Boeing 747 speed. Air transport specifications

Boeing 747 produced by the American by 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 was performed 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 A380, which first flew in 2005.

Boeing 747 has a two-deck layout, while the upper deck is significantly inferior in length to the lower one. Sizes and a kind of "hump" upper deck made the Boeing 747 one of the most recognizable aircraft in the world, the hero of dozens of films and a symbol civil aviation.

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

Until September 2010, 1527 Boeing 747 models were ordered, 1418 aircraft delivered.

• Type - passenger aircraft
• Developer - Boeing
• First flight - February 9, 1969
• Beginning of operation - 1970 (Pan Am, TWA)
• Status - in operation
• Major 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)
• Variants - Boeing E-4, Boeing VC-25, Boeing YAL-1

Aerodynamic design

A four-engine turbofan low-wing aircraft with a swept wing and single-fin tail.

History

Development of The idea of ​​developing the Boeing 747 arose during the explosive growth of air travel in the 60s. The Boeing 707, which dominated the US air transportation market at the time, was already struggling to cope with the growing flow of passengers. Prior to 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. Nonetheless, Boeing's most loyal customer, Pan American, drew up requirements for a giant passenger jet that would be twice the size of the 707. In 1966, the corporation introduced the configuration of a new aircraft, designated "747". The initial project was a completely double-deck aircraft, however, with this configuration, there were some difficulties, and the scheme was abandoned in favor of the "hump". Pan Am ordered 25 of the first series of 100 aircraft.

At the time, it was believed that such giants would soon be supplanted by supersonic aircraft. Therefore, the "747" was originally designed as a cargo-passenger aircraft. Over time, it was even planned to completely re-equip all aircraft into cargo ones. The cockpit was placed on the upper deck specifically in order to be able to transform 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 XXI century, the sales volume of "747" began 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. For 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 turbofan engine, the JT9D, which was originally used exclusively on the 747. In order to increase the level of safety and flight qualities of the aircraft, 4 reserve hydraulic systems and slotted flaps were installed on the 747, which made it possible to use the aircraft on runways of standard length.

While testing the aircraft to obtain airworthiness certification, Boeing developed an unusual training device known as the Waddell Van (named after 747 test pilot Jack Waddell), which consisted of a dummy cockpit mounted on the truck's roof. The simulator was designed to train pilots to control the aircraft while taxiing from such a high cockpit position.

Boeing pledged to Pan Am to deliver the first aircraft by 1970 - meaning it had to design, build, test and certify the aircraft in less than 4 years. The work went very quickly, but the colossal expenses of the corporation for the construction of a new plant and the development of the aircraft put Boeing on the brink of bankruptcy. Nevertheless, the colossal profit from the sale of "747" recouped all the expenses of the corporation.

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 compared to the "747". Many airlines felt that the 747 would not pay off on long-haul routes and would not be as economical as the three-engined McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar engines. In addition, it was questionable that, due to its size, the 747 might not match airport infrastructures. The A380 is currently facing similar problems.

The concern of air carriers was caused by the high (compared to three-engine aircraft) fuel consumption. Many airlines immediately announced their reluctance to purchase a Boeing 747 due to the threat of a sharp increase in ticket prices.

Air carriers' concerns were justified. The fuel crisis of the 1970s triggered skyrocketing oil prices and a decline in air travel. The airlines faced the problem of the Boeing-747's unprofitability: due to high ticket prices, the planes flew half-empty. American Airlines installed pianos and bar counters instead of chairs to attract passengers, but these measures were not enough. In the future, the company converted all the aircraft into cargo, then sold it. After a while, Continental Airlines did the same with its planes. The new McDonnell Douglas DC-10, Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, and later Airbus A300 and Boeing 767 captured most of the wide-body aircraft market. Many air carriers with the release of new aircraft almost immediately abandoned the "747" in their favor. Among them: Air Canada, Aer Lingus, SAS, TAP Portugal and Olympic Airways.

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

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

Future "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 the European Airbus 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 Corp. and Pratt & Whitney have formed a joint venture to produce the GP7200 engine specifically for the enlarged 747. However, most air carriers preferred the development of a fundamentally new aircraft to modernize the old one, and after several months the project was closed.

After the official launch 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 began to develop the Boeing 787 (originally 7E7). However, some of the 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 an elongated Boeing 747-400. The new aircraft is planned to use completely new avionics - similar to those 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 so far only on the diagrams), including such as 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 airline China Airlines) in April 2005, since then only cargo Jumbo jets have been rolled out of Boeing hangars. The number of operated aircraft of this type is gradually decreasing.

Modifications

The Boeing 747-100 was the first model in the 747 series and was nicknamed the Jumbo shortly after its introduction. In total, 250 aircraft of this modification were built in different sub-variants, of which 167 aircraft were the base version 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 basic version is 747-100. The first Boeing 747 under the official designation Boeing 747-100 was built on September 2, 1968. The first flight took place on February 9, 1969. On January 1, 1970, a Pan American World Airways aircraft made its first commercial flight. The first European airline to acquire a 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 aircraft on the upper deck there was a lounge with three windows. A little later, when airlines began to use the upper deck for first and business class passengers, the deck was finally converted into a passenger compartment for 60 passengers. The last copy of the basic version of the Boeing 747-100 was delivered to Pan American World Airways on July 2, 1976. Some 747-100 series aircraft were converted to 747-100 (SF) freighters.

Boeing 747SR (Short Range). The SR version of the Boeing 747-100 is a short haul aircraft. The Boeing 747SR was designed as a short-haul modification of the 747-100. This aircraft has less fuel, but the passenger capacity reached 500 people, and later - 550. The 747SR, in addition, has an improved fuselage design. Later, the Boeing 747-300 also had SR modifications. Boeing 747SRs are mainly used on domestic Japanese lines. Several Boeing 747-100SRs were delivered by Japan Airlines with an extended upper deck. Later this modification was named 747SUD (stretched upper deck). One of the planes that once flew with Japan Airlines is today used by NASA as a space shuttle carrier. 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, because of its size, Boeing was often unprofitable on medium-traffic routes, and lost on them to the Douglas and Lockheeds. 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 parameters specifically for light-traffic routes.

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

Prior to the advent of the Airbus A340, the 747SP had the longest range of passenger aircraft and was popular with transoceanic airlines such as American Airlines, Qantas and Pan American. Despite its technical advantages, the 747SP did not become as popular as the manufacturer 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 the 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 in its 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 were sold by Saudi Arabian Airlines.

Introduced in 1971 and later improved, the Boeing 747-200 had more powerful engines and an increased take-off weight, which made it possible to increase the flight range. The first 747-200 on the upper deck had 3 windows, but later Boeing finally abandoned such a scheme and built new aircraft with a ten-illuminator deck. The last modification, 747-200B, produced since the 80s, has a flight range increased to 10,800 km. On the basis of 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 the transportation of US presidents.

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

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

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 given to the new aircraft, which appeared in 1980. On this aircraft, the upper deck was significantly increased, which increased the passenger capacity. On the basis of the 747-300, the 747-300M (cargo-and-passenger) and 747-300SR (short-haul) variants were created. A distinctive feature of the new aircraft is a straight staircase connecting the upper and lower decks. Earlier aircraft were fitted with a spiral. The maximum flight range was 12,400 km.

Airlines operating a significant number of aircraft include Boeing 747-300 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 in the series and is still in production today. This aircraft has added vertical wingtips (winglets; however, they are not available on Japan Airlines domestic aircraft in Japan). The cockpit was improved with new avionics, which eliminated the need for a flight engineer. Additional tail fuel tanks were installed, improved engines. 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 economical than the 747-100 and is twice as quiet. Variants 747-400M (cargo and passenger), 747-400F and 747-400SF (cargo) have been developed. Specially designed for domestic routes in Japan, the 747-400D held the world record for passenger capacity until 2005, with a capacity of 594 people. Then it was replaced by the Airbus A380, which can accommodate 853 passengers in a single-class configuration.

Modification 747-400ER - aircraft with increased flight range.

The transport version 747-400 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 Payne Field (Everett, Washington), one year behind schedule. As of September 30, 2010, the first cargo aircraft will be delivered in mid-2011, and passenger ones 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 the transportation of the President of the United States. Two VC-25As were built in the late 1980s based on the Boeing 747-200 airframe. They wear a special color. In the management service air traffic they are given the Air Force One code for the aircraft the president is on board. 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 as "Kneecap", and since 1994 received the second name NAOC (English National Airborne Operations Center) - air command posts (VKP) for the President of the United States, US Secretary of Defense, other members of senior management in the event of a nuclear war and the destruction of ground control structures. Their colloquial name in the USA is “planes Doomsday"(Eng. Doomsday planes). The first 3 E-4As were built on the basis of the Boeing 747-200 airframe at the Boeing plant in 1974-1978. In 1979, the upgraded E-4B was built, and in 1980, all three E-4A were upgraded to become the E-4B. Currently on duty at bases (see article E-4).
• The aircraft is used to transport the Space Shuttle from alternate cosmodromes to the main launch site at Cape Canaveral. The shuttle is attached to the fuselage from above.
• The high carrying capacity 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 phase.

Specifications

Aircraft losses

As of September 2010, a total of 49 Boeing 747 aircraft were lost in disasters and serious accidents. They tried to hijack the Boeing 747 31 times, with 25 people killed. In total, 3,732 people died in these incidents. The largest plane crash 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 the Los Rodeos airport. Two Boeing 747s collided on the runway, killing 583 people (see Los Rodeos Airport Disaster and List aviation accidents and disasters).

Boeing 747 Is a four-engine wide-body airliner developed by Boeing in the late 1960s. Received the unofficial name "Jumbo Jet", and also differs from analogues by the "hump" in the front of the fuselage, this aircraft is one of the most recognizable and famous liners in the world. Launched in 1970 and boasting a second full-fledged passenger deck, the aircraft was the largest passenger liner in the world for 37 years. For 2017, the Boeing 747-8 generation is in production.

History

Origins of the program

In 1963, the US Air Force launched research to create a large strategic transport aircraft... The C-141 Starlifter created at that time was a good aircraft, but it could not fully meet the needs of the military - a much more spacious transport was needed. In 1964, the Pentagon published a package of requirements for the CX-HLS (CX - Heavy Logistics System) program. They needed an aircraft capable of carrying up to 81.6 tons of cargo at speeds of up to 800 km / h at a distance of up to 9300 km. At the same time, the cargo compartment had to be at least 5.18 meters wide, 4.11 meters high and 30 meters long, as well as be able to be loaded both through the tail and through the nose.

It was assumed that the plane will be four-engine. In addition, a program was launched to create new, much more powerful engines, since the ones available at that time would not have coped with the task.

The bidders were Boeing, Douglas, General Dynamics, Lockheed and Martin Marietta. The engines were taken over by General Electric, Curtiss-Wright and Pratt & Whitney. In the selection process, General Dynamics and Martin Marietta, as well as Curtiss-Wright dropped out of the race.

One of the big challenges for the developers was the requirement for front loading. This meant that the standard layout of the aircraft, in the first place, the placement of the cockpit would not work. The problem was solved by all companies in the same way - the cockpit was raised to the upper part of the fuselage with the actual creation of the upper deck. Douglas had a small cockpit overhang, Lockheed made the second deck narrow and low, but stretched it out almost the entire length of the plane, like a spine, and Boeing made a larger hump behind the cockpit, ending near the leading edge of the wing.

Commercial need

Despite the initially military order for a large transport, such an aircraft in the passenger version also had good potential. The end of the 1960s would have been a period of explosive growth in air travel - the number of passengers grew so rapidly that the flagship Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 could barely cope with their roles.

Even at the stage of development of the CX-HLS program, Juan Tripp, president of Pan American (Pan Am), the largest operator of the 707 models, demanded to create a new passenger aircraft with a larger capacity. He stated that increasing the number of 707s in his fleet does not solve the problem, and in the long term, flight congestion could lead to a collapse of air travel.

In September 1965, the CX-HLS tender ended in victory for Lockheed, as a result, the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy transport was created. But the loser Boeing decided not to abandon its work.

The project to create a passenger aircraft based on the CX-HLS was led by one of the members of the Boeing 737 development team, Joe Sutter. He launched extensive research work together with airlines to determine the requirements for the future model 747. Moreover, the aircraft must have retained the capabilities of freight transport, since at that time it was believed that many passenger liners will, in time, be supplanted by supersonic aircraft. Therefore, its exotic layout with the upper cockpit and hump remained, although the wing was moved down from the top of the fuselage to a classic format.

In 1966, Boeing received its first order for 25 Boeing 747s from Pan Am for $ 525 million. big influence on the process of creating a liner.

Description: Boeing 747 - history and description of the legendary flagship

Development of

Initially, not all of the CX-HLS developments were used to create the Boeing 747. It was assumed that the aircraft will have two full decks along the entire length of the fuselage. The decks were supposed to accommodate 8 seats in a row and have 2 aisles. However, such a scheme did not allow quickly enough to evacuate passengers in case of accidents, and the cargo compartment did not hold the luggage necessary for so many people. As a result, it was decided to narrow and shorten the upper deck, as it was in the transport version - the "hump" design was approved. Having abandoned the large upper deck, the developers did not know for a while what to do with the space above. At first, it was supposed to place a recreation and entertainment area for passengers there.

One of the most important innovations that allowed the liner to appear was the creation of powerful jet engines with a high bypass ratio. This technology assumed that the engines would be almost twice as powerful as their old counterparts and a third more economical. The pioneers in this area were General Electric, but they made engines specifically for the C-5 Galaxy. For the future Boeing 747, the second market leader, Pratt & Whitney, with their promising JT9D, took over this work.

The reliability issue was very serious - the crash of such a liner was carrying many more potential victims than any other aircraft. Boeing used a fault tree analysis technique, which assessed the condition of an aircraft under all conditions and under any possible malfunctions.

In addition, the adaptation of the aircraft to the infrastructure was a serious problem. It was necessary to make it so that the liner could operate at airfields built for smaller machines. For this, the most effective wing mechanization at that time was developed with slats for almost the entire length and double-slotted flaps, which, when fully extended, increased the wing area by 21% and the lift by 90%.

The agreement with Pan Am assumed the first delivery in 1969. It took only 28 months to develop. The team under Sutter's leadership worked so hard and faced so many challenges that Boeing gave them the nickname "incredible." At the same time, the risks were so great that the management was accused of adventurism and of putting the entire company on the line.

Production site

Another problem was the factory. Boeing did not have a suitable site for such big plane, so a completely new plant had to be built. Selecting from 50 potential sites, the company found a suitable site 50 kilometers north of Seattle in the area military base Paine Field near Everett Township. In 1966, the company bought a plot of 320 GK and began construction.

Building a plant was no less a challenge than building an airplane. To level the site, about 3 million cubic meters of rock had to be removed, and to determine the dimensions of the interior, Boeing built a full-size model of the Boeing 747. As a result, the current main plant of the company is the largest in terms of internal volume in the world. Now all Boeing wide-body airliners are manufactured there.

Aircraft development and testing

Most of the aircraft elements were tested at the development stage. The mock-ups of the aircraft cabins were created to practice the evacuation. Despite the fact that the developers abandoned the full-fledged upper deck, the evacuation did not fit into the 90 seconds limit set by the FAA. In addition, volunteers who portrayed passengers were periodically injured, especially when evacuating from the upper deck. This problem was solved after hundreds of tests. Another problem was the movement of the aircraft around the airfield. For the training of the first crews, even before the creation of the aircraft itself, the so-called "Waddell's Wagon" (named after chief pilot Jack Waddle) was used. In fact, it was a mock cockpit mounted on a truck.

On September 30, 1968, the first Boeing 747 prototype was ceremonially rolled out at the new plant in Everett, in the presence of employees, journalists and representatives of 26 customer airlines. In February 1969, the plane made its maiden flight.

Further tests were focused primarily on the main problems of such big liner... A wing with a very large span was susceptible to "twisting" under certain conditions. They fought with this by adjusting the design and strengthening some elements. The rather serious risks of flutter were solved much more difficult, up to the installation of a stabilizing mass in the tail of the aircraft - cargo from depleted uranium. It was a temporary solution, which caused a lot of controversy, especially after the crash of the El Al liner in Amsterdam, when it was necessary to search for fragments of a tail with 282 kg of uranium in the ruins.

But the main problem in the test program was the JT9D engines. The sizes of fans and turbines have grown significantly, and coupled with the increased load, this led to a significant reduction in resource and permanent deformations. Because of this, deliveries were postponed for several months, and dozens of aircraft stood at the plant awaiting the finished and certified engines. Nevertheless, the problems were solved and Boeing managed to send the plane to Paris, where in the summer of 1969 it was presented at the Le Bourget air show. Finally, by the end of the same year, the aircraft received FAA certification.

The project to build an airplane and build a plant turned out to be extremely expensive. By the time the serial deliveries began, Boeing had accumulated a huge amount of debt, which almost put the company on the brink of bankruptcy. Later, the then president admitted that the Boeing 747 was a real gamble, which, fortunately, was won.

Start of operation

In January 1970, the first Boeing 747 was handed over to Pan Am as part of a ceremony and in the presence of US First Lady Pat Nixon. The plane made its maiden flight from New York to London.

The model was rather slow to enter the market, mainly due to the fact that many airports were still unable to receive it. However, this problem, as well as periodic difficulties with reliability, turned out to be solvable. After receiving the plane by Pan Am, its competitors were also in a hurry to get a new flagship, which spurred demand. There has even been controversy that airlines want this aircraft not so much for efficiency as for status.

Design

The Boeing 747 is a four-engine, wide-body airliner with two passenger decks. The wing is swept, adapted for flights at speeds up to 950 km / h. The increased sweep also allows for a reduction in wingspan for use with standard ground infrastructure.

The passenger compartment of the main deck in the base assumes a 3 + 4 + 3 scheme in economy class and 2 + 3 + 2 in business class with two aisles.

The upper deck, located in front of the fuselage, resembles a hump. The saloon of the upper deck is narrower and has a 3 + 3 saloon in economy and 2 + 2 in business with one aisle. Initially, the hump was rather short, but already in the -100B version, the aircraft could optionally receive an extended upper deck (this option became the standard for the -300 version). The upper deck was lengthened even more in the extreme modification of the Boeing 747-8I (in fact, the capacity of the upper deck of this model became close to that of the Boeing 737).

The cockpit is located in the bow of the upper deck. The cockpit is designed for two pilots and is equipped with all modern control systems. In addition, in the upper part of the cockpit there is also a spare escape hatch in case of evacuation without the possibility of leaving the aircraft through the cabin.

Maximum takeoff weight aircraft from version to version grew steadily: from 333 tons in the -100 model to 448 tons in the -8 model. The range also increased from 8600 km to 14300 km.

The times when the Boeing 747 was created have left an imprint on it ever since. The liner has many elements that were necessary then, but not so important now. Sometimes, these elements are redundant and somewhat degrade performance.

For example, back in the late 1960s, the aircraft was developed with highly developed wing mechanization. This was necessary to ensure a minimum landing speed on insufficiently long runways. But now the airports are adapted and are able to receive liners without any problems. As a result, such advanced mechanization is no longer so necessary.

Another interesting point: the Boeing 747 is certified to fly with three engines. That is, even if one of the engines of the airliner fails during takeoff, it will be able to continue its flight to its destination in the normal mode. At one time, Boeing had plans to create a three-engine version, but they were abandoned.

And the most interesting thing is the excessive characteristics of the chassis. In the early 1970s, aircraft were often too heavy for the runway. Therefore, its main support has four racks at once in order to distribute the weight more evenly. Now, airliners of similar mass have a landing gear with two main pillars. And four supports are redundant. On this moment The Boeing 747 is capable of making a successful landing even if the two ventral pillars remain unreleased.

Modifications

After the release of the basic version of the Boeing 747-100, the company created the -100B version with an increased maximum take-off weight, as well as the -100SR (Short Range) version with a reduced range and increased passenger capacity. The -200 modification appeared in 1971 and was equipped with more powerful engines and an increased take-off weight. The 747-200 already had passenger and cargo options. In addition, a special Boeing 747SP with an increased flight range, but a shortened fuselage was created on its basis in 1976.

The Boeing 747 line received its addition in 1980 with the 747-300 model. The -300 series is the result of research on the topic of increasing capacity. Model 747-300 received an elongated upper deck, increased capacity, and also increased cruising speed. The -300 also had extended range versions as well as cargo variants.

In 1985, Boeing began large-scale work on the modernization of the liner and the creation of the 747-400 model. This aircraft was supposed to receive a glass cockpit, a crew reduced to two people, lightweight materials of construction and updated interiors. The project did not develop without difficulties. Many of the latest technologies did not achieve the required reliability parameters, and the company experienced a shortage of engineering personnel. The Boeing 747-400 was introduced to the market in 1989.

Since the appearance of the Boeing 747-400 airliner, it was planned to create several options with extended fuselages. In 1996, Boeing announced the -500X and -600X models. But, high price development and low interest from customers forced these projects to close.

In 2000, Boeing began research on the 747X to stay competitive with the A3XX, which was being developed by Airbus. However, this project also did not gain interest and the company switched to work on the Sonic Cruiser transonic liner project (which, in turn, was also canceled in favor of the 787 Dreamliner project). Some developments on the early 747X found application in the 747-400ER model.

The announcements of the programs, and then their cancellation, did not help the company's reputation, experts began to be skeptical about their statements by Boeing. However, in 2004 Boeing resumed the 747 modernization project and started all the work. The new project was named Boeing 747-8.

The fuselage of the new model was 5.6 meters longer than its predecessors, making it the longest in the line. The capacity of the upper deck has reached the capacity of the Boeing 737. The power plant - four new General Electric GEnx-2B67 engines, made the liner more economical and environmentally friendly. The cockpit has many elements of the Boeing 787 cockpit.

The 747-8F cargo version has become 16% more capacious than the 747-400 based cargo models. The carrying capacity reached 140 tons, which is a record for production aircraft and is second only to the An-225. Like all cargo models, the 747-8F has a front loading facility with a retractable bow.

The passenger version, dubbed the 747-8I Intercontinental (as once one of the versions of the Boeing 707) can carry up to 467 passengers in cabins with a 3-class layout for a range of up to 15,000 kilometers. This plane is the longest in the world. The first liner was handed over to Lufthansa in 2012.

Special modifications

On the basis of the Boeing 747, several special versions were also created that were not serial:

Boeing 747 LCF(Large Cargo Freighter) Dreamlifter is a special transport aircraft with a significantly enlarged fuselage and a large internal cargo volume. Created specifically for the transportation of large-sized elements of Boeing 787 Dreamliner lanes (hence the name). The plane made its first flight in 2006. Several of these aircraft are in operation.

C-19 - modification of the Boeing 747-100, created for the US Air Force. Later, the aircraft were transferred to the Civil Reserve Airlift Fleet.

VC-25- VIP-board of the US Air Force, created on the basis of the Boeing 747-200B. Two such aircraft in the VC-25A modification with side numbers 28000 and 29000 are operated to transport the President of the United States and are known as Board # 1. The interior was designed to meet the requirements of Nancy Reagan in the late 1980s. The aircraft entered service in 1990 under the presidency of George W. Bush.

E-4B- a strategic air command post designed to control the armed forces and the US nuclear triad along with the E-6 based on the Boeing 707. 4 such aircraft were created.

YAL-1- an experimental air platform of an anti-missile laser complex missile defense. In 2014 it was disassembled.

Boeing 747 SCA(Shuttle Carrier Aircraft) - Two 747-100 aircraft were redesigned and used by NASA to transport the Space Shuttle.

S-33- military transport aircraft. Was supposed to supplement the C-17 fleet, but the project was scrapped in favor of modernizing the C-5 and expanding the C-17 fleet.

KC-33A- a project of an air tanker, deployed as a competitor to the DC-10-30 project in the 1970s. Iran (before the Islamic Revolution) bought 4 of these tankers, which are probably still in use today.

Boeing 747 CMCA(Cruise Missile Carrier Aircraft) is a modification for the United States Air Force, created during the development of the B-1 Lancer strategic bomber. Such an aircraft could carry 50 to 100 AGM-86 cruise missiles. The project was abandoned in favor of the B-1 bombers.

Boeing 747 AAC- Aircraft carrier project developed by Boeing. The aircraft was supposed to have a group of 10 light fighters that would be launched, refueled and refitted by the parent aircraft. The project was abandoned in the mid-1970s, although it was recognized as quite feasible.

Boeing 747 Evergreen Supertanker- modification of the 747-200 model to provide fire extinguishing from the air. The aircraft is capable of holding up to 76 tons of water.

Boeing 747 SOFIA(Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) - former liner Pan Am Boeing 747SP. Equipped with a research facility and a large infrared telescope, the aircraft is used by NASA and the DLR (German Aerospace Center).

Exploitation

In total, in the period from 1968 to August 2017, 1,533 aircraft of the Boeing 747 family were produced. For 2017, 489 airliners are in operation, most of of them (370) - models 747-400, and 106 more airliners - model 747-8. The aircraft are operated by 65 airlines around the world.

In addition, some aircraft are made in the VIP modification and are used as aircraft for the heads of state of Bahrain, India, Iran, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. A few more VIP-aircraft are used by private customers.

The Boeing 747 holds the record for one-time transportation of people. During the 1991 operation to evacuate Ethiopian refugees to Israel, one plane took on board 1,122 people.

Boeing 747 airliners were involved in 146 accidents and incidents, 61 of which resulted in aircraft destruction and loss of life. In total, 3,722 people died in plane crashes. Aircraft were hijacked and hijacked 32 times. Also, the largest plane crash in the history of aviation occurred on the island of Tenerife, when two Boeing 747 airliners collided on the runway (then 583 people died, another 61 were injured, but survived).

Despite all the upgrades, the contraction of the market for large, four-engine airliners, as well as the competitive pressure of the A380, the demand for the Boeing 747 was constantly reduced. In 2016, the company reduced production to six aircraft per year, and one of the main modification programs was the creation of a new Board number 1 President of the United States based on the Boeing 747-8I with its commissioning by 2020.

Given the very low demand, Boeing is considering a complete rollback of Boeing 747 production by 2019.

The wide-body, long-haul Boeing 747-200 aircraft is a logical development of the Boeing 747-100 aircraft, and differs from the latter in the presence of more powerful engines, a larger take-off weight and an increased flight range. The creation of the Boeing 747-200 was influenced by an increase in passenger traffic and demand for long-distance international transportation with increased load.

The Boeing 747-200, like its predecessor, has the shape of a monoplane with a low swept wing, under which four turbojet engines are located in nacelles. The aircraft has a double-deck structure. Moreover, the upper deck is much shorter than the lower one. The first Boeing 747-200 models, on the upper deck, had three windows on each side, as on the 747-100 version, but later, subsequent passenger aircraft began to be equipped with ten windows on the second deck on each side.

Boeing 747-200 photos

The Boeing 747-200 was first introduced in 1970. The first flight took place in October 1970. The basic version of the aircraft was the passenger Boeing 747-200B, which was commissioned in February 1971. During the first three years of production, the Boeing 747-200 was equipped with four Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4G2s turbojet engines with a thrust of about 243.5 kN. The flight range of the first versions with these engines, when fully loaded, was 9700 kilometers. Later aircraft, the Boeing 747-200B, used General Electric CF6-50E2s turbojet engines with a thrust of 233.5 kN, as well as RB211524-D4s engines with a thrust of 236.2 kN, manufactured by RollsRoyce. The flight range of versions with new engines reached 11,000 kilometers. At maximum load, the flight range of the Boeing 747-200B is about 10,670 kilometers.

The aircraft cabin in a three-class configuration can accommodate 366 passenger seats. The number of passenger seats in the business plus economy configuration is 423 seats. In the maximum, single-class cabin layout, the passenger capacity is 490 seats.

Later, based on the basic version of the Boeing 747-200B, several aircraft modifications were produced. So in 1971, a cargo version of the aircraft was produced, which received the designation Boeing 747-200F. In this model, access to the cargo compartment is through the upward lifting of the nose cone. Also, some versions of this aircraft have an additional cargo door measuring 3.04 x 3.4 meters, which is located immediately behind the wing on the left side. In the cargo hold of the Boeing 747-200F, it is possible to carry cargo weighing up to 113 tons. The first Boeing 747-200F was commissioned in 1972 by Lufthansa.

Boeing 747-200 photo salon

A convertible version of the aircraft was also produced, designated as the Boeing 747-200C. This version allows the passenger compartment to be converted into a cargo hold and vice versa. A mixed cabin configuration is also possible. The Boeing 747-200C can optionally be equipped with an additional cargo door or a hinged nose cone.

The Boeing 747-200M version is a combined version of the aircraft and is capable of simultaneously carrying both passengers and payload in the rear of the fuselage.

In total, by the end of production in 1991, 393 Boeing 747-200 units, of all versions, had been built. Of these, 225 were passenger aircraft. Today, many aircraft remain in service with airlines, although most of the passenger Boeing 747-200s have been converted to cargo options.

Specifications Boeing 747-200 aircraft:

• Years of production: from 1970 to 1991
• Length: 70.66 m.
• Height: 19.33 m.
• Wingspan: 59.64 m
• Cabin width: 6.1 m.
• Empty weight: 169960 kg.
• Maximum takeoff weight: 374850 kg.
• Wing area: 510.90 m2
• Cruising speed: 895 km / h.
• Maximum speed: 975 km / h.
• Ceiling: 13750 m.
• Flight range: 10670 km.
• Engines: 4 x turbojet engine Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4G2s (243.5 kN), General Electric CF6-50E2s (233.5 kN), RollsRoyce RB211524-D4s (236.2 kN)
• Crew: 3 people (2 pilots, 1 flight engineer)
• Seats: 490 Economy Class seats

Boeing 747-200. Gallery.

The Boeing 747 is a passenger aircraft that until recently ranked first in the world in terms of size (currently behind the Airbus A380). It has an upper and lower saloon, and the upper deck is much shorter than the lower one, due to which the silhouette is absolutely recognizable: it cannot be confused with any other aircraft. The aircraft is long-haul.

"Jumbo Jet" (English Jumbo Jet) holds the record for the simultaneous transportation of passengers. During the war in Ethiopia, on May 24, 1991, 1,122 Ethiopian Jews were evacuated in one plane flight to Israel, with an estimated capacity of 480 people.

The history of the development of a passenger aircraft Boeing 747

In the mid-1960s, due to the increase in passenger traffic and the development jet aircraft there was a demand for long-haul aircraft with increased passenger capacity. At that time, the world's first generation jet aircraft, such as Boeing-707, Tu-104 and others, were flying around the world.

However, such aircraft could no longer cope with the load, and the first generation aircraft also had many design and other problems. As a result, Boeing decided to start developing a new modification of airliners. In 1966, a car was presented to the public, completely unlike its predecessors, with a hump on the roof. Initially, they wanted to make the plane double-deck, but due to the lack of experience in the production of such machines, the type for which the 747 is famous was adopted.

In connection with the entry into the market of supersonic passenger aviation, the corporation was rather skeptical about the aircraft. The removal of the cockpit to the upper deck was motivated by the considerations that if suddenly the aircraft is not sold, it will be quickly converted into a cargo model, and for this the cabin should not interfere with the loading of cargo through the nose ramp, which will be in the truck.

It was believed that the maximum required is 400 aircraft of this type. However, at the moment, more than one and a half thousand aircraft have been sold. If it were not for the direct competitor - A380, the number of aircraft sold would have been even greater. Pratt & Whitney has created a JT9D turbofan engine specially for this aircraft. Was developed "advanced" for those times wing mechanization, which made it possible to use a heavy board from standard runways (runways).

In the production of the Boeing-747, state-owned aircraft factories of the US Air Force were widely used. It is prohibited by law to attract state-owned factories to fulfill commercial orders of other firms. Let's leave this fact without comment.

Description and technical characteristics

The aircraft is a four-engine turbofan low-wing aircraft with a swept wing and one keel (rudder).

Technical characteristics are shown in the table:

The most interesting thing about this plane is that the fifth engine can be attached to it. This is used to deliver a replacement engine to a remote airfield. The fifth engine is suspended at the root, that is, closer to the left wing fuselage. The engine is disabled during flight.

Flight characteristics of Boeing 747

Interior layout and seating arrangement

Business class salon

If you want to experience the unprecedented and ride on the upper deck of a Boeing 747, you should definitely take Business Class. It will be in the bow of the "hump" (upper deck). In our country, only Rossiya Airlines carries passengers on Boeing 747-400 aircraft. Let's take a look at the configuration of passenger seats using this airline as an example. The first three rows of the upper deck are the seats of the business salon. These are the most best places... Comfortable chairs that almost fold out into a bed, large monitors of the entertainment system, kits for passengers, delicious food - everything is at the service of business class ticket holders.

Economy class salon

The rest of the upper deck and the entire lower deck are the realm of economy class. The most the best places in the economy, the first row seats are considered after the "business" class cabin, since only a thin partition passes between the salons and there will be much more legroom than in the middle rows.

Very good seats in the first rows of the lower deck. There are two, not three places nearby, which is also much more convenient. The airline also recommends front row seats. These are rows 20, 31, 44, 55. They are marketed as seats with increased legroom.

Traditionally, places near toilets are considered bad, where passengers will constantly pass by you. Often, the backrest does not recline in these rows. This must be taken into account when choosing places to fly.

Flight safety

Statistics total 63 aircraft fatalities in accidents and disasters. The total death toll is 3,746. But the record both in the history of the 747th and the entire aviation is held by the disaster that occurred in the resort of Tenerife in 1977. In this terrible incident, due to a misunderstanding between pilots and controllers, two Boeing 747s converged on the runway. The number of victims was 583 people.

Boeing advantages and disadvantages

The Boeing 747 is one of the finest long-haul aircraft in the world. Although now he is actively stepping on his heels, or even surpassing Airbus, the 747 is confidently holding its bar. For example, cargo boards have very good lifting capacities. It is not for nothing that a lot of aircraft are used in the cargo version. In the cargo version, it is very convenient to transport oversized cargo due to the wide fuselage.

In general, the Boeing 747 is a very hardy and unpretentious machine, which is why it enjoys well-deserved love among many airlines in the world. Some experts call the Boeing 747 the safest type of aircraft (aircraft) based on the number of accidents.

Boeing 747 main models

During production, Boeing has developed many models of this type of aircraft.

Boeing 747-100

The first type of Boeing 747 was the 747-100 modification. A total of 250 aircraft of this type were manufactured and sent to customers, taking into account the variations of SP, SR and B. The extreme 747-100 aircraft entered the operator in 1986. For the first time, the plane experienced the happiness of a flight in February 1969, and already on January 1, 1970, the first passengers took to the skies on a new plane. After the end of service as a passenger, some of the aircraft were converted to cargo 747-100 (SF).

Boeing 747-100SR

The Boeing 747-100SR (Short Range) was created for short-haul lines. Almost all ships went to Japan. A total of 29 boards of this modification were produced. By reducing the volume of fuel tanks and, accordingly, the mass of the aircraft, it was possible to increase the number of people carried on one flight. In total, this modification could carry up to 550 people at a time. Oddly enough, but Japan became the main customer of the aircraft. The ships were often used on domestic flights.

Boeing 747-100SP

The aircraft of this model (English Special Performance - the best characteristics) began to be produced in 1976 in the wake of competition with the McDonnel Douglas corporations and the Lockheed Corporation. A total of 45 aircraft were produced. The aircraft's fuselage was changed (shortened), the keel was increased, the wings were changed. The aircraft could carry up to 220 people at a distance of up to 10,500 km. With a plan of 200 aircraft, the corporation received orders for only 45 aircraft.

Boeing 747-200

Deliveries started in 1971. The engines were modernized, which developed more power, which increased the flight range. The modification turned out to be so successful that, on its basis, three VKP (air command posts) of the US Army and two "aircraft number 1" were created for the flights of American presidents.

The aircraft was delivered in three versions:

• 200V - passenger version;
• 200C - could carry either passengers or cargo;
• 200F (Frightener) - cargo;
• 747-200M Combi made it possible to simultaneously accommodate cargo and passengers by installing quick-detachable bulkheads in the cabin.

Boeing 747-300

After an unsuccessful attempt to develop a three-engine model 747, the 300 index moved on to a new modification of the 1980 model. By increasing the upper deck, it became possible to carry an increased number of passengers. As in the 747-200 model, in the 300th, the 747-300M (cargo and passenger) and 747-300SR (short-haul) options were provided. The aircraft had a flight range of 12,400 km.

Boeing 747-400

The most frequently purchased model by airlines is the 747-400. This model has added Winglets - vertical wingtips to improve the aircraft's economy. During the design of this modification, the cockpit was changed, which made it possible to operate the aircraft with the help of two crew members, instead of three pilots earlier. Also launched in the series 747-400M (cargo and passenger), 747-400F and 747-400SF (cargo).

The 747-400ER version was created - an aircraft with an increased flight range.

Boeing 747-8

Variant 747-8 is the third generation of Boeing 747 aircraft. Production falls on the beginning of 2010. The aircraft received an elongated fuselage. This model is calculated to have 10% more space per passenger and 11% less fuel. The wings have also been redesigned. Due to the better wing profile obtained in connection with the use of composite materials, redesigned winglets (wingtips), improved avionics, control systems, etc., the aircraft has improved economic performance. In total, 2 modifications were made - 747-8F Freighter and 747-8I Intercontinental (passenger version). Now in the United States, two 747-8I aircraft are being reconstructed for the transportation of the US President, instead of the two existing 747-400 presidential pool.

Boeing 747 LCF Dreamlifter

Since the start of deliveries of the Boeing 787, it became clear that parts of this aircraft, which were supplied by third-party contractors, must somehow be delivered to the assembly plant. Delivery of a set of wings from Japan by sea lasted 30 days.

To speed up the aircraft assembly process, in 2003 Boeing announced the development of an air truck with increased cargo space. The 747 Large Cargo Freighter was developed for this purpose. Although the 747LCF began operating in mid-2016, the FAA issued an airworthiness certificate for the 747LCF on June 2, 2007.

By analogy with the Boeing-787 Dreamliner (dream liner), the plane was named Dreamlifter (raising a dream). Upon receipt of the airworthiness certificate for the aircraft, the 747LCF cargo flights were partially credited as test flights.

The plane, nicknamed the baby elephant (Jumbo is the name of the baby elephant from the Disney cartoon), has its own unique recognizable face and some kind of romantic flair. I think that every passenger will be interested in flying on such an airplane.

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

The brainchild of the American aircraft giant Boeing, the 747 entered the market back in 1970. Then the need for a new aircraft was so high that it was created very quickly, in just 4 years, from the drawings to the last tests. Initially, these aircraft were made with an eye to re-equipment in cargo, as it was believed that civil aviation would soon get on the rails of supersonic transportation.

But this did not happen, and Boeing-747-100 (the first mass modifications), thanks to their amazing combinations of high speed, economy and spaciousness, firmly occupied the niche of long-distance civil air transportation in many countries of the world.

History of creation

In the middle of the twentieth century, the popularity of air travel grew rapidly. Every year the demand for civil aviation vehicles increased in leaps and bounds. This trend, as expected, led to the emergence of a crisis in air carriers. The capabilities of aircraft at that time in terms of the number of transported goods and people required rapid growth.

This is how the history of the creation of the huge Boeing-747 airliner began. By the way, when it first started to enter the market, almost all newspaper reviews about it were replete with superlative epithets - such a large aircraft turned out to be much ahead of its time.

The father of the Boeing 747 is considered to be an engineer named Joe Sutter.

He was already working hard on the previous one, when he was entrusted with the project of a new roomy civil liner.

The developer took as a basis the idea of ​​a transport company, work on which was carried out several years earlier, when the Boeing company lost in the competition for a large military order in the United States. Therefore, the aircraft was originally designed to be completely double-decked.

But later, according to numerous recommendations of air carriers, the upper deck was reduced and began to occupy only part of the fuselage. This gave the Boeing its famous "humpback" shape, due to the two decks located in the bow, one above the other. The cockpit is located on the upper tier.

These manipulations with the aircraft structure were not carried out by chance. The developers seriously believed that the era of supersonic airliners was approaching and measured a short life span for the new 747 Boeing. In the future, the released models were supposed to be re-equipped for cargo needs, therefore, they placed the cabin at a height in order to arrange a cargo compartment under it.

The Boeing 747 was not immediately liked by air carriers.

Many did not believe that it would be an economically viable civilian liner. And the plane did have problems as it consumed more fuel (with 4 engines) than most competitors with 3 engines. But the Boeing also had more passengers on board.

Therefore, after improvements and modifications, the 747 models became more popular and gradually began to occupy their niche in the air transportation market.

Design

The main distinguishing feature of the Boeing 747 is the characteristic hump in the bow. As already mentioned, initially the aircraft was supposed to be made completely two-deck. But this idea was abandoned and the upper floor was reduced. Today it accounts for 35% of the entire fuselage length.

There are fuel tanks in the wing, in addition, they are also in the tail section to maintain the weight balance of the aircraft.

Wing configuration - low-wing, wing itself, swept-shaped. The plumage is single-finned. The first Boeing versions received advanced wing mechanization. Fowler's triple-slot flaps are used on models.

Their main purpose is to reduce speed when landing on short runways. This was done due to considerations of underdeveloped airport infrastructure in the past. Today the majority air harbors capable of receiving Boeings 747 series without any problems.

Upper tier

The upper deck at the front has the cockpit and passenger seats behind it. The number of passengers carried on the second tier can reach 50 people. There are models (less spacious), where only business class seats are located behind the cockpit.

The most common version in Russia - 3 rows for business passengers and 9 more rows of seats - superior comfort.

The most capacious Boeings-747 (up to 660 people) give the second tier completely for economy seats. One passage is designed between the seats, the seats are arranged according to the "2-2" scheme.

Lower tier

The lower deck is completely reserved for the passenger compartment. The seats are arranged according to the "3-4-3" scheme. There are two aisles between the rows of seats. In general, two aisles are a distinctive feature of wide-body airliners.

The tier at the bottom is characterized by either accommodation of passengers in economy class, or partial filling of seats of a higher level of "comfort".

Flight performance versus competitors

The Boeing 747 is considered the longest civilian jet in the world. The latest model - 747-8 - reaches 76 meters (previous versions were produced at 70.5 meters).
The keel height remains the same for all modifications of the 747 series and does not exceed 19.5 meters. The plane is 68.5 meters wide and has a wing area of ​​554 square meters.

The takeoff weight of the Boeing is considered to be 442 tons.

This is understandable: the plane was originally planned as a cargo plane, and this trend has been maintained by engineers to this day.

On takeoff, the plane accelerates to 270 kilometers per hour before taking off from the ground. The ceiling of the aircraft is 13,750 meters. In terms of cruising speed, Boeing-747s are also ahead of competitors in the subsonic niche (913-918 km / h, maximum - 988 km / h). For reference: the speed of sound in the air is 1224 km / h.

High reliability of the aircraft is achieved due to the installation of 4 engines on the wing.

747 Boeings are economical. Compared to competitors, fuel consumption is up to 3.5% less with a long flight range, more than 14,000 kilometers without landing. Boeing 747s are considered long-haul liners.

Modifications

• Boeing 747-100 - the life of double-deck Boeing began with this model. They accommodated on board from 366 to 452 passengers (depending on the amenities provided: the lower the maximum capacity, the more luxury seats). The flight range reached 9,500 kilometers, and the model was produced from 1968 to 1976, when the oil crisis began.
• The Boeing 747-100SP is an optimized version of the previous model. Its main differences are an increased range of non-stop flights, more economical engines, a decrease in the length of the fuselage and, as a result, a capacity of no more than 220 people.
• The Boeing 747-200 is Boeing's success, renowned for its versatility. The 200th models were performed as exclusively for passenger transportation, for the transportation of goods, as well as in combined versions (747-200M Combi). The lineup received even more powerful engines, a maximum allowable take-off weight (up to 380 tons), as well as a high range (up to 12,690 kilometers).
• The Boeing 747-300 was originally produced with three engines, but due to low demand, they were abandoned and the classic 4-engine version was released in 1980. The main difference is the increased area of ​​the upper deck, which made it possible to take on board more passengers (up to 624 with the full installation of only economy class seats on the entire liner).
• The Boeing 747-400 is perhaps the most popular modification of the Boeing 747. Their external difference is vertical wing winglets to reduce the inductive drag of the wing, which reduces fuel consumption. By the way, on japanese islands there are still versions where this distinctive feature is absent due to the small distances during flights. The 747-400 crew was reduced to two people (by removing the flight engineer), and the most modern avionics are being installed on board.
• Boeing 747-8 is the latest modification of the famous double-decker. The engineers managed to increase the mass on takeoff, as well as raise the roominess indicators. The last tests ended in 2010, and since 2011 the models have been supplied to the world's airlines.

1. Boeing-747 at the time of release became the first wide-body civilian airliner and, in fact, opened a new page in passenger air transportation. For a long 36 years (before its appearance), the American plane held the palm in the maximum number of seats for passengers.
2. Since the production time of the airliner was extremely tight, the first representative of the 747th model range was going under open air... It was only later that the largest building in the world in terms of volume was built for the production line (the volume of covered areas is 13.3 million cubic meters). And the area is also considerable - more than 50 hectares (70 football fields). To set up production, Boeing took out a loan of $ 2 billion, which at that time was an unprecedented amount.
3. Today, a large number of Boeing 747 modifications are known. They are used both for the transport of passengers and for transport purposes, special tasks. Thus, the Evergreen 747 Supertanker is known as the largest firefighting aircraft on the planet. He takes on board almost 76 thousand liters of chemical mixtures for extinguishing fires.
4. Another feature is the wing structure. The 747 has a 37.5 degree sweep, which is more than other competing airliners. To get rid of dangerous wing vibrations in flight, depleted uranium is used as cargo in construction.
5. The President of the United States flies on an improved Boeing-747, nicknamed in the press "the plane of the Apocalypse." The country's first board is capable of speeds up to 1000 kilometers per hour.

Airplane perspectives

The main development of the 747th Boeing was in the 747-8 models. it latest aircraft, which receive a technological filling. Also, traditionally the new generation of Boeing aircraft has become more economical, quieter and less harmful to the environment. The main prospects for the company in the development of civil aviation are associated with these models.

Versatility has become a big help to the new airliner: the controls in it are very similar to the 747-400 - the legendary model. This means that only minor pilot training is required.

The 747-8 uses CFRP to reduce the weight of the liner.

But, all the same, this "Boeing" became the heaviest aircraft (takeoff weight of the Boeing-747-8 - 442 tons) in the history of US military and civil aviation.

Outwardly, the differences in the last model are not very big. The fuselage was lengthened by more than 5 meters, compared to the 747-400. By the way, this allowed the new Boeing to become the longest airliner in the world: it surpassed the previous leader by almost a meter (Airbus A340-600).

The main difference is a fundamentally new wing structure. Using the same geometry, it became thinner and wider. The console tips are different from those found on the 747-400. They are more close to.

Working with the wing made it possible to increase the capacity of the tanks that are located in them. And various technical indicators have led to significant fuel savings. Thus, the aerodynamic properties of the wing profile allow avoiding end vortices, reducing wake and drag.

Conclusion

The Boeing 747 was originally built for a short period of time to "close" the growing demand for air travel, to become a transitional stage in the era of supersonic civil aviation.

But some of the unique features inherent in these American liners, on the contrary, meted out a long service life for it.

High efficiency, reliability, versatility allowed the Boeing 747 series to firmly occupy the niche of civil air transportation and keep in it to this day. It is likely that the lineup will serve people for a very long time, requiring only minor improvements and innovations.

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