Boeing 747

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Boeing 747
707 · 717 · 727 · 737 · 747 · 757 · 767 · 777 · 787
Japan Airlines Boeing 747
Type	Airliner
Manufacturer	Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Designed by	Joe Sutter
Maiden flight	1969-02-09[1]
Status	In development (747-8)
Primary users	Japan Airlines (70) Air France-KLM (58) British Airways (57) Korean Air (42)
Produced	1969–present
Number built	1,380 as of 2006
Unit cost	747-100 $24,000,000 (1967) 747-200 $39,000,000 (1976) 747-300 $82,000,000 (1982) 747-400 $230,000,000 (2006)
Variants	Boeing 747SP Boeing VC-25 Boeing 747-400 Boeing 747-8 Boeing 747 LCF

The Boeing 747, commonly called a 'Jumbo Jet', is among the most recognizable jet airliners, and is among the largest passenger airliners. First flown commercially in 1970, it held the passenger capacity record for 35 years and was the first commercial wide-body aircraft.

The four-engine 747, produced by Boeing's Commercial Airplane unit, uses a double decker configuration for part of its length. A typical three-class layout accommodates 416 passengers, while a two-class layout accommodates a maximum of 524 passengers. The hump created by the upper deck has made the 747 a highly recognizable icon of air travel. As of the end of 2006, 1380 planes have been built with 120 more on order in various 747 configurations.^[2]

Contents 1 Introduction 2 History 2.1 Development 2.2 In service 2.3 Future of the 747 3 Variants 3.1 747-100 3.1.1 747-100B 3.1.2 747-100SR 3.1.3 747SP 3.2 747-200 3.2.1 747-200B 3.2.2 747-200C 3.2.3 747-200M 3.2.4 747-200F 3.3 747-300 3.3.1 747-300M 3.3.2 747-300SR 3.4 747-400 3.5 747-8 3.5.1 747-8I 3.5.2 747-8F 4 Government and military 5 Specifications 6 747 Deliveries 7 Preserved aircraft 8 Incidents 9 Facts and Figures 10 References 11 External links 12 Related content

[edit] Introduction

The 747-400, the latest version in service, flies at high-subsonic speeds of Mach 0.85 (567 mph or 913 km/h), and features an intercontinental range of 7,260 nm (8,355 mi, 13,446 km).^[3] In some configurations this is sufficient to fly non-stop from New York to Hong Kong – a third of the way around the globe. In 1989, a Qantas 747-400 flew non-stop from London to Sydney, a distance of 9,720 nm (11,185 mi, 18,001 km) in 20 hours and 9 minutes, although this was a delivery flight with no passengers or freight aboard.^[4]

The 747 is the second largest passenger airliner, next to the Airbus A380. The Antonov An-225 cargo transport remains the world's largest aircraft by maximum gross takeoff weight in service, while the Hughes H-4 Hercules had a larger wing-span.^[5] Only one each of the latter two aircraft were produced, while the 747 and A380 are for serial production.

[edit] History

[edit] Development

The 747 was born from the explosion of air travel in the 1960s. The era of commercial jet transportation, led by the enormous popularity of the Boeing 707, had revolutionized long distance travel and made possible the concept of the "global village". Boeing had already developed a study for a very large fixed-wing aircraft while bidding on a US military contract for a huge cargo plane.^[6] Boeing lost the contract to Lockheed's C-5 Galaxy but came under pressure from its most loyal airline customer, Pan Am, to develop a giant passenger plane that would be over twice the size of the 707. In 1966 Boeing proposed a preliminary configuration for the airliner, to be called the 747. Pan Am ordered 25 of the initial 100 series for US$550 million, becoming its launch customer.^[1][7] The original design was a full-length double-decker fuselage. Concern over evacuation routes and limited cargo carrying capability caused this idea to be scrapped in favor of a wide-body design.^[8]

The 747 would be a monumental engineering and management challenge. In 1966, with the company's future riding on the success of the 747, Boeing president William M. Allen asked Malcolm T. Stamper, then head of the company's turbine division, to lead its development. "How would you like to build an airplane — in fact, the biggest airplane in the world?" Allen asked him in 1966, according to "Legend and Legacy", a Boeing history by Robert Serling.

"Mr. Allen, the only airplane I ever built had rubber bands on it," Stamper said.

"Do you or do you not?" demanded Allen.

"I'd welcome the challenge," Mr. Stamper replied.

At the time, it was widely thought that the 747 would be replaced in the future with an SST (supersonic transport) design. In a shrewd move, Boeing designed the 747 so that it could easily be adapted to carry freight. Boeing knew that if and when sales of the passenger version dried up (see below regarding the future sales of the 747), the plane could remain in production as a cargo transport. The cockpit was moved to a shortened upper deck so that a nose cone loading door could be included, thus creating the 747's distinctive "bulge". The supersonic transports, including the Concorde and Boeing's never-produced 2707, were not widely adopted, such planes being difficult to operate profitably at a time when fuel prices were soaring, and also there were difficulties of operating such aircraft due to regulations regarding flying supersonic over land.^[9]

The 747 was expected to become obsolete after sales of 400 units. But the 747 outlived many of its critics' expectations and production passed the 1,000 mark in 1993. The expected slow-down in sales of the passenger version in favour of the freighter model has only been realized in the early 2000s, around two decades later than expected. The development of the 747 was a huge undertaking – Boeing did not have a facility large enough to assemble the giant aircraft, so the company built an all-new assembly building near Everett, Washington. The factory is the largest building by volume ever built,^[6] on over 780 acres of land.^[1]

A massive high-bypass turbofan engine, the Pratt & Whitney JT9D was developed and was initially used exclusively with the 747. Four of these engines mounted in pods below the wings power the 747. To appease concerns about the safety and flyability of such a massive aircraft, the 747 was designed with four redundant hydraulic systems, split control surfaces, redundant main landing gear, multiple structural redundancy, and sophisticated flaps that allowed it to use standard-length runways. The wing was swept back at an unusually high angle of 37.5 degrees, and it was chosen in order to minimize the wing span, thus allowing the 747 to use existing hangars.^[8][10]

During the flight certification period, Boeing built an unusual training device known as "Waddell's Wagon" (named after the 747 test pilot, Jack Waddell) which consisted of a mock-up cockpit mounted on the roof of a truck. It was intended to train pilots on how to taxi the plane from the high upper deck position.^[6]

Boeing had promised to deliver the 747 to Pan Am by 1970, meaning that it had less than four years to develop, build and test the aircraft. Work progressed at such a breakneck pace that all those who worked on the development of the 747 were given the nickname "The Incredibles".^[6] The massive cost of developing the 747 and building the Everett factory meant that Boeing had to borrow, and gambled its very existence on the 747's success; had the project failed, it would have taken the company along with it.^[7] Initial problems with the JT9D's development forced Boeing to delay deliveries up to a year, and as a result up to 30 planes at one time were left stranded at the Everett plant, with the company on the brink of bankruptcy.^[8]

The gamble paid dividends, however, and Boeing enjoyed a monopoly in the very large passenger aircraft industry for decades. In fact, the record and benchmark set by the 747 will only be surpassed, more than 35 years after its first delivery, by the A380, built by Boeing's rival, Airbus.^[11]

[edit] In service

On January 15, 1970, First Lady Pat Nixon officially christened a Pan Am Boeing 747 at Washington Dulles International Airport in the presence of Pan Am chairman Najeeb Halaby. Red, white, and blue water was sprayed on the aircraft, rather than breaking a bottle of champagne. The first commercial flight involving the Boeing 747 took place on January 22, 1970 operated by Pan Am between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and London Heathrow Airport. Pan Am added 747 service to London from Boston, Washington, and other cities during the spring and summer of 1970. Overnight, a new standard of air travel had been created and other airlines rushed to bring their own 747 jets into service. TWA, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, BOAC, and Northwest Orient would be among the first carriers to offer 747 service on long-haul flights. American Airlines initiated 747 service between New York and Los Angeles by the summer of 1970, and in September 1970 added nonstop 747 flights between Washington and Los Angeles. Soon afterward American Airlines added 747 service from Boston to Chicago and on to Los Angeles. In addition to its foreign destinations, TWA offered 747 flights between San Francisco and New York by early 1971.

Initially, many airlines regarded the 747 with skepticism. McDonnell Douglas and Lockheed were working on wide-body three engine "tri-jets", which were smaller than the proposed 747. Many airlines believed the 747 would prove too large for an average long distance flight, investing instead in tri-jets. There were also concerns that the 747 would not be compatible with existing airport infrastructure -- an issue which has resurfaced with the Airbus A380, due to its double-deck feature.^[12]

Another issue raised by the airlines was fuel efficiency. A three-engine airliner generally burns less fuel per flight than a four-engine, and with airlines trying to lower costs, fuel efficiency was an important issue that would briefly return to haunt Boeing in the 1970s.

Many of the airlines' fears came to be in the 1970s. The Arab oil crisis and economic stagnation in the United States lowered the number of airline passengers and made it difficult for airlines to fill their new 747s. So American Airlines replaced coach seats on its 747s with piano bars in an attempt to attract more customers. Eventually, it relegated its 747s to cargo service and then sold them. Continental Airlines also removed its 747s from service after several years. The advent of smaller, more efficient wide bodies, starting with the tri-jet DC-10 and L-1011 and followed by the twin-jet 767 and A300, took away much of the 747's original market, especially as airline deregulation made point-to-point international service more common. Other airlines that have removed 747s from their fleet include Air Canada, Aer Lingus, Avianca, SAS, TAP, America West, and Olympic Airways.

However, many international airlines continued to use the 747 on their busiest routes. The type remained popular among Asian airlines for short and medium-range flights between major cities: in Japan, domestic airlines continue to pack 747s to their maximum passenger capacity. Elsewhere, 747s remain popular on long-range trunk routes, such as transoceanic flights and the Kangaroo routes between Europe and Australia. The largest fleet of 747s today belongs to Japan Airlines, at approximately 78 (series -200s, -300s and 44 -400s). British Airways has the next largest fleet of 747s, comprising 56 747-400s.

[edit] Future of the 747

Many different stretching schemes for the 747 have been proposed, but the only design to be adopted is 2005's 747-8. The 747-X program was launched in 1996 as Boeing's response to the Airbus A3XX proposal. The 747-X would have consisted of the 747-500X and 747-600X, seating up to 800 passengers. General Electric and P&W formed the Engine Alliance and designed the GP7200 turbofan to power the Airbus A380. This engine was rumored to also have been planned to power the 747-X. Airlines, however, would have preferred Boeing to develop an all-new design instead of an updated 747, and the plan was dropped after a few months.

After development of the Airbus A380 formally began in 2000, Boeing reexamined its 747-X studies but instead devoted its energies to the Sonic Cruiser,^[13] and then later on the 787 after the Sonic Cruiser program was put on hold for an undefined period.^[14] Some of the ideas developed for the 747-X were, however, used in the production of the 747-400ER.

In early 2004, Boeing rolled out tentative plans for what it called the 747 Advanced. Similar in nature to the 747-X plans, the stretched 747 Advanced uses advanced technology from the 787 to modernize the design and its systems. On November 14, 2005, Boeing announced it was launching the 747 Advanced as the 747-8.^[15] Eventually, the 747 (in all forms) may be replaced by a clean-sheet aircraft dubbed "Y3".

[edit] Variants

There are five variants of the 747 and launched on five separate occasions. The 747-100 was the original and launched in 1966. The 747-200 was the second model and followed soon after with an order in 1968. The 747-300 was launched in 1980. The 747-400 was launched in 1985, and the latest, the 747-8 was launched in 2005. Although there are a total of five models, numerous versions of each type have been produced. Many of the early variants were in production at the same time, especially in the 1980s.

[edit] 747-100

The first model of the jet, the 747-100, rolled out of the new Everett facility on 2 September 1968. The prototype, named City of Everett, first flew on February 9, 1969,^[16] and on January 22, 1970 the 747-100 entered service with launch customer Pan American World Airways on the New York-London route.^[17] The flight was supposed to occur on January 21, but engine overheating made the original plane unusable and it had to be substituted, creating a more than 6-hour delay to the next day.^[17] The basic -100 has a range of about 4500 mi (7242 km) with full load.^[18]

The very first 747-100s off the line were built with six (three per side) upper-deck windows to accommodate upstairs lounge areas. A little later, as airlines began to use the upper-deck for premium passenger seating instead of lounge space, Boeing offered a ten window upper deck as an option, and it quickly became the standard. Some -100s were even retrofitted with the new configuration.

With a MTOW of 735,000 lb compared to the 833,000 lb of the 747-200, no freighter model of this aircraft was offered directly by Boeing. However, upon airline retirement, many 747-100s have been converted to freighters over the years. Their cheap acquisition costs more than compensate for lack of carrying capacity. They are also ideal for parcels since volume is paramount to weight. A 747-100 is owned by General Electric and used as a testbed for their engines such as General Electric GEnx.

Total production was 250. Of these, 167 were 747-100, 45 were SP, 29 were SR, and 9 were 100B.

[edit] 747-100B

The 747-100 was later superseded by the 747-100B, which has a stronger airframe and undercarriage design.^[18] This increased maximum take-off weight to 750000 lb (340194 kg). The 747-100B was only delivered to Iran Air and Saudia (now Saudi Arabian Airlines).^[19]

[edit] 747-100SR

With requests from Japanese airlines, Boeing developed the 747SR as a 'Short Range' variant of the 747-100. The SR has a lower fuel capacity, but can carry more passengers – up to 498 passengers in early versions and more than 550 passengers in later models. The 747SR has a modified body structure to accommodate the added stress accumulated from a greater number of take-offs and landings. Later on, short range versions were developed also of the -100B and the -300. The SR aircraft are primarily used on domestic flights in Japan.^[20]

Two 747-100B/SRs were delivered to Japan Airlines (JAL) with a stretched upper deck to accommodate more passengers. This is known as the "SUD" (stretched upper deck) modification.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) operated 747SR on domestic Japanese routes with 455-456 seats but retired the aircraft on 10 March 2006. JAL operates its 747-100B/SR/SUD aircraft with 563 seats on domestic routes and plans for retirement in the third quarter of 2006. JAL and JALways have also been operating the -300SRs on domestic leisure routes and to other parts of Asia. With the arrival of the much more economical Boeing 777-300, the SRs are now being replaced, with just a very few still in operation.

In August 2006 a total of 38 Boeing 747-100 aircraft (all versions) were in airline service with Iran Air (1), Japan Airlines (1), Orient Thai Airlines (2), Saudi Arabian Airlines (7), Evergreen International Airlines (6), Kalitta Air (6), Polar Air Cargo (1) and United Parcel Service (7).^[21]

[edit] 747SP

Main article: Boeing 747SP

The 747SP was a shortened version of the 747-100. It was introduced into service in 1976 with Pan AM. Apart from the upcoming 747-8 the SP is the only 747 with a modified length fuselage. It was designed to fly higher, faster, and longer than the 747-100. Boeing hoped that the abilities of the SP would compete and take orders from the Douglas DC-10 and create a niche market, however in the end only a total of 45 were built.

As of August 2006 a total of 13 Boeing 747SP aircraft were in airline service with South African Airways (1), Iran Air (3), Iraqi Airways (2), Kinshasa Airways (1), Palace Air (1), Saudi Arabian Airlines (1), Syrian Arab Airlines (2) and Transatlantic International Airlines (2).^[21]

[edit] 747-200

Entering service in 1971, and further improved over successive years, the 747-200 had more powerful engines and higher takeoff weights than the -100, allowing it to fly farther. Optional engine models by GE and Rolls-Royce plc were offered for the first time. A few early build -200s retained the three window configuration of the -100, but most were built with a ten window per side configuration. As on the -100, a stretched upper deck (SUD) modification was offered much later. KLM remains the only airline to retrofit their -200s with the SUD option. Today, many -200s are still in passenger operation, though retirement and conversion to freighters has accelerated as of late.

[edit] 747-200B

The 747-200B is an improved version of the 747-200, with increased fuel capacity and more powerful engines. Qantas took delivery of these from 1971. It comes in a combi version as well. The -200B aircraft have a full load range of about 6,700 miles (10,700 km).

[edit] 747-200C

The 747-200C Convertible is essentially a passenger aircraft that can be converted to a freighter and back when needed. The seats are removable and the fuselage has a much bigger door on the maindeck for cargo entry. The -200C could be fitted with a nose door.

[edit] 747-200M

This type can carry both freight and passengers, but unlike the 200C, it can do so at the same time. A wall half way through the main deck, separates the cargo in the back from passengers on the front. This type carries cargo throughout the lower deck, and on half the main deck, along with roughly 200 passengers. Also known as the 747-200 Combi.

[edit] 747-200F

This is a freighter version of the -200 model. It could be fitted with or without the nose door. It has a 105 ton capacity and a MTOW of 833,000 lb. It entered service in 1972 with Lufthansa.

Total production was 393. Of these, 225 were 747-200, 78 were M, 73 were F, 13 were C, and 4 were military. In August 2006 a total of 239 Boeing 747-200 aircraft (all versions) were in airline service. Major operators include: Japan Airlines (13), Nippon Cargo Airlines (10), Air Atlanta Icelandic (15), Air France (9), Atlas Air (16), Kalitta Air (13), Northwest Airlines (28), Cathay Pacific Airways (7) and Southern Air (9). Some 41 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type.^[21]

[edit] 747-300

With the poor reception of the 747SP due to higher trip costs compared to the DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 Boeing decided on offering a trijet version of the SP. The plane would have been bigger than either of the two, with more payload, range, and passenger capacity, but it received a cold reception and was never launched. Another option was to go bigger and extend the upperdeck all the way back for seating around 600, however this was also dropped.[1]

The 747-300 name was revived for a new aircraft, which was introduced in 1980. This was the first 747 model to feature a "stretched upper deck", which was 23 ft 4 inches (7.1 m) longer than earlier variants. The -300 also had a straight staircase for the upper deck rather than the spiral, and this created more room both below and above for more seats. With minor aerodynamic changes, Boeing increased the cruise speed of the -300 to Mach 0.85 from Mach 0.84 on the -100/-200. Also, with improved fuelburn, range improved to 7,700 mi (12,392 km).

Swissair was the launch customer for the 747-300, however, the first plane was delivered to French airline UTA on March 1, 1983.^[22] Boeing never launched a 747-300F as it had no operating advantage over the 747-200F. The most significant change between the 747-300 and the 747-200 was the stretched upperdeck which was useless in freighter configuration as no cargo is placed on this deck.

Despite the improvements of the -300, only 81 aircraft were ordered, 56 for full passenger use, 21 M and 4 SR. One factor for the low sales was the launching of the 747-400 in 1985 (just two years since the -300 entered service) and the subsequent wait of the airlines for a much more advanced product. Today, most of the -300 versions are still in passenger operation, mostly in south and west Asia.

[edit] 747-300M

The -300M had similar cargo capacity as the -200M, however with the stretched upperdeck it could carry more passengers. This proved popular in the fleet of KLM on their Africa routes that had few passengers, yet considerable air freight.

[edit] 747-300SR

The Japanese airlines again asked for a high capacity domestic model and Boeing offered the SR. JAL operated such aircraft with over 600 seats on Okinawa-Tokyo route as well as others.

Airlines (at August 2006) operating the Boeing 747-300 include JAL/JALways (12), Saudi Arabian Airlines (9), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) (6), Qantas (6), and Air Atlanta Icelandic (6). Some 16 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type and a total of 72 Boeing 747-300 aircraft (all versions) were in airline service.^[21]

[edit] 747-400

Main article: Boeing 747-400

The 747-400 was offered in several versions discussed on the main page article. It added 6 ft (1.8 m) wing tip extensions and 6 ft (1.8 m) winglets, tail fuel tanks, revised engines, an all-new interior, and an all-new glass cockpit which dispensed with the need for a flight engineer.

The passenger version first entered service in February 1989 with Northwest Airlines on the Minneapolis to Phoenix route.^[23] The combi version entered service in September 1989 with KLM. The freighter version entered service in November 1993 with Cargolux. The extended range freighter (ERF) entered service in October 2002. The next month, the extended range (ER) passenger version entered service with Qantas, the only airline ever to order the passenger version of the 747-400ER. Qantas uses the aircraft on its Melbourne-Los Angeles flights, which are too long to operate using a standard 747-400.

In August 2006 a total of 627 Boeing 747-400 aircraft (all versions) were in airline service, with 46 further firm orders. Major operators include: Air China (12), Air India (12), All Nippon Airways (23), Asiana Airlines (14), Cathay Pacific (30, plus 6 on order), China Airlines (34, plus 2 on order), EVA Air (18), Japan Airlines (44), Korean Air (43), Malaysia Airlines (19), Qantas (30), Singapore Airlines (23), Singapore Airlines Cargo (15), Thai Airways International (18), Air France (21), British Airways (57), Cargolux (14, plus 2 on order), KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (25, plus 1 on order), Lufthansa (30), Virgin Atlantic Airways (13), Atlas Air (11), Northwest Airlines (16) and United Airlines (31). Some 24 airlines also operate the type, but in smaller numbers.^[21]

Production of the 747-400 passenger version officially over on March 15, 2007.^[24] The last to order was China Airlines in November 2002, and the last passenger version 747-400 constructed in 2005. However, thirty six 747-400F aircraft are still yet to be delivered.^[24]

747 Large Cargo Freighter - "Dreamlifter"

Main article: Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter

Three used Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft are to be converted into an outsize configuration, in order to ferry Boeing 787 sub-assemblies to Everett, Washington for final assembly.^[25] The first 747 LCF flew for the first time, unpainted, on September 9, 2006.^[26] The LCF is not a Boeing production model and will not be sold to any customers or see any airliner operation, and will be for Boeing's exclusive use.

[edit] 747-8

Main article: Boeing 747-8

Boeing announced a new 747 variant, the 747-8 (referred to as the 747 Advanced prior to launch) on November 14, 2005, which will use same engine and cockpit technology as the 787 (It was decided to call it the 747-8 because of the technology it will share with the 787 Dreamliner). Boeing claims that the new design will be quieter, more economical and more environmentally friendly.

The 747-8 is 251 feet long (76.4 m), and therefore would surpass the Airbus A340-600 to become the world's longest airliner once the aircraft is in service.

[edit] 747-8I

The passenger version, dubbed 747-8 Intercontinental or 747-8I, will be capable of carrying up to 467 passengers in a 3-class configuration and fly over 8000 nm (14816 km) at Mach 0.86 (1054 km/h). As a derivative of the already common 747-400, the 747-8 has the economic benefit of similar training and interchangeable parts. The 747-8I is also stretched to add more capacity/payload, which involved a lengthening from 232 to 251 feet (70.8 to 76.4 m).

As of March, 2007, there were a total of 24 firm orders for the Boeing 747-8I aircraft: 4 from Boeing Business Jets and 20 from Lufthansa.

The 747-8I is scheduled to enter service in 2010.

[edit] 747-8F

Coincident with launching the 747-8I, Boeing also announced a new freighter model, the 747-8F, which is to be a derivative to the 747-400ERF. The 747-8F is 251 feet (76.4 m) long, and provides capacity of 132 tons of cargo. To aid the loading and unloading of cargo, it features an overhead nose-door. It uses the same engines as the 747-8I and 787. Additionally, there are wing changes and a new cockpit. It is a competitor to the Airbus A380 Freighter.

As of March 2007, there was a total of 57 firm orders for the Boeing 747-8F aircraft from Atlas Air (12) Nippon Cargo Airlines (8), Cargolux (13), Emirates air cargo (10), Volga-Dnepr (5), Guggenheim Aviation Partners (4), and Korean Air (5).^[21]

The 747-8F is scheduled to enter service in 2009.

[edit] Government and military

The C-19 is the US military version of 747-100.

The C-25 is the US military version of 747-200B. The US Air Force operates two in VIP configuration as the VC-25A. These are among the most famous 747 models with tail numbers 28000 and 29000. They are popularly known as Air Force One, although that name is technically the call sign for any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the U.S. President. Although based on the 747-200B, they contain many of the innovations introduced on the 747-400, such as an updated flight deck and engines.

The C-33 is the US military version of 747-400, which was intended to augment the C-17 fleet. However the plan was cancelled in favor of purchasing additional C-17 military transports.

Two 747s were modified to carry the Space Shuttle (Shuttle Carrier Aircraft). One is a 747-100 (N905NA) that was acquired in 1974 from American Airlines. The other is a 747-100SR (N911NA) that was acquired from Japan Airlines in 1988 and first carried a shuttle in 1991.

Other special 747s include the E-4B Formerly known as National Emergency Airborne Command Post (referred to colloquially as "Kneecap"), now referred to as National Airborne Operational Command (NAOC). A recent addition to the military's 747 arsenal is the experimental Airborne Laser, a component of the National Missile Defense plan. T/Space is also planning to use a 747 for its CXV space capsule proposal.

A number of other governments also use the 747 as a VIP transport, including Bahrain, Brunei, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Recently, several new Boeing 747-8 have been ordered by Boeing Business Jet for conversion as VIP Transport for several unidentified customers. [2]

The 747 was also adapted as an aerial refueling tanker, and was bid against the DC-10-30 during the 1970s Advanced Cargo Transport Aircraft (ACTA) program which resulted in the KC-10A Extender. Iran prior to the Khomeini-led revolution acquired four 747-100 aircraft with air refueling boom conversions to support the fleet of F-4 Phantoms. It is not known whether these aircraft remain usable as tankers at this time. Since then other proposals have emerged for adaptation of later 747-400 (KC-33) aircraft for this role.

[edit] Specifications

Measurement	747-100	747-200B	747-300	747-400	747-400ER	747-8I
Cockpit Crew	Three			Two
Seating capacity	366 (3-class)			416 (3-class)		467 (3-class)
Length	231 ft 10 in (70.6 m)					250 ft 8 in (76.4 m)
Wingspan	195 ft 8 in (59.6 m)			211 ft 5 in (64.4 m)		224 ft 9 in (68.5 m)
Height	63 ft 5 in (19.3 m)			63 ft 8 in (19.4 m)		63 ft 6 in (19.4 m)
Weight empty	358,000 lb (162,400 kg)	383,000 lb (174,000 kg)	392,800 lb (178,100 kg)	393,263 lb (178,756 kg)	361,640 lb (164,382 kg)	410,000 lb (185,972 kg)
Maximum take-off weight	735,000 lb (333,390 kg)	833,000 lb (377,842 kg)	833,000 lb (377,842 kg)	875,000 lb (396,890 kg)	910,000 lb (412,775 kg)	970,000 lb (439,985 kg)
Cruising speed	Mach 0.84 (895 km/h)			Mach 0.85 (910 km/h)	Mach 0.855 (913 km/h)
Maximum speed	Mach 0.89 (1023 km/h)			Mach 0.92 (1093 km/h)
Takeoff run at MTOW	N/A	10,466 ft (3,190 m)	10,893 ft (3,320 m)	9,902 ft (3,018 m)		N/A
Range fully loaded	5,300 nm (9,800 km)	6,850 nm (12,700 km)	6,700 nm (12,400 km)	7,260 nm (13,450 km)	7,670 nm (14,205 km)	8,000 nm (14,815 km)
Max. fuel capacity	48,445 US gal (183,380 L)	52,410 US gal (199,158 L)		57,285 US gal (216,840 L)	63,705 US gal (241,140 L)	57,285 US gal (216,840 L)
Fuel cap./range fully loaded	(18.7 L/km)	(15.7 L/km)	(16.1 L/km)	(16.1 L/km)	(17.0 L/km)	(14.6 L/km)
Engine models (x 4)	PW JT9D-7A GE CF6-45A2 RR RB211-524B2	PW JT9D-7R4G2 GE CF6-50E2 RR RB211-525D4	PW JT9D-7R4G2 GE CF6-80C2B1 RB211-524D4	PW 4062 GE CF6-80C2B5F RR RB211-524H	PW 4062 GE CF6-80C2B5F	GEnx-2B67
Engine thrust (x 4)	46,500 lbf PW 46,500 lbf GE 50,100 lbf RR	54,750 lbf PW 52,500 lbf GE 53,000 lbf RR	54,750 lbf PW 55,640 lbf GE 53,000 lbf RR	63,300 lbf PW 62,100 lbf GE 59,500 lbf RR	63,300 lbf PW 62,100 lbf GE	68,000 lbf (estimated)

Sources: [3], [4]

The parasitic drag is given by ½ f ρ_air v² in which f is the product of a drag coefficient C_Dp and the wing area. For the 747, C_DP is 0.022, and the wing area is 5500 square feet, so that f equals about 121 ft² or 11.2 m².[5]

[edit] 747 Deliveries

2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002	2001	2000	1999	1998	1997	1996	1995	1994	1993	1992	1991	1990	1989	1988
3	14	13	15	19	27	31	25	47	53	39	26	25	40	56	61	64	70	45	24
1987	1986	1985	1984	1983	1982	1981	1980	1979	1978	1977	1976	1975	1974	1973	1972	1971	1970	1969	1968
23	35	24	16	22	26	53	73	67	32	20	27	21	22	30	30	69	92	4	0

• Last Updated: April 5, 2007

[edit] Preserved aircraft

As increasing numbers of 'classic' 747-100 and 747-200 series have been retired, some finding their way into aircraft museums. They include:

• Boeing 747-100 N7470, City of Everett, the first 747 and prototype at the Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washington, USA
• KLM 747-200(SUD) PH-BUK "Louis Blériot" at National Aviation Theme Park Aviodrome, Lelystad, Netherlands
• Qantas 747-200 VH-EBQ "City of Bunbury" at Qantas Founders Outback Museum, Longreach Airport, Longreach, Queensland, Australia
• South African Airways 747-200 ZS-SAN "Lebombo" and 747SP ZS-SPC "Maluti" at Rand Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa
• Lufthansa 747-200 D-ABYM "Schleswig-Holstein" at Technik Museum Speyer, Speyer, Germany
• Air France 747-100 F-BPVJ at Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, Le Bourget airport, Paris, France
• Iran Air 747SPs EP-IAA and EP-IAC and 747-200F EP-ICC at Tehran Aerospace Exhibition, Tehran, Iran
• Korean Air 747-200 HL7463 at Jeongseok Aviation Center, Jeju, South Korea [6]
• Northwest Airlines first 747 at National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C. Historic Aircraft Lands at Air and Space Museum

[edit] Incidents

• The first crash of a 747 took place in November of 1974 when Lufthansa Flight 540 crashed in Nairobi killing 59 people.
• The Tenerife disaster on March 27, 1977 claimed a total of 583 lives when two 747s collided in heavy fog at Tenerife Airport, making it the highest death toll of any accident in aviation history.^[27]
• An Air India Flight 855 Boeing 747 crashed into the sea off the coast of Mumbai (Bombay) on New Year's Day, 1978. All passengers and crew were killed. Many residents of sea-front houses in Mumbai were witness to the incident.
• On August 12, 1985, the Japan Airlines Flight 123 (a 747SR) lost control and crashed, causing 520 fatalities and is the worst single-aircraft disaster in aviation history.^[28]
• The Lockerbie bombing on December 21, 1988 was a Pan Am 747-100.
• Air India Flight 182 was a 747-237B that exploded on June 23, 1985. All 329 on board were killed. Up until September 11, 2001, the Air India bombing was the single deadliest terrorist attack involving aircraft.
• Korean Air Lines Flight 007 was a 747-230B which was shot down by the Soviet Air Force on September 1, 1983. All 269 passengers and crew aboard were killed.
• El Al Flight 1862 was a 747-200F which crashed shorly after take-off from Amsterdam Schiphol on October 4, 1992. Engines no. 3 and 4 detached shortly after take-off and as a result the flight crew lost control and the crippled 747 crashed into the Klein-Kluitberg apartments in Bijlmermeer at high speeds. All 3 crew were killed as well as 43 on the ground.
• China Airlines Flight 611, a 747-209B, broke-up mid flight on May 25, 2002, en route to Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong from Chiang Kai Shek International Airport in Taipei, Taiwan. All passengers and crew on board lost their lives.
• On 31 October 2000, Singapore Airlines Flight 006, a Boeing 747-400 flying on a Singapore to Los Angeles via Taipei route rammed into construction equipment while attempting to take off from a closed runway at Chiang Kai Shek International Airport, caught fire and was destroyed, killing 79 passengers and 3 crew members. The accident prompted the airline to change the flight number of this route from 006 to 030 and to remove the "Tropical Megatop" livery on the accident aircraft's sister ship. [7]
• On October 14, 2004 -MK Airlines Flight 1602, Boeing 747-200F a Cargo Flight, Crashed moments after takeoff from Halifax International Airport. 7 People were killed. Link to the Canadian Transportation Safety Board Report

Despite all these, very few crashes have been attributed to design flaws of the 747. The Tenerife disaster was a result of pilot error, ATC error and communications failure, while Japan Airlines Flight 123 the consequence of improper aircraft repair. United Airlines Flight 811, which suffered an explosive decompression mid-flight on February 24, 1989, subsequently had NTSB issuing a recommendation to have all similar 747-200 cargo doors modified. TWA Flight 800, a 747-100 that exploded mid-air on July 17, 1996, led to the Federal Aviation Administration proposing a rule requiring the installation of an inerting system in the center fuel tank for most large aircraft.

As of May 2006, there were a total of 44 hull-loss occurrences involving 747s, with 3707 fatalities.

[edit] Facts and Figures

• To enable easy transportation of spare engines between sites by airlines, early 747s include the ability to attach a non functioning fifth-pod engine under the port wing of the aircraft, between the nearest functioning engine and the fuselage.^[29]
• On 24 May 1991 an El Al Boeing 747 airlifted a record-breaking 1,087 passengers – Ethiopian Jews flying from Addis Ababa to Israel as part of Operation Solomon. The passenger count became 1,088 when a baby was born in-flight.^{[citation needed]}
• The 747 has appeared as a setting for a number of films. The most well known of these is the Airport series of disaster films. Other films using a 747 include Snakes on a Plane, Air Force One, Turbulence and Executive Decision, and the James Bond film Casino Royale (2006).

[edit] References

• Peter M Bowers, (1989), Putnam Aeronautical Books, Boeing aircraft since 1916. ISBN 0-85177-804-6
• Guy Norris and Mark Wagner, (1997), MBI Publishing Co, Boeing 747. ISBN 0-7603-0280-4
• Stewart Wilson, (1999), Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, Airliners of the World. ISBN 1-875671-44-7

[edit] External links

• Boeing 747 family at Boeing.com
• Boeing 747 e-brochure - Flash animation
• Airliners.net - 747-100 & 200, 747-300, 747-400
• Boeing 747 - Aircraft-Info.net
• Boeing 747SP web site - Production Lists and Photo Gallery
• Calipso: Boeing 747 Information & History
• Planemad.net - Boeing 747 Production Lists
• Two Boeing 747 collided on Tenerife

[edit] Related content

Related development

• Boeing 747SP
• Boeing 747-400
• Boeing 747-8
• E-4 Nightwatch
• VC-25 Air Force One
• Airborne Laser
• Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
• Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy

Comparable aircraft

• Airbus A340-600
• Airbus A380
• Ilyushin Il-96
• An-225

Related lists

• List of Boeing 747 operators

See also

• Boeing fuselage Section 41
• Joseph F. Sutter, engineering manager for early 747 models