<P> As the 1960s drew to a close, the exponential growth in air travel led to the 707 being a victim of its own success . The 707 was now too small to handle the increased numbers of passengers on the routes for which it was designed . Stretching the fuselage was not a viable option because the installation of larger, more powerful engines would need a larger undercarriage, which was not feasible given the design's limited ground clearance at takeoff . Boeing's answer to the problem was the first wide - body airliner--the Boeing 747 . The 707's first - generation engine technology was also rapidly becoming obsolete in the areas of noise and fuel economy, especially after the 1973 oil crisis . </P> <P> In 1982, during the Falklands War, the Argentine Air Force extensively used 707s for long - range maritime patrol, with some of them being intercepted and shepherded away by Royal Navy Sea Harriers, it also led to the conversion of British Nimrods to carry Sidewinder air - to - air missiles after a casual encounter . </P> <P> Trans World Airlines flew the last scheduled 707 flight for passengers by a US carrier on October 30, 1983, although 707s remained in scheduled service by airlines from other nations for much longer . Middle East Airlines of Lebanon flew 707s and 720s in front - line passenger service until the end of the 1990s . Since LADE of Argentina took its 707 - 320Bs from regular service in 2007, Saha Airlines of Iran was the last airline to keep 707s in scheduled passenger service until April 2013 . </P> <P> Operations of the 707 were threatened by the enactment of international noise regulations in 1985 . Shannon Engineering of Seattle developed a hush kit with funding from Tracor, Inc, of Austin, Texas . By the late 1980s, 172 Boeing 707s had been equipped with the Quiet 707 package . Boeing acknowledged that more 707s were in service than before the hush kit was available . Most remaining 707s are in freighter form, or as business jets . </P>

When did the boeing 707 go out of service
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