Lufthansa Boeing 747 Makes Final Flight, Lands In Tulsa

Tulsa is the final destination for a huge Lufthansa Boeing 747.

The 747-400 made its final flight here, non-stop from Frankfurt, Germany, in almost 10 hours.

Over the next 10 weeks or so, workers will take the plane apart. They'll re-service and re-use what they can, then scrap the rest.

It is the 35th aircraft the company has parted out in Tulsa, and the fourth 747 just this year.

10/15/2015: Another 747 'Retires' To Tulsa

The airline tells us this will be the last plane disassembled in Tulsa for at least a couple years.

Lufthansa Technik Component Services calls the program Second Life Tear Down. The company began the program three years ago. Most of the jets the Tulsa team has disassembled have been smaller ones. 

The 747 that landed on Wednesday, October 21, 2015 was tail number D-ABVN and was named for the city of Dortmund, Germany. It was delivered to the airline in May of 1992. Over the years it flew all over the world from Frankfurt, traveling to Buenos Aires, Orlando, Sao Paolo, Jakarta, New York and other cities. 

There's nothing wrong with the airplane, it's just that the airline is replacing its older 747-400s with new 747-8 Intercontinentals which can fly farther and faster and have the latest amenities.

The plane was carrying only three pilots and an employee to do the paperwork. The tower gave the crew permission to do two touch-and-goes, something the pilots never get to do while carrying passengers, then the Boeing landed for the last time.

It was almost a solemn occasion for the ground crew, which treated the world-traveling jet almost reverently as it arrived at its final resting place.