★ FAMOUSAviation history
GE Flying Testbed
The lopsided 747 — flies with one giant prototype engine
Tail number N747GF

The story
GE Aerospace's flying engine laboratory — a 747-400 that carries prototype engines on a strengthened inboard pylon. When you see a 747 with one engine comically larger than the other three, this is it. Engines for the 777X and beyond earned their wings here before any airliner flew them.
Fun fact
The GE9X it tested is the most powerful jet engine ever built — its fan is wider than a 737's entire fuselage.
Quick answers
What is the tail number of GE Flying Testbed?
N747GF (Boeing 747-400).
What kind of aircraft is GE Flying Testbed?
Boeing 747-400.
Is it still flying?
Yes, it is still active.
The type
More aviation history
★ Aviation historyHoneywell Flying TestbedThe unicorn 757 — flies with an engine growing out of its nose★ Aviation historyPratt & Whitney 747SP TestbedOne of the last SPs alive — the stubby unicorn of the 747 family★ Aviation historyB-29 Superfortress 'Doc'One of two flying B-29s left on Earth★ Aviation historyB-29 Superfortress 'FIFI'The B-29 that kept the breed alive — flying since her 1971 rescue★ Aviation historyGoodyear BlimpFirst of the modern Zeppelin fleet — the one everyone pictures★ Aviation historyThe Spirit of DeltaBought by 36,000 Delta employees as a gift to their airline
Bogey · free on iPhone and Android
Will GE Flying Testbed cross your map?
Famous airframes wear a gold star on Bogey's live map. If this one flies near you, tap it and it joins your collection with its story.
- A live map of every aircraft around you, at its real position.
- Tap one and it flips into a trading card: type, airline, route, photo.
- Catch rare ones. Build a collection. Climb the leaderboard.
