Just before noon, on April 17th, 2014, a Boeing 747-400 began its final descent. The airplane, as it cruised into the Memphis area from 41,000 feet, was not just any 747: it was the world’s last airworthy and active Boeing 747-400D. The -D’s are a rare, domestic high density 747, designed specifically for the Japanese domestic market. Not only was she the last of her kind, but this particular 747, JA8961 of All-Nippon Airways (ANA), was the last passenger 747 to fly a revenue flight in Japan. The last landing at Tokyo Handa ended 747 passenger service in Japan, which had been continuous since 1970.
