Last week, GE Aviation announced it was officially storing its 747-100 Flying Test Bed, making the 747’s 25 January flight almost certainly its last. N747GE was the oldest 747 in active service.

Delivered factory-fresh to Pan Am in 1970, the airline operated 747 line number 25 as N744PA ‘Clipper Ocean Spray’ for 21 years before selling it to GE in 1992.

GE then removed most of the interior, and strengthened the left wing and tail to make it fit for engine testing duty.

GE had used the flying test bed registered N747GE since 1992 to develop engines like the GE90 (777), GEnx (747-8 & 787), Engine Alliance GP7200 (A380), CFM-56 (various), and the LEAP (737 MAX, A320neo, C919). The airframe completed more than 3,600 flight hours and 775 cycles with GE.
And here’s a look at @GEAviation’s 747-100 N747GE’s final flight from last January. pic.twitter.com/W3dKR2s1z8
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) August 17, 2017
GE’s 747GF, a 747-400, will now be the exclusive flying test bed. This new airframe was acquired from Japan Airlines in 2010. Note that N747GF’s winglets have been removed.

You can see more of N747GE’s final flight and get a tour inside the aircraft in the video below.