5 Unlikely Boeing 747 Operators From Over The Years

The Boeing 747 has become one of the most iconic aircraft that an aircraft manufacturer has built over the years. When the aircraft, which essentially forced Boeing to make an all-in move to develop it, first took off on a commercial flight with Pan Am in January 1970, it unlocked air travel to become more accessible to even more people, enabling airlines to welcome even more passengers.

When Boeing delivered the last-ever Boeing 747, a 747-8F, to Atlas Air in January 2023, the manufacturer had built 1,574 aircraft of the type, including prototypes. In total, Boeing handed over 1,573 Boeing 747 aircraft between 1970 and 2023, according to its orders & deliveries data.

Among these deliveries were some unlikely, weird, or obscure operators who either operated the type briefly or utilized the aircraft in an unusual manner. It also includes cases where scheduled airlines operated the type on behalf of governments or heads of state.

5

Aer Lingus

Currently operated Boeing 747 aircraft: 0

Previously operated Boeing 747 variants:

Aer Lingus was one of the first airlines to receive the type. Boeing first delivered a Boeing 747-100, then registered as EI-ASI, to the Irish airline on December 15, 1970. The Irish carrier took delivery of another 747-100, registered as EI-ASJ, in March 1971. These were the only two new Boeing 747 aircraft that Aer Lingus had over the years.

According to data from planespotters.net, another Boeing 747-100, then registered as EI-BED, joined the airline’s fleet in 1979 after spending nine years with Lufthansa. The Irish airline operated the type until 1995, when it retired all three of its Boeing 747s.

However, the exact date of EI-ASJ’s retirement remains inconclusive. Still, EI-ASI and EI-ASJ were subsequently delivered to Kabo Air, a Nigeria-registered carrier. Overall, planespotters.net data showed that the Nigerian airline operated 23 Boeing 747 aircraft, including a pair of ex-Aer Lingus 747s.

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4

Wardair Canada

Currently operated Boeing 747 aircraft: 0

Previously operated Boeing 747 variants:

• Boeing 747-100
• Boeing 747-200

Wardair Canada was another unusual operator of the type, having operated a total of five 747s: three 747-100 and two 747-200 aircraft. The Boeing 747-100s were delivered in 1975 (C-FDJC), 1974 (C-FFUN), and 1986 (C-FTOB), while the 747-200s were handed over to the Canadian airlines in 1979 (C-GXRD) and 1980 (C-GXRA).

Interestingly, the pair of Boeing 747-200s shared a similar fate after exiting Wardair Canada’s fleet in the late 1980s, with both being taken over by British Caledonian. Subsequently, Philippine Airlines began operating the two 747-200s after British Airways, which acquired British Caledonian.

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3

Royal Air Maroc

Currently operated Boeing 747 aircraft: 2

Previously operated Boeing 747 variants:

• Boeing 747-200
• Boeing 747-400
• Boeing 747-8I (Boeing Business Jet (BBJ))

Royal Air Maroc, despite not being known as a stereotypical Boeing 747 operator, had quite a few variants of the type throughout its history. Ch-aviation fleet records showed that the Moroccan airline had flown the Boeing 747-200BM (which had a rear cargo door), Boeing 747-400M Combi (another with a rear cargo door), and two currently active types, the Boeing 747-400 and Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) 747-8I.

Photo: Rebius | Shutterstock

Both the 747-400 and BBJ 747-8I, registered as CN-RGA and CN-MBH, respectively, are operated by the Force Aérienne Royale Marocaine (Royal Moroccan Air Force). The latter transports the Moroccan head of state, Mohammed VI, the current King of Morocco.

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2

Iran Air

Currently operated Boeing 747 aircraft: 1

Previously operated Boeing 747 variants:

• Boeing 747-100
• Boeing 747-200
• Boeing 747SP

Despite crippling sanctions on Iran, the country’s carriers, such as Iran Air, Mahan Air, Saha Airlines, and others, have managed to get their hands on several Boeing 747 aircraft. Nevertheless, Iran Air, the de facto flag carrier of the country, currently operates a single Boeing 747, a Boeing 747-200CM, which the Iranian airline began operating in July 2008.

The cargo aircraft began its career with Martinair, a current subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group before briefly being operated by Ankair, a now-defunct cargo carrier based in Turkey. In addition to the 747-200CM, Iran Air had 16 other Boeing 747s, including four Boeing 747SP aircraft, one of the rarest variants of the type.

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1

Rolls-Royce

Currently operated Boeing 747 aircraft: 1

Previously operated Boeing 747 variants:

• Boeing 747-200
• Boeing 747-400 (scrapped before having entered service)

The last entry is Rolls-Royce, which has a single Boeing 747-200 used to test various aircraft technologies, including engines. The aircraft, registered as N787RR, has been with the British aerospace manufacturer since June 2005 and has been involved with testing several aircraft engines, including the 787’s Trent 1000.

Photo: Rolls-Royce

Lately, the flying testing bed (FTB), as Rolls-Royce has designated the aircraft, has been involved with testing the Pearl 10X. The engine will be used for the Dassault Falcon 10X, a private jet developed by the French aircraft manufacturer Dassault.

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