Boeing 747 safety record
The 747 has flown since 1970, and its record carries fifty years of aviation history. The newest version, the 747-8, has never had a fatal accident.
A record that reflects fifty years of flying
The 747 has flown since 1970, through decades in which aviation as a whole became far safer, and its record carries that history. The deadliest accident in aviation, at Tenerife in 1977, was a collision between two 747s on a runway in fog. Neither aircraft failed; the lessons about runway procedures and how a cockpit crew speaks up changed pilot training everywhere.
Boeing's annual accident summary measures this as fatal hull losses per million departures — how many times in a million flights an aircraft of the type was destroyed in an accident that killed someone. Across the worldwide jet fleet Boeing tracks, since 1959, the figure is 0.52. The 747-400 stands at 0.64, a little above that long-run average; the newest version, the 747-8, has had none.
The 747 in numbers
A big aircraft moves less in a gust
The 747 carries a lot of weight on every square metre of wing and is long enough that small, sharp gusts partly even out along it. Bumpy air that would jolt a small jet tends to arrive on a 747 as a slower, gentler motion, simply because there's so much more aircraft for the air to push.
Its long, swept wings flex as well, by design. The tips rising and falling outside the window are the wing taking up the load, which is exactly what they're built to do.
Ten across in economy
Most of a 747's cabin is on the main deck, where economy is ten across in a 3-4-3 layout with two aisles. The upper deck sits inside the hump behind the cockpit and is much narrower — airlines have mostly used it for business class, with a small, quiet cabin of its own.
The drawing shows the main deck, fitted into its published width. If you're in economy, the two side blocks of three give you a window or an aisle; the middle four are where most people end up.
How big it really is
The 747 was the first wide-body airliner and stayed the largest passenger jet for decades. It's still one of the longest aircraft flying — the latest version is a touch longer from nose to tail than the A380, even though it's smaller overall.
Tap any other airliner to lay it over the 747 at exactly the same scale.
The 747 in white, the A320 outlined in gold. Same scale, same metre.
Boeing 747 questions
How safe is the 747?
The 747 has flown since 1970, and its record carries fifty years of aviation history. The newest version, the 747-8, has never had a fatal accident. Every figure on this page is sourced — the list is at the bottom.
Is the Boeing 747 still flying passengers?
Yes, but only with a handful of airlines. Many operators retired their passenger 747s in favour of more efficient twin-engine jets, and Boeing has stopped building the aircraft. It remains very common as a cargo plane.
What is upstairs on a 747?
The upper deck, inside the hump behind the cockpit. It's a separate small cabin reached by a staircase, and most airlines have used it for business class.
Which is bigger, the 747 or the A380?
The A380 is bigger overall: wider wings, a full-length second deck and much more cabin space. The newest 747 is slightly longer from nose to tail.
Every other airliner
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page is from the manufacturer, the certifying authority or the published accident record.
- Boeing Wingspan, Length, Cabin width, Economy, Seat width
- Boeing Typical seats, Range
- law.cornell.edu Cabin altitude
- EASA type certificate data sheet Engines
- Boeing Delivered, Still being built
- Boeing First flight, In service since
- Boeing Bent upward in the strength test
- Boeing Accident record
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