Why does the 747 have its famous hump?

To place the cockpit above a nose cargo door

Boeing 747 Quiz: The Queen of the Skies and Its Hump

Engineers put the cockpit up top so freighter versions could load through a nose door, and that is why the jumbo jet has its hump, as this Boeing 747 quiz explains. Play an interactive set of 10 questions on Joe Sutter, the 1969 first flight, Pan Am, the Everett factory, the upper deck lounge, Air Force One, the Space Shuttle carrier and the final delivery in 2023.

Start Boeing 747 Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Hump
Why does the 747 have its famous hump?
Engineer
Who led the 747's design team?
First flight
When did the 747 first fly?
Airline
Which airline launched 747 service in 1970?
Factory
Where were 747s built?
Nickname
Which nickname is often given to the 747?
Engines
How many engines does a 747 have?
President
Which aircraft serving the US president is based on the 747?
Shuttle
Which unusual cargo did modified 747s carry on their backs?
Final
When was the last 747 delivered?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Why does the 747 have its famous hump?
Answer: To place the cockpit above a nose cargo door
Freighters load through the opening nose.
Q2: Who led the 747's design team?
Answer: Joe Sutter
Sutter is called the father of the 747.
Q3: When did the 747 first fly?
Answer: 1969
The first flight was on February 9, 1969.
Q4: Which airline launched 747 service in 1970?
Answer: Pan Am
Its first route linked New York and London.
Q5: Where were 747s built?
Answer: Everett, Washington
Boeing built a vast factory, one of the largest buildings by volume.
Q6: Which nickname is often given to the 747?
Answer: Queen of the Skies
It is also widely called the Jumbo Jet.
Q7: How many engines does a 747 have?
Answer: Four
Four engines made long overwater flights possible before twins were approved.
Q8: Which aircraft serving the US president is based on the 747?
Answer: VC-25, known as Air Force One
Two VC-25A jets have carried presidents since 1990.
Q9: Which unusual cargo did modified 747s carry on their backs?
Answer: NASA's Space Shuttle
The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft ferried orbiters across the US.
Q10: When was the last 747 delivered?
Answer: 2023
The 1,574th 747 went to Atlas Air in January 2023.

Boeing 747 Quiz – The Jumbo Jet's Story

The Boeing 747 first flew on February 9, 1969, and entered service with Pan Am in 1970. Engineer Joe Sutter's team designed a wide-body, four-engine jet that made long-distance flying affordable for millions.

The 747's hump exists because the cockpit was placed above the main deck so freighter versions could open their noses for cargo. Airlines used the upper deck for lounges and later for extra seats. The jets were built in Everett, Washington.

Versions served as Air Force One and carried NASA's Space Shuttle. After 1,574 aircraft, Boeing delivered the last 747 to Atlas Air in January 2023, ending more than half a century of production.

What This Quiz Teaches

Aviation fans will enjoy these questions on a famous airliner.

Why the hump exists
Who designed it
When it entered service
Which special roles it played
When production ended

Did You Know?

The 747-8 is the longest version.
Some airlines put a piano lounge upstairs in the 1970s.
The 747-400 added winglets.
Many 747s now fly as freighters.
Qantas and British Airways once operated large 747 fleets.