The Boeing 747 cost around a billion dollars to build in the 1960s. That was a massive sum back then and represented a major investment for the company. Airliners require an extensive amount of precision to develop and fly, and more often than not, the development of new projects frequently goes massively over budget. The development of the Boeing 747 was no different, and it was one of the mega projects of its time. A new airliner development project gone wrong can mean the end of the company.