Korean Air Donates Boeing 747 to California Science Center

Korean Air has donated a Boeing 747-400 to the California Science Center in Los Angeles, unveiling the aircraft at a commemorative event on May 12 as the centrepiece of the newly named Korean Air Aviation Gallery.

The aircraft, tail number HL7489, is a veteran of Korean Air's own fleet — it flew from 1994 to 2014, completing 13,842 flights and logging over 86,000 flight hours before retirement. Standing 19.4 metres tall, the double-decker widebody is now being transformed into a hands-on educational exhibit alongside the Science Center's existing collection.

The 70-foot forward section of the fuselage — including the upper and main decks, belly cargo hold, and landing gear — will become the 747 Experience, an interactive installation featuring a simulated flight from Los Angeles to Seoul, a wind tunnel lab, and a plane design exhibit where visitors can experiment with wing shapes and parachute launches. Interactive displays will cover everything from landing gear mechanics and hydraulic systems to cockpit controls and aviation careers.

Korean Air Chairman and CEO Walter Cho attended the event alongside California Science Center President Jeffrey Rudolph, describing Los Angeles as a second home for the airline over more than five decades. Cho said the gallery is intended to inspire the next generation of pilots, engineers, and innovators.

The Korean Air Aviation Gallery is one of three major exhibition spaces within the Science Center's new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, which will also house the Space Shuttle Endeavour. An opening date for the full centre has not yet been announced.