Final Boeing 747 takes to the air from factory

The final 747 to be constructed took to the air Wednesday to go to its customer, the cargo carrier Atlas Air.Since it debuted in 1969, the 747 has served as a cargo plane, a commercial aircraft capable of carrying nearly 500 passengers, and the Air Force One presidential aircraft.

It revolutionized international travel.But over about the past 15 years, Boeing and its European rival Airbus have introduced more profitable and fuel efficient wide-body planes.The final plane is the 1,574th built by Boeing in the Puget Sound region of Washington State.Atlas CEO called the 747 the greatest air freighter, thanks in part to its unique capacity to load through the nose cone.