Introduced in 1968, the Boeing 747 totally revolutionized commercial air transportation.

It was more than twice the size of the next closest passenger plane, and it brought air travel to a much wider audience.

Not only did it help democratize air travel, but the

plane's unique features also added a new element of style and luxury to the jet age.

In addition to carrying passengers, it's also served as an important cargo aircraft, and it's even served as Air Force One.

Learn more about the Boeing 747 on the 747th episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Today air travel is relatively affordable and it's something that is within the grasp of most people.

Even if it doesn't seem like it, air travel today is much cheaper and much more

Democratic than it was in the 50s and 60s.

Back then flying by air was relatively expensive which is why so few people did it.

The people who did travel by air became known as the Jet Set, which became a euphemism

for the wealthy and the beautiful.

However, the Jet Set is something you must never hear about

anymore because everyone is now part of the jet set. Airlines like Ryanair,

Southwest, Spirit, EasyJet, and a host of other airlines have made air travel available for everyone.

One of the first major steps in that transition of democratizing travel was the development of the 747.

The origins of the 747 actually began with a government contract for a large military

cargo aircraft.

In 1963, the United States Air Force put out a request to aircraft manufacturers for a cargo jet that would be larger than the C-141 starlifter.

The new project was called the CX Heavy Logistics System, and the Air Force required that the plane

have a capacity of 180,000 pounds, a top speed of

Mach 0.75, and a range of 5,000 miles or 9,000 kilometers.

There were also requirements for the size of the payload bay and the plane had to be

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