The Boeing
747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport aircraft, often
referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is
among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever
produced. Manufactured by Boeing's Commercial Airplane unit in the United
States, the original version of the 747 was two and a half times the size of
the Boeing 707,one of the common large commercial aircraft of the 1960s. First
flown commercially in 1970, the 747 held the passenger capacity record for 37
years.
The
four-engine 747 uses a double deck configuration for part of its length. It is
available in passenger, freighter and other versions. Boeing designed the 747's
hump-like upper deck to serve as a first class lounge or (as is the general
rule today) extra seating, and to allow the aircraft to be easily converted to
a cargo carrier by removing seats and installing a front cargo door. Boeing did
so because the company expected supersonic airliners (whose development was
announced in the early 1960s) to render the 747 and other subsonic airliners
obsolete, while believing that the demand for subsonic cargo aircraft would be
robust into the future.The 747 in particular was expected to become obsolete after
400 were sold ,but it exceeded its critics' expectations with production passing
the 1,000 mark in 1993.By December 2011, 1,427 aircraft had been built, with 97
of the 747-8 variants remaining on order.
The 747-400,
the most common passenger version in service, is among the fastest airliners in
service with a high-subsonic cruise speed of Mach 0.85–0.855 (up to 570 mph,
920 km/h). It has an intercontinental range of 7,260 nautical miles (8,350 mi
or 13,450 km).The 747-400 passenger version can accommodate 416 passengers in a
typical three-class layout, 524 passengers in a typical two-class layout, or
660 passengers in a high density one-class configuration.The newest version of
the aircraft, the 747-8, is in production and received certification in 2011.
Deliveries of the 747-8F freighter version to launch customer Cargolux began in
October 2011; deliveries of the 747-8I passenger version to Lufthansa began in
May 2012. The 747 is to be replaced by the Boeing Y3 (part of the Boeing
Yellowstone Project) in the future.
Development
Background
In 1963, the
United States Air Force started a series of study projects on a very large
strategic transport aircraft. Although the C-141 Starlifter was being
introduced, they felt that a much larger and more capable aircraft was needed,
especially the capability to carry outsized cargo that would not fit in any
existing aircraft. These studies led to initial requirements for the CX-Heavy
Logistics System (CX-HLS) in March 1964 for an aircraft with a load capacity of
180,000 pounds (81,600 kg) and a speed of Mach 0.75 (500 mph/805 km/h), and an
unrefueled range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 km) with a payload of 115,000
pounds (52,200 kg). The payload bay had to be 17 feet (5.18 m) wide by 13.5
feet (4.11 m) high and 100 feet (30.5 m) long with access through doors at the
front and rear.
Featuring
only four engines, the design also required new engine designs with greatly
increased power and better fuel economy. On May 18, 1964, airframe proposals
arrived from Boeing, Douglas, General Dynamics, Lockheed and Martin Marietta;
while engine proposals were submitted by General Electric, Curtiss-Wright, and
Pratt & Whitney. After a downselect, Boeing, Douglas and Lockheed were
given additional study contracts for the airframe, along with General Electric
and Pratt & Whitney for the engines.
All three of
the airframe proposals shared a number of features. As the CX-HLS needed to be
able to be loaded from the front, a door had to be included where the cockpit
usually was. All of the companies solved this problem by moving the cockpit to
above the cargo area; Douglas had a small "pod" just forward and
above the wing, Lockheed used a long "spine" running the length of
the aircraft with the wing spar passing through it, while Boeing blended the
two, with a longer pod that ran from just behind the nose to just behind the
wing.In 1965 Lockheed's aircraft design and General Electric's engine design
were selected for the new C-5 Galaxy transport, which was the largest military
aircraft in the world at the time.The nose door and raised cockpit concepts
would be carried over to the design of the 747.
Airliner proposal
The 747 was
conceived while air travel was increasing in the 1960s.The era of commercial
jet transportation, led by the enormous popularity of the Boeing 707 and
Douglas DC-8, had revolutionized long-distance travel.Even before it lost the
CX-HLS contract, Boeing was pressed by Juan Trippe, president of Pan American
World Airways (Pan Am), one of its most important airline customers, to build a
passenger aircraft more than twice the size of the 707. During this time,
airport congestion, worsened by increasing numbers of passengers carried on
relatively small aircraft, became a problem that Trippe thought could be addressed
by a large new aircraft.
In 1965, Joe
Sutter was transferred from Boeing's 737 development team to manage the design
studies for a new airliner, already assigned the model number 747.Sutter
initiated a design study with Pan Am and other airlines, in order to better
understand their requirements. At the time, it was widely thought that the 747
would eventually be superseded by supersonic transport aircraft.Boeing
responded by designing the 747 so that it could be adapted easily to carry
freight and remain in production even if sales of the passenger version
declined. In the freighter role, the clear need was to support the
containerized shipping methodologies that were being widely introduced at about
the same time. Standard containers are 8 ft (2.4 m) square at the front
(slightly higher due to attachment points) and available in 20 and 40 ft (6.1
and 12 m) lengths. This meant that it would be possible to support a 2-wide
2-high stack of containers two or three ranks deep with a fuselage size similar
to the earlier CX-HLS project.
In April
1966, Pan Am ordered 25 747-100 aircraft for US$525 million. During the
ceremonial 747 contract-signing banquet in Seattle on Boeing's 50th
Anniversary, Juan Trippe predicted that the 747 would be "... a great
weapon for peace, competing with intercontinental missiles for mankind's
destiny", according to Malcolm T. Stamper, who led the 747 program.As
launch customer,and because of its early involvement before placing a formal
order, Pan Am was able to influence the design and development of the 747 to an
extent unmatched by a single airline before or since.
Design effort
Ultimately,
the high-winged CX-HLS Boeing design was not used for the 747, although
technologies developed for their bid had an influence.The original design
included a full-length double-deck fuselage with rows of eight-across seating
and two aisles on the lower deck and seven-across seating and two aisles on the
upper deck.However, concern over evacuation routes and limited cargo-carrying
capability caused this idea to be scrapped in early 1966 in favor of a wider
single deck design.The cockpit was, therefore, placed on a shortened upper deck
so that a freight-loading door could be included in the nose cone; this design
feature produced the 747's distinctive "bulge".In early models it was
not clear what to do with the small space in the pod behind the cockpit, and
this was initially specified as a "lounge" area with no permanent
seating.
One of the
principal technologies that enabled an aircraft as large as the 747 to be
conceived was the high-bypass turbofan engine.The engine technology was thought
to be capable of delivering double the power of the earlier turbojets while
consuming a third less fuel. General Electric had pioneered the concept but was
committed to developing the engine for the C-5 Galaxy and did not enter the
commercial market until later.Pratt & Whitney was also working on the same
principle and, by late 1966, Boeing, Pan Am and Pratt & Whitney agreed to
develop a new engine, designated the JT9D to power the 747.
The project
was designed with a new methodology called fault tree analysis, which allowed
the effects of a failure of a single part to be studied to determine its impact
on other systems.To address concerns about safety and flyability, the 747's
design included structural redundancy, redundant hydraulic systems, quadruple
main landing gear and dual control surfaces.Additionally, some of the most
advanced high-lift devices used in the industry were included in the new
design, in order to allow it to operate from existing airports. These included
leading edge flaps running almost the entire length of the wing, as well as
complex three-part slotted flaps along the rear.The wing's complex three-part
flaps increase wing area by 21 percent and lift by 90 percent when fully
deployed compared to their non-deployed configuration.
Boeing agreed
to deliver the first 747 to Pan Am by the end of 1969. The delivery date left
28 months to design the aircraft, which was two-thirds of the normal time.The
schedule was so fast paced that the people who worked on it were given the nickname
"The Incredibles".Developing the aircraft was such a technical and
financial challenge that management was said to have "bet the
company" when it started the project.
Production plant
As Boeing did
not have a plant large enough to assemble the giant airliner, they chose to
build a new plant. The company considered locations in about 50 cities,and
eventually decided to build the new plant some 30 miles (48 km) north of
Seattle on a site adjoining a military base at Paine Field near Everett,
Washington.It bought the 780-acre (3.2 km2) site in June 1966.
Developing
the 747 had been a major challenge, and building its assembly plant was also a
huge undertaking. Boeing president William M. Allen asked Malcolm T. Stamper,
then head of the company's turbine division, to oversee construction of the
Everett factory and to start production of the 747.To level the site, more than
4 million cubic yards (3.1 million m³) of earth had to be moved.Time was so
short that the 747's full-scale mock-up was built before the factory roof above
it was finished.The plant is the largest building by volume ever built, and has
been substantially expanded several times to permit construction of other
models of Boeing wide-body commercial jets.
Development and testing
Before the
first 747 was fully assembled, testing began on many components and systems.
One important test involved the evacuation of 560 volunteers from a cabin
mock-up via the aircraft's emergency chutes. The first full-scale evacuation
took two and a half minutes instead of the maximum of 90 seconds mandated by
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and several volunteers were injured.
Subsequent test evacuations achieved the 90-second goal but caused more
injuries. Most problematic was evacuation from the aircraft's upper deck;
instead of using a conventional slide, volunteer passengers escaped by using a harness
attached to a reel.Tests also involved taxiing such a large aircraft. Boeing
built an unusual training device known as "Waddell's Wagon" (named
for a 747 test pilot, Jack Waddell) that consisted of a mock-up cockpit mounted
on the roof of a truck. While the first 747s were still being built, the device
allowed pilots to practice taxi maneuvers from a high upper-deck position.
On September
30, 1968, the first 747 was rolled out of the Everett assembly building before
the world's press and representatives of the 26 airlines that had ordered the
airliner.Over the following months, preparations were made for the first
flight, which took place on February 9, 1969, with test pilots Jack Waddell and
Brien Wygle at the controls and Jess Wallick at the flight engineer's station.
Despite a minor problem with one of the flaps, the flight confirmed that the
747 handled extremely well. The 747 was found to be largely immune to
"Dutch roll", a phenomenon that had been a major hazard to the early
swept-wing jets.
During later
stages of the flight test program, flutter testing showed that the wings
suffered oscillation under certain conditions. This difficulty was partly
solved by reducing the stiffness of some wing components. However, a
particularly severe high-speed flutter problem was solved only by inserting
depleted uranium counterweights as ballast in the outboard engine nacelles of
the early 747s.This measure caused anxiety when these aircraft crashed, as did
China Airlines Flight 358 at Wanli in 1991 and El Al Flight 1862 at Amsterdam
in 1992.
The flight
test program was hampered by problems with the 747's JT9D engines. Difficulties
included engine stalls caused by rapid movements of the throttles and
distortion of the turbine casings after a short period of service.The problems
delayed 747 deliveries for several months and stranded up to 20 aircraft at the
Everett plant while they awaited engine installation.The program was further
delayed when one of the five test aircraft suffered serious damage during a
landing attempt at Renton Municipal Airport, site of the company's Renton
factory. On December 13, 1969 the test aircraft was being taken to have its
test equipment removed and a cabin installed when pilot Ralph C. Cokely
undershot the airport's short runway. The 747's right, outer landing gear was
torn off and two engine nacelles were damaged.However, these difficulties did
not prevent Boeing from taking one of the test aircraft to the 28th Paris Air
Show in mid-1969, where it was displayed to the general public for the first
time.The 747 achieved its FAA airworthiness certificate in December 1969,
making it ready for introduction into service.
The huge cost
of developing the 747 and building the Everett factory meant that Boeing had to
borrow heavily from a banking syndicate. During the final months before
delivery of the first aircraft, the company had to repeatedly request
additional funding to complete the project. Had this been refused, Boeing's
survival would have been threatened.Ultimately, the gamble succeeded, and
Boeing held a monopoly in very large passenger aircraft production for many
years.
Entry into service
On January
15, 1970, First Lady of the United States Pat Nixon christened Pan Am's first
747, Clipper Victor, at Dulles International Airport (later renamed Washington
Dulles International Airport) in the presence of Pan Am chairman Najeeb Halaby.
Instead of champagne, red, white and blue water was sprayed on the aircraft.
The 747 entered service on January 22, 1970, on Pan Am's New York–London route;the
flight had been planned for the evening of January 21, but engine overheating
made the original aircraft unusable. Finding a substitute delayed the flight by
more than six hours to the following day.
The 747
enjoyed a fairly smooth introduction into service, overcoming concerns that
some airports would not be able to accommodate an aircraft that largeAlthough
technical problems occurred, they were relatively minor and quickly solved.After
the aircraft's introduction with Pan Am, other airlines that had bought the 747
in order to stay competitive began to put their own 747s into service.Boeing
estimated that half of the early 747 sales were to airlines desiring the
aircraft's long range rather than its payload capacity.While the 747 had the
lowest potential operating cost per seat, this could only be achieved when the
aircraft was fully loaded; costs per seat increased rapidly as occupancy
declined. A moderately loaded 747, one with only 70 percent of its seats
occupied, used more than 95 percent of the fuel needed by a fully occupied 747.
When economic
problems in the United States and other countries after the 1973 oil crisis led
to reduced passenger traffic, several airlines found they did not have enough
passengers to fly the 747 economically, and they replaced them with the smaller
and recently introduced McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar
trijet wide bodies(and later the 767 and A300 twinjets). Having tried replacing
coach seats on its 747s with piano bars in an attempt to attract more
customers, American Airlines eventually relegated its 747s to cargo service and
in 1983 exchanged them with Pan Am for smaller aircraft;Delta Air Lines also
removed its 747s from service after several years.Delta would later merge with
Northwest Airlines, which operates 747s.
International
flights that bypassed traditional hub airports and landed at smaller cities
became more common throughout the 1980s, and this eroded the 747's original
market.However, many international carriers continued to use the 747 on Pacific
routes.In Japan, 747s on domestic routes are configured to carry close to the
maximum passenger capacity.
Improved 747 versions
After the
initial 747-100 model, Boeing developed the −100B, a higher maximum takeoff
weight (MTOW) variant, and the −100SR (Short Range), with higher passenger
capacity.Increased maximum takeoff weight allows aircraft to carry more fuel
and have longer range.The −200 model followed in 1971, featuring more powerful
engines and a higher MTOW. Passenger, freighter and combination
passenger-freighter versions of the −200 were produced.The shortened 747SP
(special performance) with a longer range was also developed, and entered service
in 1976.
The 747 line
was further developed with the launch of the 747-300 in 1980. The −300 resulted
from Boeing studies to increase the seating capacity of the 747, during which
solutions such as fuselage plugs and extending the upper deck over the entire
length of the fuselage were rejected. The first 747-300, completed in 1983,
included a stretched upper deck, increased cruise speed, and increased seating
capacity. The original designation of the −300 was 747SUD for "stretched
upper deck", then 747-200 SUD,followed by 747EUD, before the 747-300
designation was used.Passenger, short range and combination freighter-passenger
versions of the −300 were produced.
In 1985,
development of the longer range 747-400 began.The variant had a new glass
cockpit, which allowed for a cockpit crew of two instead of three,new engines,
lighter construction materials, and a redesigned interior. Development cost
soared, and production delays occurred as new technologies were incorporated at
the request of airlines. Insufficient workforce experience and reliance on
overtime contributed to early production problems on the 747-400.The −400
entered service in 1989.
In 1991, a
record-breaking 1,087 passengers were airlifted aboard a 747 to Israel as part
of Operation Solomon.The 747 remained the heaviest commercial aircraft in
regular service until the debut of the Antonov An-124 Ruslan in 1982; variants
of the 747-400 would surpass the An-124's weight in 2000. The Antonov An-225
cargo transport, which debuted in 1988, remains the world's largest aircraft by
several measures (including the most accepted measures of maximum takeoff
weight and length); one aircraft has been completed and is in service as of
2010. The Hughes H-4 Hercules is the largest aircraft by wingspan, but it only
completed a single flight.
Further developments
Since the
arrival of the 747-400, several stretching schemes for the 747 have been
proposed. Boeing announced the larger 747-500X and -600X preliminary designs in
1996.The new variants would have cost more than US$5 billion to develop,and
interest was not sufficient to launch the program.In 2000, Boeing offered the
more modest 747X and 747X stretch derivatives as alternatives to the Airbus
A3XX. However, the 747X family was unable to attract enough interest to enter
production. A year later, Boeing switched from the 747X studies to pursue the
Sonic Cruiser,and after the Sonic Cruiser program was put on hold, the 787
Dreamliner.Some of the ideas developed for the 747X were used on the 747-400ER,
a longer range variant of the 747-400.
After several
variants were proposed but later abandoned, some industry observers became
skeptical of new aircraft proposals from Boeing.However, in early 2004, Boeing
announced tentative plans for the 747 Advanced that were eventually adopted.
Similar in nature to the 747-X, the stretched 747 Advanced used technology from
the 787 to modernize the design and its systems. The 747 remained the largest
passenger airliner in service until the Airbus A380 began airline service in
2007.
On November
14, 2005, Boeing announced it was launching the 747 Advanced as the Boeing
747-8.The last 747-400s were completed in 2009.As of 2011, most orders of the
747-8 have been for the freighter variant. On February 8, 2010, the 747-8
Freighter made its maiden flight.The first scheduled delivery of the 747-8 went
to Cargolux in 2011.Eventually, the 747 may be replaced in Boeing's lineup by a
new design named "Y3".
Design
The Boeing
747 is a large, wide-body (two-aisle) airliner with four wing-mounted engines.
The wings have a high sweep angle of 37.5 degrees for a fast, efficient cruise of
Mach 0.84 to 0.88, depending on the variant. The sweep also allows the 747 to
use existing hangars.Seating capacity is more than 366 with a 3–4–3 seat
arrangement (a cross section of 3 seats, an aisle, 4 seats, another aisle, and
3 seats) in economy class and a 2–3–2 arrangement in first class on the main
deck. The upper deck has a 3–3 seat arrangement in economy class and a 2–2
arrangement in first class.
Raised above
the main deck, the cockpit creates a hump. The raised cockpit allows front
loading of cargo on freight variants.The upper deck behind the cockpit provides
space for a lounge or extra seating. The "stretched upper deck"
became available as an option on the 747-100B variant and later as standard on
the 747-300. The 747-400 cockpit roof section also has an escape hatch from
which crew can exit in the event of an emergency if they cannot exit through
the cabin.
The 747's
maximum takeoff weight ranges from 735,000 pounds (333,400 kg) for the −100 to
970,000 lb (439,985 kg) for the −8. Its range has increased from 5,300 nautical
miles (6,100 mi, 9,800 km) on the −100 to 8,000 nmi (9,200 mi, 14,815 km) on
the −8I.
The 747 has
multiple structural redundancy including four redundant hydraulic systems and
four main landing gears with four wheels each, which provide a good spread of
support on the ground and safety in case of tire blow-outs. The redundant main
gear allows for landing on two opposing landing gears if the others do not
function properly.In addition, the 747 has split control surfaces and was
designed with sophisticated triple-slotted flaps that minimize landing speeds
and allow the 747 to use standard-length runways.For transportation of spare engines,
747s can accommodate a non-functioning fifth-pod engine under the port wing of
the aircraft between the inner functioning engine and the fuselage.
Variants
The 747-100
was the original variant launched in 1966. The 747-200 soon followed, with its
launch in 1968. The 747-300 was launched in 1980 and was followed by the
747-400 in 1985. Ultimately, the 747-8 was announced in 2005. Several versions
of each variant have been produced, and many of the early variants were in
production simultaneously. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
classifies variants using a shortened code formed by combining the model number
and the variant designator (e.g. "B741" for all −100 models).
747-100
Pan Am was
the first airline to operate the 747. The 747-100 pictured shows the original
size of the upper deck and window layout.
The first
747-100s were built with six upper deck windows (three per side) to accommodate
upstairs lounge areas. 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. Some −100s were retrofitted with the new configuration.The
−100 was equipped with Pratt & Whitney JT9D-3A engines. No freighter
version of this model was developed by Boeing. However, 747-100s have been
converted to freighters. A total of 167 747-100s were built.
747SR
Responding to
requests from Japanese airlines for a high-capacity aircraft to serve domestic
routes between major cities, Boeing developed the 747SR as a short range
variant of the 747-100 with lower fuel capacity and greater payload capability.
With increased economy class seating, up to 498 passengers could be carried in
early versions and more than 550 in later models.The 747SR had an economic
design life objective of 52,000 flights during 20 years of airline operation,
compared to 24,600 flights in 20 years for the standard 747.The initial 747SR
model, the −100SR, had a strengthened body structure and undercarriage to
accommodate the added stress accumulated from a greater number of takeoffs and
landings.Extra structural support was built into the wings, fuselage, and the
landing gear along with a 20 percent reduction in fuel capacity.
The initial
order for the −100SR, four aircraft for Japan Air Lines (JAL, later Japan
Airlines), was announced on October 30, 1972; rollout occurred on August 3,
1973, and the first flight took place on August 31, 1973. The type was
certified by the FAA on September 26, 1973, with the first delivery on the same
day. The −100SR entered service with JAL, the type's sole customer, on October
7, 1973, and typically operated Japanese domestic flights.Seven −100SRs were
built from 1973 and 1975, each with a 520,000-pound (240,000 kg) MTOW and Pratt
& Whitney JT9D-7A engines derated to 43,000 pounds-force (190,000 N) of
thrust.
Following the
−100SR, Boeing produced the −100BSR, a 747SR variant with increased takeoff
weight capability. Debuting in 1978, the −100BSR also incorporated structural
modifications for a high cycle-to-flying hour ratio; a related standard −100B
model debuted in 1979. The −100BSR first flew on November 3, 1978, with first
delivery to All Nippon Airways (ANA) on December 21, 1978. A total of 20
−100BSRs were produced for ANA and JAL.The −100BSR had a 600,000 lb MTOW and
was powered by the same JT9D-7A engines used on the −100SR. ANA operated the
type on domestic Japanese routes with 455 or 456 seats until retiring its last aircraft
on March 10, 2006.
In 1986, two
−100BSR SUD models, featuring the stretched upper deck (SUD) of the −300, were
produced for JAL.The type's maiden flight occurred on February 26, 1986, with
FAA certification and first delivery on March 24, 1986.JAL operated the −100BSR
SUD with 563 seats on domestic routes until their retirement in the third
quarter of 2006. While only two −100BSR SUDs were produced, in theory, standard
−100Bs can be modified to the SUD certification.Overall, 29 747SRs were built,including
seven −100SR, 20 −100BSR, and two −100BSR SUD models.
747-100B
The 747-100B
model was developed from the −100SR, utilizing its stronger airframe and
undercarriage design. The type had an increased fuel capacity of 48,070 US
gallons, allowing for a 5,000-nautical-mile (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) range with a
typical 452-passenger payload, and an increased MTOW of 750,000 lb (340,000 kg)
was offered. The first −100B order, one aircraft for Iran Air, was announced on
June 1, 1978. This aircraft first flew on June 20, 1979, received FAA
certification on August 1, 1979, and was delivered the next day.Nine −100Bs
were built, one for Iran Air and eight for Saudia (now Saudi Arabian Airlines).Unlike
the original −100, the −100B was offered with Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7A,
General Electric CF6-50, or Rolls-Royce RB211-524 engines. However, only
RB211-524 (Saudia) and JT9D-7A (Iran Air) engines were ordered.
747SP
The
development of the 747SP stemmed from a joint request between Pan American
World Airways and Iran Air, who were looking for a high-capacity airliner with
enough range to cover Pan Am's New York–Middle Eastern routes and Iran Air's
planned Tehran–New York route. The Tehran–New York route, when launched, was
the longest non-stop commercial flight in the world. The 747SP is 48 feet 4
inches (14.73 m) shorter than the 747-100. Fuselage sections were eliminated
fore and aft of the wing, and the center section of the fuselage was
redesigned. The SP's flaps used a simplified single-slotted configuration.The
747SP, compared to earlier variants, had a tapering of the aft upper fuselage
into the empennage, a double-hinged rudder, and longer vertical and horizontal
stabilizers.Power was provided by Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7(A/F/J/FW) or Rolls-Royce
RB211-524 engines.
The 747SP was
granted a supplemental certificate on February 4, 1976 and entered service with
launch customer Pan Am and Iran Air that same year.The aircraft was chosen by
airlines wishing to serve major airports with short runways.A total of 45
747SPs were built,with the 44th 747SP delivered on August 30, 1982. In 1987,
Boeing re-opened the 747SP production line after five years to build one last
747SP for an order by the United Arab Emirates government.In addition to
airline use, one 747SP was modified for NASA Dryden Flight Research Center's
SOFIA experiment.
747-200
While the
−100 powered by Pratt & Whitney JT9D-3A engines offered enough payload and
range for US domestic operations, it was marginal for long international route
sectors. The demand for longer range aircraft with increased payload quickly
led to the improved −200, which featured more powerful engines, increased MTOW,
and greater range than the −100. A few early −200s retained the three-window
configuration of the −100 on the upper deck, but most were built with a
ten-window configuration on each side.The −200 was produced in passenger
(−200B), freighter (−200F), convertible (−200C), and combi (−200M) versions.
The 747-200B
was the basic passenger version, with increased fuel capacity and more powerful
engines; it entered service in February 1971.In its first three years of
production, the −200 was equipped with Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7 engines
(initially the only engine available). Range with a full passenger load started
at over 5,000 nmi (9,300 km) and increased to 6,000 nmi (11,000 km) with later
engines. Most −200Bs had an internally stretched upper deck, allowing for up to
16 passenger seats.The freighter model, the 747-200F, could be fitted with or
without a side cargo door,and had a capacity of 105 tons (95.3 tonnes) and an
MTOW of up to 833,000 lb (378,000 kg). It entered service in 1972 with
Lufthansa.The convertible version, the 747-200C, could be converted between a
passenger and a freighter or used in mixed configurations,and featured
removable seats and a nose cargo door.The −200C could also be fitted with an
optional side cargo door on the main deck.
The combi
model, the 747-200M, could carry freight in the rear section of the main deck
via a side cargo door. A removable partition on the main deck separated the
cargo area at the rear from the passengers at the front. The −200M could carry
up to 238 passengers in a three-class configuration with cargo carried on the
main deck. The model was also known as the 747-200 Combi.As on the −100, a
stretched upper deck (SUD) modification was later offered. A total of 10
converted 747-200s were operated by KLM.Union des Transports Aériens (UTA) also
had two of these aircraft converted.
After
launching the −200 with Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7 engines, on August 1, 1972
Boeing announced that it had reached an agreement with General Electric to
certify the 747 with CF6-50 series engines to increase the aircraft's market
potential. Rolls-Royce followed 747 engine production with a launch order from
British Airways for four aircraft. The option of RB211-524B engines was announced
on June 17, 1975.The −200 was the first 747 to provide a choice of powerplant
from the three major engine manufacturers.
A total of
393 of the 747-200 versions had been built when production ended in 1991.Of
these, 225 were −200s, 73 were −200F, 13 were −200C, 78 were −200M, and 4 were
military.Many 747-200s remain in operation, although most large carriers have
retired them from their fleets and sold them to smaller operators. Large
carriers have sped up fleet retirement following the September 11 attacks and
the subsequent drop in demand for air travel, scrapping some or turning others
into freighters.
747-300
The 747-300
features a 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) longer upper deck than the −200.The
stretched upper deck has two emergency exit doors and is the most visible
difference between the −300 and previous models. Before being made standard on
the 747-300, the stretched upper deck was previously offered as a retrofit, and
first appeared on two Japanese 747-100SR aircraft.The −300 introduced a new
straight stairway to the upper deck, instead of a spiral staircase on earlier
variants, which creates room above and below for more seats.Minor aerodynamic
changes allowed the −300's cruise speed to reach Mach 0.85 compared with Mach
0.84 on the −200 and −100 models, while retaining the same takeoff weight.The
−300 could be equipped with the same Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce
powerplants as on the −200, as well as updated General Electric CF6-80C2B1
engines.
Swissair
placed the first order for the 747-300 on June 11, 1980.The variant revived the
747-300 designation, which had been previously used on a design study that did
not reach production. The 747-300 first flew on October 5, 1982, and the type's
first delivery went to Swissair on March 23, 1983.Besides the passenger
model, two other versions (−300M, −300SR) were produced. The 747-300M features cargo
capacity on the rear portion of the main deck, similar to the −200M, but with
the stretched upper deck it can carry more passengers.The 747-300SR, a short
range, high-capacity domestic model, was produced for Japanese markets; Japan
Airlines operated the type with more than 600 seats on the Okinawa–Tokyo route
and elsewhere. No production freighter version of the 747-300 was built, but
Boeing began modifications of used passenger −300 models into freighters in
2000.
A total of 81
aircraft of the 747-300 series were delivered, 56 for passenger use, 21 −300M
and 4 −300SR versions.In 1985, just two years after the −300 entered service,
the type was superseded by the announcement of the more advanced 747-400.The
last 747-300 was delivered in September 1990 to Sabena.While some −300
customers continued operating the type, several large carriers replaced their
747-300s with 747-400s. Air France, Air India, Pakistan International Airlines
and Qantas were some of the last major carriers to operate the 747-300. On
December 29, 2008, Qantas flew its last scheduled 747-300 service, operating
from Melbourne to Los Angeles via Auckland.
747-400
The 747-400
is an improved model with increased range. It has wingtip extensions of 6 ft
(1.8 m) and winglets of 6 ft (1.8 m), which improve the type's fuel efficiency
by four percent compared to previous 747 versions.The 747-400 introduced a new
glass cockpit designed for a flight crew of two instead of three, with a
reduction in the number of dials, gauges and knobs from 971 to 365 through the
use of electronics. The type also features tail fuel tanks, revised engines,
and a new interior. The longer range has been used by some airlines to bypass
traditional fuel stops, such as Anchorage.Powerplants include the Pratt &
Whitney PW4062, General Electric CF6-80C2, and Rolls-Royce RB211-524.
The −400 was offered
in passenger (−400), freighter (−400F), combi (−400C), domestic (−400D),
extended range passenger (−400ER), and extended range freighter (−400ERF)
versions. Passenger versions retain the same upper deck as the −300, while the
freighter version does not have an extended upper deck.The 747-400D was built
for short range operations and does not include winglets, but can be
retrofitted with them.Cruising speed is up to Mach 0.855 on different versions
of the 747-400.
The passenger
version first entered service in February 1989 with launch customer Northwest
Airlines on the Minneapolis to Phoenix route.The combi version entered service
in September 1989 with KLM, while the freighter version entered service in
November 1993 with Cargolux. The 747-400ERF entered service with Air France in
October 2002, while the 747-400ER entered service with Qantas, its sole customer,
in November 2002. In January 2004, Boeing and Cathay Pacific launched the
Boeing 747-400 Special Freighter program,later referred to as the Boeing
Converted Freighter (BCF), to modify passenger 747-400s for cargo use. The
first 747-400BCF was redelivered in December 2005.
In March
2007, Boeing announced that it had no plans to produce further passenger
versions of the −400.However, orders for 36 −400F and −400ERF freighters were
already in place at the time of the announcement.The last passenger version of
the 747-400 was delivered in April 2005 to China Airlines. Some of the last
built 747-400s were delivered with Dreamliner livery along with the modern
Signature interior from the Boeing 777. A total of 694 of the 747-400 series aircraft
were delivered.At various times, the largest operator of the 747-400 has been
Singapore Airlines,Japan Airlines,or British Airways.
747 LCF Dreamlifter
The 747-400
Dreamlifter (originally called the 747 Large Cargo Freighter or LCF) is a
Boeing-designed modification of existing 747-400s to a larger configuration to
ferry 787 Dreamliner sub-assemblies. Evergreen Aviation Technologies
Corporation of Taiwan was contracted to complete modifications of 747-400s into
Dreamlifters in Taoyuan. The aircraft flew for the first time on September 9,
2006 in a test flight.Modification of four aircraft was completed by February
2010.The Dreamlifters have been placed into service transporting sub-assemblies
for the 787 program to the Boeing plant in Everett, Washington, for final
assembly.The aircraft is certified to carry only essential crew and not
passengers.
747-8
Boeing
announced a new 747 variant, the 747-8, on November 14, 2005. Referred to as
the 747 Advanced prior to its launch, the 747-8 uses the same engine and
cockpit technology as the 787, hence the use of the "8". The variant
is designed to be quieter, more economical, and more environmentally friendly.
The 747-8's fuselage is lengthened from 232 to 251 feet (70.8 to 76.4 m),marking
the first stretch variant of the aircraft. Power is supplied by General Electric
GEnx-2B67 engines.
The 747-8
Freighter, or 747-8F, is derived from the 747-400ERF. The variant has 16
percent more payload capacity than its predecessor, allowing it to carry seven
additional standard air cargo containers, with a maximum payload capacity of
154 tons (140 tonnes) of cargo.As on previous 747 freighters, the 747-8F
features an overhead nose-door to aid loading and unloading. The 747-8F made
its maiden flight on February 8, 2010.The variant received its amended type
certificate jointly from the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
on August 19, 2011.The −8F was first delivered to Cargolux on October 12, 2011.
The passenger
version, named 747-8 Intercontinental or 747-8I, is designed to carry up to 467
passengers in a 3-class configuration and fly more than 8,000 nmi (15,000 km)
at Mach 0.855. As a derivative of the already common 747-400, the 747-8 has the
economic benefit of similar training and interchangeable parts.The type's first
test flight occurred on March 20, 2011.At its introduction, the 747-8 surpassed
the Airbus A340-600 as the world's longest airliner. The first −8I is was
delivered in May 2012 to Lufthansa.The 747-8 has received 106 total orders,
including 70 for the −8F and 36 for the −8I, as of December 2011.
Government, military, and other variants
- C-19 – The
U.S. Air Force gave this designation to the 747-100s used by some U.S. airlines
and modified for use in the Civil Reserve Airlift Fleet.
- VC-25 –
This aircraft is the U.S. Air Force Very Important Person (VIP) version of the
747-200B. The U.S. Air Force operates two of them in VIP configuration as the
VC-25A. Tail numbers 28000 and 29000 are popularly known as Air Force One, which
is technically the air-traffic call sign for any United States Air Force
aircraft carrying the U.S. President. Although based on the 747-200B design,
they include several innovations introduced on the 747-400. Partially completed
aircraft from Everett, Washington, were flown to Wichita, Kansas, for final
outfitting.
- E-4B –
Formerly known as the National Emergency Airborne Command Post (referred to
colloquially as "Kneecap"), this aircraft is now referred to as the
National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC).
- YAL-1 –
This is the experimental Airborne Laser, a component of the National Missile
Defense plan.
- Shuttle
Carrier Aircraft – Two 747s were modified to carry the Space Shuttle. One is a
747-100 (N905NA), and the other is a 747-100SR (N911NA). An SCA carried the
Space Shuttle Enterprise in the late 1970s, and has since carried all Space
Shuttles.
- A number
of other governments also use the 747 as a VIP transport, including Bahrain,
Brunei, India, Iran, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and
United Arab Emirates. Several new Boeing 747-8s have been ordered by Boeing
Business Jet for conversion to VIP transport for several unidentified
customers.
- C-33 – This
aircraft was a proposed U.S. military version of the 747-400 intended to
augment the C-17 fleet. The plan was canceled in favor of additional C-17
military transports.
- KC-33A – A
proposed 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
that produced the KC-10A Extender. Before the Khomeini-led revolution, Iran
bought four 747-100 aircraft with air-refueling boom conversions to support a fleet
of F-4 Phantoms.It is unknown whether these aircraft remain usable as tankers.
Since then, other proposals have emerged for adaptation of later 747-400 aircraft
for this role.
- 747 CMCA –
This variant was considered by the U.S. Air Force as a Cruise Missile Carrier
Aircraft during the development of the B-1 Lancer strategic bomber. It would
have been equipped with 50 to 100 AGM-86 ALCM cruise missiles on rotary
launchers. This plan was abandoned in favor of more conventional strategic
bombers.
- 747 AAC –
Boeing also considered developing the 747 into an aerial aircraft carrier for
up to 10 "microfighters". With a double-decker hangar and two
launching bays, it was believed that the scheme might actually be cheaper than
establishing a short-term land base. However nothing came of the scheme, or its
complementary 747 AWACS version, which would have carried two of the
"microfighters" for reconnaissance.
- Evergreen
747 Supertanker – A Boeing 747-200 modified as an aerial application platform
for fire fighting using 20,000 US gallons (76,000 L) of firefighting chemicals.
- Stratospheric
Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) - A former Pan Am Boeing 747SP
modified to carry a large infrared-sensitive telescope, in a joint venture of
NASA and DLR. High altitudes are needed for infrared astronomy, so as to rise
above infrared-absorbing water vapor in the atmosphere.
Undeveloped variants
747 trijet
During the
late 1960s and early 1970s, Boeing studied the development of a shorter 747
with three engines, to compete with the smaller L-1011 TriStar and DC-10. The
747 trijet would have had more payload, range, and passenger capacity than the
L-1011 and DC-10. The center engine would have been fitted in the tail with an
S-duct intake similar to the L-1011's. However, engineering studies showed that
a total redesign of the 747 wing would be necessary. Maintaining the same 747
handling characteristics would be important to minimize pilot retraining.
Boeing decided instead to pursue a shortened four-engine 747, resulting in the
747SP.In the 1990s, the 777, a long-range twinjet smaller than the 747-400,
entered service in the market where the 747 trijet had been targeted.
747-500X, −600X, and −700X
Boeing
announced the 747-500X and −600X at the 1996 Farnborough Airshow.The proposed
models would have combined the 747's fuselage with a new 251 ft (77 m) span
wing derived from the 777. Other changes included adding more powerful engines
and increasing the number of tires from two to four on the nose landing gear
and from 16 to 20 on the main landing gear.
The 747-500X
concept featured an increased fuselage length of 18 ft (5.5 m) to 250 ft (76.2
m) long, and the aircraft was to carry 462 passengers over a range up to 8,700
nautical miles (10,000 mi, 16,100 km), with a gross weight of over 1.0 Mlb (450
Mg).The 747-600X concept featured a greater stretch to 279 ft (85 m) with
seating for 548 passengers, a range of up to 7,700 nmi (8,900 mi, 14,300 km),
and a gross weight of 1.2 Mlb (540 Mg).A third study concept, the 747-700X,
would have combined the wing of the 747-600X with a widened fuselage, allowing
it to carry 650 passengers over the same range as a 747-400.The cost of the changes
from previous 747 models, in particular the new wing for the 747-500X and
−600X, was estimated to be more than US$5 billion.Boeing was not able to
attract enough interest to launch the aircraft.
747X and 747X Stretch
As Airbus
progressed with its A3XX study, Boeing in 2000 offered the market a 747
derivative as an alternative. This was a more modest proposal than the previous
−500X and −600X that would retain the 747's overall wing design and add a
segment at the root, increasing the span to 229 ft (69.8 m).Power would have
been supplied by either the Engine Alliance GP7172 or the Rolls-Royce Trent
600, which were also proposed for the 767-400ERX.A new flight deck based on the
777's would be used. The 747X aircraft was to carry 430 passengers over ranges
of up to 8,700 nmi (10,000 mi, 16,100 km). The 747X Stretch would be extended
to 263 ft (80.2 m) long, allowing it to carry 500 passengers over ranges of up
to 7,800 nmi (9,000 mi, 14,500 km).Both would feature an interior based on the
777's signature architecture.Freighter versions of the 747X and 747X Stretch
were also studied.
Like its
predecessor, the 747X family was unable to garner enough interest to justify
production, and it was shelved along with the 767-400ERX in March 2001, when
Boeing announced the Sonic Cruiser concept.Though the 747X design was less
costly than the 747-500X and −600X, it was criticized for not offering a
sufficient advance from the existing 747-400. The 747X did not make it beyond
the drawing board, but the 747-400X being developed concurrently moved into
production to become the 747-400ER.
747-400XQLR
After the end
of the 747X program, Boeing continued to study improvements that could be made
to the 747. The 747-400XQLR (Quiet Long Range) was meant to have an increased
range of 7,980 nmi (9,200 mi, 14,800 km), with improvements to boost efficiency
and reduce noise.Improvements studied included raked wingtips similar to those
used on the 767-400ER and a sawtooth engine nacelle for noise reduction.Although
the 747-400XQLR did not move to production, many of its features were used for
the 747 Advanced, which has now been launched as the 747-8.
Accidents and incidents
As of
September 2010, the 747 has been involved in 124 accidents or incidents,including
49 hull-loss accidents,resulting in 2,852 fatalities. The 747 has been in 31
hijackings, which caused 25 fatalities.
Few crashes
have been attributed to design flaws of the 747. The Tenerife disaster resulted
from pilot error, air traffic control (ATC) error, and communications failure,
while the Japan Airlines Flight 123 and China Airlines Flight 611 crashes
stemmed from improper aircraft repair. United Airlines Flight 811, which
suffered an explosive decompression mid-flight on February 24, 1989, led the
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to issue a recommendation that
747-200 cargo doors similar to those on the Flight 811 aircraft be modified.
Korean Air Lines Flight 007 was shot down by the Soviets in 1983 after it had
strayed into Soviet territory, causing U.S. President Ronald Reagan to
authorize the then-strictly military Global Positioning System (GPS) for
civilian use. TWA Flight 800, a 747-100 that exploded in midair on July 17,
1996, led the FAA to propose a rule requiring installation of an inerting
system in the center fuel tank of most large aircraft that was adopted in July
2008, after years of research into solutions. It is expected that the new
safety system will cost US$100,000 to $450,000 per aircraft and weigh approximately
200 pounds (91 kg).
Aircraft on display
As increasing
numbers of "classic" 747-100 and 747-200 series aircraft have been
retired, some have found their way into museums or other uses. The City of
Everett, the first 747 and prototype, is at the Museum of Flight, Seattle,
Washington, USA where it is sometimes leased to Boeing for test purposes.
Other 747s in
museums include those at the National Aviation Theme Park Aviodrome, Lelystad,
Netherlands; the Qantas Founders Outback Museum, Longreach, Queensland,
Australia; Rand Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa; Technikmuseum Speyer,
Speyer, Germany; Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, Paris, France; Tehran Aerospace
Exhibition, Tehran, Iran; Jeongseok Aviation Center, Jeju, South Korea,Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, McMinnville, Oregon, and the National
Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.
Upon its
retirement from service, the 747 number two in the production line was
dis-assembled and shipped to Hopyeong, Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
where it was re-assembled, repainted in a livery similar to that of Air Force
One and converted into a restaurant. Originally flown commercially by Pan Am as
N747PA, Clipper Juan T. Trippe, and repaired for service following a
tailstrike, it stayed with the airline until its bankruptcy. The restaurant
closed by 2009,and the aircraft was demolished in 2010.A former British Airways
747-200B, G-BDXJ,is parked at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, England and has
been used as a movie set for productions such as the 2006 James Bond film,
Casino Royale.The Jumbohostel, using a converted 747-200, opened at Arlanda
Airport, Stockholm on January 15, 2009.
