Maximum speed of Boeing 747. Passenger aircraft capacity

The Boeing 747, produced by the American company Boeing, often referred to as the Jumbo Jet, or simply 747, is the world's first wide-body long-haul passenger airliner. The first flight took place on February 9, 1969. At the time of its inception, the Boeing 747 was the largest, heaviest and most spacious passenger airliner, remaining so for 37 years until the introduction of the A380, which first flew in 2005.

The Boeing 747 has a two-deck layout, with the upper deck being significantly shorter than the lower deck. The size and peculiar “hump” of the upper deck have made the Boeing 747 one of the most recognizable aircraft in the world, the hero of dozens of films and a symbol of civil aviation.

There are several different variants of the Boeing 747, most of which can fly long range. The record holder among the 747 is the Boeing of the Australian airline Qantas Airways, which made a non-stop flight from London to Sydney in 1989, thereby covering 18,000 km in 20 hours and 9 minutes, without having any passengers or cargo on board.

Until September 2010, 1,527 Boeing 747 models were ordered, and 1,418 aircraft were delivered.

• Type - passenger aircraft
• Developer - Boeing
• First flight - February 9, 1969
• Start of operation - 1970 (Pan Am, TWA)
• Status - in operation
• Main operators - Japan Airlines, British Airways, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific
• Years of production - 1969 - present. V.
• Units produced - 1419 (as of April 2010)
• Unit cost - 747-100 - $24 million (1967), 747-200 - $39 million (1976), 747-300 - $82 million (1982), 747-400 - $228-260 million (2007)
• Options - Boeing E-4, Boeing VC-25, Boeing YAL-1

Aerodynamic design

Four-engine turbofan low-wing aircraft with swept wings and single-tail tail.

Story

Development The idea to develop the Boeing 747 arose during the rapid growth of air travel in the 60s. The Boeing 707, which dominated the US air travel market at the time, was already struggling to cope with the growing flow of passengers. Before this, the Boeing Corporation was already developing a large transport aircraft for the US Army, but then the corporation lost to the Lockheed project - the C-5 Galaxy. However, the most loyal buyer of Boeing, Pan American airline, developed requirements for a giant passenger aircraft, which had to be twice as large as the 707. In 1966, the corporation introduced the configuration of a new aircraft, designated "747". The original design was a completely double-deck aircraft, but some difficulties arose with this configuration, and the design was abandoned in favor of the “hump”. Of the first series of 100 aircraft, Pan Am ordered 25.

At that time, it was believed that such giants would soon be supplanted by supersonic aircraft. Therefore, the 747 was initially developed as a cargo-passenger aircraft. Over time, it was even planned to completely convert all aircraft into cargo aircraft. The cockpit was placed on the upper deck specifically to be able to convert the nose of the aircraft into a cargo ramp. It was assumed that the market did not need more than 400 aircraft of this type, however, despite criticism and fierce competition, the thousandth aircraft was built in 1993. Only in the first decade of the 21st century did 747 sales begin to decline.

The construction of the aircraft was associated with some difficulties: the Boeing plant did not have the capacity to produce such giant aircraft. To do this, a new plant was built in the small town of Everett in Washington state, which became home to a new family of aircraft.

Pratt & Whitney developed a huge high bypass ratio turbofan engine, the JT9D, which was originally used exclusively on the 747. In order to increase the level of safety and flight performance of the aircraft, 4 backup hydraulic systems and slotted flaps were installed on the 747, which allowed the aircraft to be used on standard-length runways.

While testing the aircraft for airworthiness certification, Boeing developed an unusual training device known as the "Waddell Van" (named after 747 test pilot Jack Waddell), which consisted of a mock-up cockpit mounted on the roof of a truck. The simulator was designed to train pilots to taxi the aircraft from such a high cockpit position.

Boeing promised Pan Am to deliver the first aircraft by 1970 - that is, it was necessary to design, build, test and certify the aircraft in less than 4 years. The work proceeded very quickly, but the corporation's enormous costs for building a new plant and developing the aircraft brought Boeing to the brink of bankruptcy. However, the enormous profit from the sale of “747” covered all the corporation’s costs.

Exploitation Initially, major airlines were somewhat skeptical about the new aircraft. At the same time, McDonnell-Douglas Corporation (later absorbed by Boeing) and Lockheed were developing three-engine wide-body aircraft much smaller than the 747. Many airlines believed that the 747 would not perform well on long-haul routes and would not be as economical as the three-engine McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar. In addition, there was doubt that, due to its size, the 747 may not fit airport infrastructure. The A380 currently faces similar problems.

Air carriers were concerned about the high (compared to three-engine aircraft) fuel consumption. Many airlines immediately announced their reluctance to purchase the Boeing 747 due to the threat of a sharp increase in ticket prices.

Air carriers' concerns were justified. The fuel crisis of the 1970s caused soaring oil prices and a decline in air travel. Airlines were faced with the problem of the unprofitability of the Boeing 747: due to high ticket prices, the planes were flying half empty. American Airlines installed pianos and bars instead of seats in order to attract passengers, but these measures were not enough. Subsequently, the company converted all the aircraft into cargo planes and then sold them. After some time, Continental Airlines did the same with its planes. The new McDonnell Douglas DC-10, Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, and later the Airbus A300 and Boeing 767 captured most of the wide-body aircraft market. With the release of new aircraft, many air carriers almost immediately abandoned the 747 in favor of them. Among them: Air Canada, Aer Lingus, SAS, TAP Portugal and Olympic Airways.

Many airlines continue to use the Boeing 747 on particularly busy routes. In Asia, the 747 is often used on medium and even short-haul routes, especially in Japan. “747” is still used on the longest transcontinental lines. The largest 747 fleet belongs to the Japanese national airline Japan Airlines - 73 aircraft. British Airways has the largest fleet of 747-400 modifications, including 57 aircraft.

Boeing 747 aircraft are also operated in Russia. Transaero airline has eleven aircraft (six B747-200, three B747-300 and two B747-400), AirBridgeCargo airline, part of the Volga-Dnepr group of companies, has nine cargo aircraft (two Boeing 747-200F, one B747- 300F and six 747-400ERF).

The future of "747" After the creation of the 747-400 modification, many options for improving the aircraft were considered, but only the 2005 747-8 project was approved.

The 747-X program was launched in response to Airbus Corporation's European A3XX program. This project involved the creation of Boeing 747-500X and Boeing 747-600X aircraft with a capacity of up to 800 passengers. General Electric Corporation and Pratt & Whitney formed a joint venture to produce GP7200 engines specifically for the larger 747. However, most air carriers preferred the development of a fundamentally new aircraft to the modernization of the old one, and after several months the project was closed.

After the official start of the A380 program in 2000, Boeing again took up the 747-X, but later abandoned it in favor of the Sonic Cruiser project, a subsonic passenger aircraft project. Then the project was mothballed and the development of the Boeing 787 (originally 7E7) began. However, some ideas developed during the 747-X project found application in the Boeing 747-400ER aircraft.

In early 2004, Boeing published plans for the 747 "Advanced" aircraft. This aircraft is a stretched Boeing 747-400. The new aircraft is planned to use completely new avionics - similar to the avionics of the Boeing 787. On November 14, 2005, Boeing announced the start of the project, and the aircraft was designated Boeing 747-8. Airlines ordered 109 aircraft (33 passenger, 76 cargo). Of the passenger carriers, Lufthansa (20 aircraft), Korean Air (5 aircraft) and the American Boeing Business Jet (8 aircraft) showed interest in the 747-8. 8 airlines are interested in cargo (here the 747 has no competition, the cargo A380 is present only on diagrams so far), including Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (15 aircraft), Nippon Cargo Airlines (14 aircraft), Cargolux (13 aircraft), as well as the Russian Volga-Dnepr (5 aircraft)

Meanwhile, the last passenger Boeing 747-400 was delivered to the customer (Taiwanese China Airlines) in April 2005, since then only cargo Jumbo jets have rolled out of Boeing hangars. The number of aircraft of this type in operation is gradually decreasing.

Modifications

The Boeing 747-100 was the first model of the "747" series and was nicknamed Jumbo shortly after its introduction. A total of 250 aircraft of this modification were built in different sub-variants, of which 167 aircraft were the basic version of the 747-100, 45 were SP, 29 were SR and 9 were 100B. The last Boeing 747-100 belonged to the −100SR modification, was built for Japan Airlines and was delivered in September 1986.

The main variant is 747-100. The first Boeing 747, officially designated Boeing 747-100, was built on September 2, 1968. The first flight took place on February 9, 1969. On January 1, 1970, the plane, owned by Pan American World Airways, made its first commercial flight. The first European airline to purchase the Boeing 747-100 was Lufthansa, which received a total of three aircraft of this model. The basic version had a flight range of 7200 km. On the very first airplanes, there was a rest room with three windows on the upper deck. Somewhat later, when airlines began to use the upper deck for first and business class passengers, the deck was finally converted into a passenger cabin designed for 60 passengers. The last prototype of the basic Boeing 747-100 was delivered to Pan American World Airways on July 2, 1976. Some 747-100 series aircraft have been converted into 747-100(SF) freighters.

Boeing 747SR (Short Range). The SR version of the Boeing 747-100 is an aircraft for short-haul airlines. The Boeing 747SR was developed as a short-haul derivative of the 747-100. This aircraft has a smaller fuel supply, but the passenger capacity reached 500 people, and later - 550. The 747SR, in addition, has an improved fuselage design. Later, SR modifications also appeared on the Boeing 747-300. Boeing 747SRs are used primarily on Japanese domestic routes only. Several Boeing 747-100SR aircraft were delivered to Japan Airlines with an extended upper deck. Later this modification received the name 747SUD (stretched upper deck). One of the planes that once flew for Japan Airlines is today used by NASA as a carrier for the space shuttle. The Boeing 747SP (Special Performance) modification was developed in 1976. This aircraft was created in order to seriously compete with the DS-10 and L-1011. The fact is, due to its size, Boeing was often unprofitable on medium-busy routes, and lost to Douglas and Lockheed on them. The development of the Boeing 737 and 747 took too much money from the company, so the company did not have the opportunity to create a fundamentally new aircraft. Instead, the Boeing 747 had a shortened fuselage and some optimization of the aircraft's parameters specifically for light-traffic routes.

In addition to the shortened fuselage, the 747SP has increased surface area of ​​the fin and flaps. The 747SP carried up to 220 passengers. The maximum flight range was 10,500 km at a cruising speed of 980 km/h.

Before the advent of the Airbus A340, the 747SP had the longest flight range among passenger aircraft and was popular with transoceanic transport companies such as American Airlines, Qantas and Pan American. Despite its technical advantages, the 747SP did not become as popular as the manufacturer had hoped. Only 45 aircraft of this modification were built. Most of them are still operated mainly in the Middle East. One aircraft was built specifically for a flying astronomical laboratory - SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy). It houses a telescope with a diameter of 2.5 meters.

The Boeing 747-100B differed from its predecessors with an improved control system and landing gear. The first customer of the Boeing 747-100B was Iran Air, which received the first copy on August 2, 1979. The remaining eight copies were sold to Saudi Arabian Airlines.

Introduced in 1971 and later improved, the Boeing 747-200 had more powerful engines and increased take-off weight, which made it possible to increase the flight range. The first 747-200 had 3 windows on the upper deck, but later Boeing finally abandoned this design and built new aircraft with a ten-window deck. The latest modification, 747-200B, produced since the 80s, has a flight range of up to 10,800 km. Based on the Boeing 747-200 airframe, modifications were built for the US Air Force: 3 VKP E-4A and 1 E-4B and 2 VC-25A aircraft for transporting US presidents.

The Boeing 747-200C and 747-200F were designed to carry cargo. The 747-200F is a purely cargo aircraft, while the 747-200C is capable of carrying either cargo or passengers. The 747-200M “Combi” modification can transport both at the same time. Like the 747-100, many 747-200 passenger aircraft were later converted to freighters.

Boeing 747-200B is an improved version of the 747-200 with more powerful engines and a larger fuel capacity.

The Boeing 747-300 was originally conceived as a three-engine version of the Boeing 747SP, but this plan was quickly abandoned due to low market demand for such a model.

The designation 747-300 was assigned to the new aircraft, which appeared in 1980. The upper deck on this aircraft was significantly enlarged, which increased passenger capacity. Based on the 747-300, the 747-300M (freight-passenger) and 747-300SR (short-haul) variants were created. A distinctive feature of the new aircraft was the straight staircase connecting the upper and lower decks. On earlier aircraft, a spiral was installed. The maximum flight range was 12,400 km.

Airlines operating significant numbers of Boeing 747-300 aircraft include Japan Airlines, Air India, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Qantas, and Thai Airways.

The Boeing 747-400 is the newest and most popular model of the series and is still in production today. This aircraft has added vertical wingtips (winglets; however, they are not found on Japan Airlines domestic flights within Japan). The flight deck was upgraded with new avionics, eliminating the need for a flight engineer. Additional tail fuel tanks and improved engines were installed. In addition, the aircraft is distinguished by an increased degree of comfort. The 747-400 entered service in 1989 with Northwest Airlines.

The Boeing 747-400 is 25% more fuel efficient than the 747-100 and is twice as quiet. The 747-400M (cargo), 747-400F and 747-400SF (freight) variants have been developed. The 747-400D, specially designed for domestic routes in Japan, held the world record for passenger capacity until 2005, accommodating up to 594 people. It was then replaced by the Airbus A380, which in a single-class configuration seats 853 passengers

The 747-400ER modification is an aircraft with an increased flight range.

The transport version of the 747-400 is extended by 5.5 meters, the maximum take-off weight (442 tons) is 16% more than the original (but 18 tons less than the A380-800). The first test flight of the new aircraft took place on February 8, 2010 from Paine Field (Everett, Washington), a year behind schedule. As of September 30, 2010, the first cargo aircraft will be delivered in mid-2011, and passenger aircraft at the end of the same year.

Power plants

• Boeing 747-100

• 4 Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7A

• Boeing 747-200/300

• 4 Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4G2
• 4 Rolls-Royce RB211-524D4
• 4 General Electric CF6-50E2

• Boeing 747-400

• 4 Pratt & Whitney PW4062
• 4 Rolls-Royce RB211-524H
• 4 General Electric CF6-80C2B5F

• Boeing 747-8

• 4 General Electric GEnx

Military modifications and aircraft of heads of state

• VC-25A - aircraft for transporting the US President. Two VC-25As were built in the late 1980s based on the Boeing 747-200 airframe. They wear special colors. Air traffic control issues them the code Air Force One - the plane carrying the president. Currently used by US Presidents for domestic and foreign travel (see article VC-25).
• E-4B Nightwatch known as NEACP (National Emergency Airborne Command Post), pronounced "Kneecap", and since 1994, also known as NAOC (National Airborne Operations Center) - airborne command posts for the President of the United States, US Secretary of Defense, other members of senior management in the event of the outbreak of a nuclear war and the destruction of ground control structures. The colloquial name for them in the USA is “doomsday planes”. The first 3 E-4As were built based on the Boeing 747-200 airframe at the Boeing plant in 1974-1978. In 1979, a redesigned E-4B was built, and in 1980, all three E-4As were redesigned as E-4Bs. Currently on duty at bases (see article E-4).
• The aircraft is used to transport the Space Shuttle from alternate launch sites to the main launch site at Cape Canaveral. The shuttle is mounted on the top of the fuselage.
• High payload and large internal volumes made the 747 a permanent participant in various missile defense programs of the US Army. Now it is equipped with an experimental high-power chemical laser designed to destroy enemy ballistic missiles in the acceleration area.

Specifications

Characteristic	747-100 (original version)	747-400ER	747-8
Length	70.7 m	70.7 m	76.4 m
Wingspan	59.6 m	64.4 m	68.5 m
Height	19.3 m	19.4 m	19.4 m
Wing area	511 m²	541 m²	?
Empty weight	162.4 t	180.8 t	276.7 t
Maximum take-off weight	340.2 t	412.8 t	435.4 t
Cruising speed	0.84 M	0.855 M	0.855 M
Maximum speed	0.89 M	1150 km/h	1150 km/h
Range with maximum load	9800 km	14,205 km	14,815 km
Fuel reserve	183 380 l	241 140 l	227,600 l
Fuel consumption with maximum load	20.3 l/km	17.0 l/km	15.4 l/km
Cargo capacity	170.6 m³ (5 pallets + 14 LD1s)	158.6 m³ (4 pallets + 14 LD1s)	275.6 m³ (8 pallets + 16 LD1s)
Capacity (number of passengers)	452 (2 classes) 366 (3 classes)	524 (2 classes) 416 (3 classes)	467 (3 classes)
Power point	4 × Pratt & Whitney JT9D	4 × General Electric CF6-80	4 × General Electric GEnx-2B67
Engine thrust (4x)	222.4 kN	281.1 kN	296.0 kN
Crew	3	2	2

Aircraft losses

As of September 2010, a total of 49 Boeing 747 aircraft have been lost to crashes and serious accidents. There have been 31 attempts to hijack a Boeing 747, with 25 people killed. A total of 3,732 people died in these incidents. The largest aviation accident in terms of the number of victims (not counting the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001) occurred in 1977 on the island of Tenerife at Los Rodeos airport. Two Boeing 747s collided on the runway, killing 583 people (see Los Rodeos Airport disaster and List of aviation accidents and disasters).

Since man was able to invent the airplane and take to the air, this industry has developed incredibly quickly. Now the largest passenger Boeing can accommodate almost a thousand people, which seemed simply impossible just a few decades ago.

Dimensions and capacity of the largest passenger Boeing

The largest passenger Boeing is the Boeing 747. This aircraft has held its honorary title for several decades. The American aircraft began to operate in 1970, and since then it has been considered the largest and largest aircraft for transporting passengers.

The Boeing 747 lost its honorary title only in 2005, when the Airbus A380 aircraft was put into operation.

The capacity of the largest Boeing aircraft is about seven hundred people, depending on the modification of the aircraft. Due to the enormous popularity of this aircraft, Boeing hastened to release as many models as possible, distributing them throughout the world. In total, about 1,500 of these giants were produced, each of which was in operation for several years.

Despite its enormous size, the Boeing 747 is an example of the highest quality aircraft and complete thoughtful design. The length of the aircraft itself was initially 70.6 meters, and the wingspan was 59.6 meters. Now the length of the aircraft has increased to 76 meters. Such a giant could reach speeds of up to 955 kilometers per hour, which in 1970 seemed unthinkable.

Because Boeing is constantly modifying its most famous model, the maximum speed of the modern Boeing 747 is 988 kilometers per hour.

Other large passenger aircraft of the world

Currently, the largest passenger aircraft is the Airbus A380. The aircraft received its honorary status only in 2005, displacing the previous leader, the Boeing 747.

The Airobus A380 has a capacity of 852 passengers, which seems like an incredible number. The passengers themselves are located on two decks in the highest class salons. Great Britain, Italy and France took part in the production of this aircraft. Another large aircraft from Airbus is the A340-600. This airliner can accommodate a little less than 700 passengers, but is capable of flying more than 14 thousand kilometers without additional refueling.

Boeing is also proud of the 777-300 ER. This model can accommodate up to 550 passengers. At the same time, the aircraft is an absolute record holder in terms of flight duration without additional refueling. The plane can fly 21 thousand kilometers non-stop, which is unattainable for any other air transport model.

The impressive dimensions of the largest aircraft in the world speak only of the ambition of modern aircraft designers. Most likely, humanity will not stop there, and many more huge Boeings will appear in the world, striking not only with the quality of their equipment, but also with their incredible, hitherto incomprehensible dimensions.

The number of seats on the Boeing 747-400 (Boeing 747-400) varies (depending on the model and configuration) from 320 passengers in a three-class cabin and up to 526 people in a two-class cabin. Also, it is worth considering that there are variations of this airliner with a single-class cabin that can accommodate up to 624 passengers.

As a rule, each airline orders aircraft to suit its needs, and the number of different modifications of the same aircraft can reach hundreds of options.

For example, Rossiya Airlines. And the largest European airline already has 30 such aircraft, with a capacity of 322 and 344 passengers.

In order to understand which seats are comfortable and which are not, you need to carefully study the interior layout of the airliner in which you are going to fly. After all, everyone has their own seating arrangement.

Boeing 747-400 Rossiya Airlines

We have analyzed the interior layout of the aircraft used by Rossiya. For a detailed diagram of the interior, explanatory comments and photographs, see here -. If you are flying in Russia, we highly recommend studying this article.

So, let's start with the bow of the aircraft and business class. Places marked in green ( 1st and 4th row), slightly better than the standard seats (indicated in white) due to the fact that there are no seats in front of them and therefore there is additional large legroom.

Seats in row 9- the same. However, the proximity of toilets always implies unnecessary fuss and anxiety.

Seats in rows 24 and 27(marked in yellow) - The proximity of stairs, toilets and other technical rooms can cause inconvenience. Also, discomfort may arise due to the noise that occurs in economy class, if we are talking about the last row.

Economy class.

Places in 32 row have additional legroom. Also, from any of these places, you can get up at any time without disturbing your neighbors.

Despite the fact that they are located close to the toilet, we think that the freedom of movement and the extra space (which is important on a long flight) make them more advantageous.

33A and 33K- the best option on board. There is no row of seats in front of you, there is a porthole, technical rooms are located at a distance. Even a long and long flight will take place in a comfortable environment.

Seats in row 34 (yellow) not as comfortable as the standard ones, as they are located right behind the wall of the toilets.

Because of this, there is not enough free space for the legs and the tables, which are usually located in the back of the chair in front, are mounted on the armrests. For this reason, the seats can be reduced and the armrests fixed. Not very comfortable. Also, the sounds of the tank and the slamming of toilet doors will not add to your comfort.

Seats in row 42 not so good, the backs of the chairs do not recline back at all or have a limitation in this. This is because there are escape hatches and a wall right behind them.

Seats in row 43 may have limited legroom.

The seats in the last, 56th row are definitely not the best. They are located in the tail, near the toilets and have limited reclining, or do not recline at all.

Standard seats

Now about the advantages and disadvantages of standard places, indicated in white.

We are not talking about business class, everything is simple there - all seats are good.

The seats that are located near the window have the advantage that you can look out of it and enjoy the flight and views (depending on the weather and flight time). No one will bother you when sitting down or getting up from your seat. These places have one drawback - it is difficult to get up from it without disturbing the neighbors.

Seats located in the middle - there is no direct access to the window, but people and flight attendants with carts scurrying along the aisle also do not bother you.

Aisle seats have another advantage - it is easy to leave your seat, for example to go to the toilet. Disadvantages: there is no access to the window, and flight attendants with trolleys and people passing through the cabin can also disturb you.

The seats, which are placed 4 in a row (in the middle of the cabin), have the same advantages and disadvantages. It’s convenient to get up from the extreme ones (both left and right), and those in the middle are not disturbed by people scurrying around.

In principle, using these simple rules, you can determine good and bad seats in the cabin of any airliner.

• If possible, carefully study the diagram of the airliner on which you will fly. See section -
• Studying the interior layout, choose the optimal seats, guided by the same rules that we have given
• Do not take seats at the very rear, close to toilets, kitchens and other technical areas.
• Do not take seats in which the seats do not recline or are limited in this
• Do not take seats in front of or behind which there is a partition
• Before the flight, decide what is more important to you: looking out the window or being able to go to the toilet without hindrance

We wish you a successful landing!

Are you here:// Boeing 747-400

Over more than a century of world aviation history, thousands of modifications of military and civil aircraft for various purposes have been developed and built. Among them there are airplanes that become rulers of the skies for many years. These airliners include the world's most popular wide-body aircraft, the Boeing 747.

Boeing 747 aircraft

The history of the Boeing 747 aircraft

February 9, 2019 This year marks exactly half a century since the day when the very first double-decker Boeing 747-100 took off. The idea of ​​​​creating a Boeing 747 aircraft, the number of passengers of which would reach 500 people, belongs to the head of Boeing, William Ellen, and the boss of the PanAm airline, Juan Tripp.

It was based on a project for a cargo aircraft for the US Air Force, a tender for which Boeing had lost to the winged giant Lockheed C-141 several years earlier. The team of project designers was led by talented engineer Joe Sutter. It was decided to design a cargo-passenger class aircraft with a cargo hatch under the cockpit.

This decision became a kind of insurance against losses in the competition that unfolded between apologists for subsonic passenger aviation and those who actively promoted a new direction - jet civil aircraft.

The first contract between PanAm and Boeing for the supply of 25 Boeing 747-100 aircraft with a total value of $5,525 million. was signed in the spring of 1966. The cost of building various modifications has been constantly increasing over the course of fifty years, as developers use advanced technologies and unique materials to improve the flight performance of the aircraft:

• Boeing 747-100 aircraft - $24 million;
• 747-200 - 38 million dollars;
• 747-300 - 82 million dollars;
• 747-400 - 260 million dollars;
• 747-8 - 379 million dollars.

Boeing released 747 series airliners by 2016

By December 2016, Boeing had produced 1,556 747 series aircraft in various modifications. 98% (1527 aircraft) have been contracted and handed over to customers for operation.

Aircraft are assembled at the world's largest aircraft manufacturing facility, the Boeing plant in Everett, Washington. The huge expenses spent on the development, commissioning, production and maintenance of the aircraft were generously paid off by the profits from the sale of the Boeing 747 to dozens of countries around the world.

The excellent performance characteristics of the 747 series aircraft, high reliability and efficiency allowed them to immediately and for a long time take leadership among long-haul airbuses in terms of the number of passengers carried.

The use of transparent aircraft leasing schemes allows airlines to compensate for their high selling price.

It is noteworthy that in Russia the Boeing 747 series was not operated by Aeroflot until 2015. Long-haul flights were carried out by Transaero.

Characteristics of the Boeing 747

The layout of the Boeing 747 (B747) is designed as a low-wing aircraft with one vertical fin and swept wings. The Boeing 747 engine is a dual-circuit turbofan (turban engine) attached to the wing using special pylons.

It is best to consider the tactical and technical characteristics of the aircraft by comparing the three most popular airliners - 747-100, 747-400ER and 747-8:

TTX	B 747-100	B 747-400ER	B747-8
Characteristics of the 747 series aircraft
Length, m	70,6	70,6	76,3
Full width, m	6,5	6,5	6,5
Cabin width, m	6,1	6,1	6,1
Boeing 747 flight altitude, m	19,3	19,3	19,4
Wingspan, m	59,6	64,4	68,5
Wing area, m2	511	541	554
Powerplant in the 747	4 turbofans (thrust 22.6 t)	4 turbofans (thrust 28.68 t)	4 turbofans (thrust 30, 2 t)
Commercial specifications
Weight without load, t	162,4	180,8	214,5
Take-off weight (maximum), t	340,2	412,8	442,2
Cargo capacity, m 3	170,6	158,6	275,6
Flight range with maximum payload, km	9800	14205	14815
Fuel tank capacity, l	183 380	241 140	242 470
Cruising speed, M	0,84	0,855	0,855
Maximum speed, km/h	955	988	988
Crew, people	3	3	3

Boeing 100 series began regular commercial flights only at the end of 1970 due to defects in the design of the Pratt&Whitney JT9D-3A turbofan engine with a take-off thrust of 22,000 daN.

The cost of two years of refinement amounted to almost $200 million. The 747-100 series received the JT9D-7A powerplant, and the 747-200 received the JT9D-7R4G with a thrust of 224,700 daN. In total, 8 types of turbofan engines were used in various modifications of the aircraft:

Modification of the Boeing 747 aircraft
747-100	747-200/747-300	747-400	747-8
Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7A	Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4G2	Pratt & Whitney PW4062	—
—	Rolls-Royce RB211-524D4	Rolls-Royce RB211-524H	—
—	General Electric CF6-50E2	General Electric CF6-80C2B1F	General Electric GEnx

The range of components and parts used to assemble the Boeing 747 consists of more than 6 million items.

They are produced in 33 countries around the world.

Boeing 747 modifications

The double-decker Boeing 747 underwent major modifications several times from 1970 to 2006. Various technical and commercial characteristics of the car have changed, but the appearance of the famous humpback is still easily recognizable.

• 747-100. Since September 2, 1968, 167 basic model aircraft with a flight range of up to 7,200 km have rolled off the Everett plant. Produced until 1976. Lufthansa was the first European airline to add aircraft of the 100th modification to its fleet. During operation, the upper deck of the aircraft became a first-class passenger cabin with 60 seats.

• 747-100SR (short range). Created under the Short Range program. On domestic airlines with a length of up to 5 thousand km, reducing the amount of fuel in the tanks made it possible to increase the cabin capacity of the Boeing 747 400 aircraft to 550 passengers. Several structural elements, the aircraft's avionics and the satellite communications system were redesigned. In the summer of 1973, the Boeing 747SR received ICAO certification. 29 units were produced.

• 747-100SP. The Special Performance modification was designed to compete with the Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 on medium-haul lines. It has a shorter fuselage compared to the base model. The maximum aircraft load has been reduced to 220 seats. With a flight range of up to 10,200 km, it turned out to be very popular in the countries of the Pacific region. The series was limited to the construction of 45 vehicles.

• 747-200. The installation of more powerful engines made it possible to increase the flight range to 10,800 km (747-200V). Several varieties of this modification were built for the US Air Force. Utility-passenger models marked C, F and M were produced. With the start of production of more advanced modifications, almost all of them were converted into “trucks”.

• 747-300. Produced since 1980 with M and SR markings. For the first time, the length of the upper deck was increased. Instead of a spiral staircase, a straight staircase is installed between the upper and lower floors of the aircraft. Flight range - up to 12400 km.

• 747-400. It has been operating regularly since 1989. For the first time, a new aerodynamic element was used in the wing design - vertical wingtips. With the installation of new avionics, the need for a flight engineer in the crew was eliminated.

The 400's efficiency is a quarter higher than that of the 747-300, and the noise level is half that. The number of passengers on the Boeing 747-400D in Japan has reached 594 people. The 400ER modification airliner can cover a distance of 14,205 km.

• 747-LCF Dreamlifter. Wings for the ultra-modern Boeing 787 airliner are produced in Japanese factories. To deliver them to Everett, the 747-400 was converted into a cargo version - LCF. Thanks to the use of this aircraft, the delivery time for Dreamliner planes from Japan to the United States is reduced from one month to one day.

• 747-8. The most modern modification of the Boeing 747, whose performance characteristics are unique, has been in operation since 2010. The fuselage of the 747-400 transport aircraft was lengthened by 5.5 meters.

It is significantly more economical than older modifications thanks to the use of the GEnx power plant developed by General Electric specialists. The Boeing 747-8 order portfolio includes more than 120 aircraft. Actively used as a VIP liner.

Passenger capacity of Boeing 747-400 and other modifications

Three types of seats can be installed in the passenger cabin of the 747-400 - business class, first class and economy class. Seats of the most affordable price category are located in the compartments of the first floor. Video viewing systems are available.

The seats for first and business class passengers are located under the pilot's cabin or on the upper floor. The main conditions for the location of seats in these categories are maximum comfort, proximity to the service personnel compartment and convenience of evacuation routes. The layouts differ in the number of passengers:

Salon layout plans can be very different. First of all, it depends on the density of passenger traffic and the level of profitability of transportation. Here are the two most popular schemes:

• For maximum load. Over 90% of the seats are in economy class, which allows for maximum capacity on the Boeing 747 aircraft.

• To carry a large number of first class passengers. In this scheme, some seats can be equipped for business class.

Cabin layout and capacity of the Boeing 747-400 with three classes

Over 50 years of active operation, the liner has not become obsolete at all. Thanks to its unique double-deck design and high performance capabilities, the star of passenger aviation continues to fly around the world, performing its functions flawlessly. Even the wide-body giant of the 21st century, the Airbus A-380, can envy its fantastic popularity among passengers.

You probably want to know specific numbers as soon as possible? Well, let's not bore you with long conversations.

Boeing 737 takeoff speed

Let's figure out how fast a plane takes off. It all depends on individual technical characteristics.

If we talk about the Boeing 737, then takeoff is divided into several stages:

1. The plane begins to move only at the moment when the engine operates at a speed of 810 revolutions per minute. Once this point is reached, the pilot slowly releases the brakes and keeps the control lever at neutral.
2. Speed ​​is gained when the aircraft moves on three wheels.
3. Liner accelerates to 185 kilometers per hour and moves on two wheels.
4. When the acceleration reaches 225 kilometers per hour, the ship takes off.

The above indicators may fluctuate slightly, since the speed is affected by the direction and strength of the wind, air currents, humidity, serviceability and quality of the runway, etc.

You can find out the take-off speed of other airliners from the table:

We invite you to watch this video with a visual measurement of the speed of a passenger plane taking off using GPS:

Airplane speed when landing

As for the speed of the aircraft during landing, this is a variable value that depends on the mass of the side and the strength of the headwind, but in the average landing speed is 240-250 km/h, that is, approximately 20 km/h below the take-off speed of the aircraft.

If there is a headwind, the speed may be even lower, because the headwind increases the lift, in which case values ​​from 130-200 km/h are quite acceptable.

Speed ​​of a passenger plane in flight

So, the average speed of modern airliners is 210-800 kilometers per hour. But this is not the maximum value.

Cruise and maximum values

The acceleration of passenger airliners is divided into cruising and maximum. This value is never compared to the sound barrier. Passengers are not transported at maximum speed.

Speed ​​characteristics vary depending on the airliner model. Average values:

• Tu 134 - 880 kilometers per hour;
• IL 86 - 950 kilometers per hour;
• Passenger Boeing - accelerating from 915 to 950 kilometers per hour.

By the way, the maximum value for civil air transport is approximately 1035 kilometers per hour.

Passenger airliners have low cruising and maximum speeds, so you don’t have to worry again before your upcoming flight!

Passenger aircraft flight speed - quick reference:

• Airbus A380: maximum speed - 1020 km/h, cruising speed - 900 km/h;
• Boeing 747: maximum – 988 km/h, standard flight speed – 910 km/h;
• IL 96: maximum – 900 km/h, cruising speed – 870 km/h;
• Tu 154M: maximum speed – 950 km/h, average – 900 km/h;
• Yak 40: maximum – 545 km/h, and normal speed is 510 km/h.

You may find it easier to understand the numbers thanks to the table:

No related posts.