Iconic British Airways 747 to stay at Cotswold Airport
An iconic British Airways 747 painted in the firm's heritage 'Negus' livery will remain at Cotswold Airport as a museum piece.
The jumbo jet arrived at the airport near Kemble on 8 October after its final flight from London Heathrow.
It will now be kept to be appreciated by future generations.
It comes following the retirement of the airline’s fleet of 747-400, brought forward as a result of the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the airline and the aviation sector.
Launched in 1969, the planes were considerably larger than existing airliners, with a capacity of around 550 passengers.
They were known by British Airways as The Queen Of The Skies and were sold as the height of luxury travel.
For generations the planes transported 3.5 billion passengers around the world.
The airline once boasted the world’s largest fleet of the 747-400 model with 31 aircraft.
The G-CIVB took off from Heathrow along with G-CIVY 747 in foul weather shortly after 8.30am on 8 October 2020.
It made the short journey to Cotswold Airport near Cirencester, which will now be its final resting place.
The airport hopes to make the aircraft into a public attraction and also use the existing in flight entertainment system for cinema screenings.
Many of the other jumbo jets could become cargo planes, or a dismantled for parts.