an all-cargo transport. The first Boeing 747 Freighter could easily carry 100 tons (90,000 kg) across the Atlantic Ocean or across the United States. Its operating cost was 35 percent less per ton mile than 707 Freighter. Boeing 747 Freighter has a hinged nose to allow cargo loading through front of the airplane, with the option of a large side-cargo door.

Boeing Boeing 747-200 Convertible was configured to serve as a passenger airplane, a freighter or a combination of both. This airplane responded to airlines' needs to carry different payloads at different times of the year, such as higher passenger capacities during the summer and more cargo during the winter. Similar to the convertible is -200 Combi, which was designed to serve as a passenger-only airplane or as a passenger-freighter mix.

Combi has a large side-cargo door on the main deck and is used by airlines to make better use of their routes during different times of the year. The convertible has a nose cargo door similar to freighter.

Boeing has designed or modified 15 Boeing 747s for special purposes. Among them were two Boeing 747-200s delivered as U.S. presidential Air Force One airplanes and four Boeing 747-200s, designated E-4s, delivered to the U.S. Air Force as airborne emergency command and control posts. Another Boeing 747 was modified to ferry the U.S. space shuttle between California and Florida. Other Boeing 747s have been demonstrated as tankers capable of refueling other airplanes in flight.

In addition, Boeing completed modifications to 19 existing Boeing 747-100s to Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) configurations in 1990. If called into service by the U.S. Air Force, these passenger planes can be converted to freighters in less than 48 hours. Boeing donated the original Boeing 747, line No. 1, to Seattle's Museum of Flight. On lease to Boeing, it often is used as a flying testbed for aeronautical developments

From its first flight in 1969, Boeing 747 has been an airplane of superlatives: It was bigger, flew farther and carried more people than any other commercial airplane. Today, that's still true. The latest model, Boeing 747-400, can fly 416 to 524 passengers about 8,400 miles and is available in four models. Boeing 747-400 has a two-pilot digital flight deck, a new interior and is powered by stronger, more efficient engines. With its huge capacity, extended range and improved fuel

efficiency, the -400 offers the lowest operating costs per seat of any commercial jetliner. In addition to passenger version, Boeing 747-400 is offered as a "Combi" -- carrying passengers forward and cargo aft on the main deck -- as well as a domestic, high-capacity version and an all-cargo freighter.

Boeing is continuing the development of Boeing 747-400 and building on its strengths to fulfill future requirements of the small but important Boeing 747-and-larger airplane market. Boeing is developing a 21st century family of Boeing 747 derivatives to be well positioned if customer demand and market requirements warrant moving forward.