The Boeing 747, sometimes nicknamed the "Jumbo Jet", is among the

world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body commercial
airliner ever produced. Manufactured by Boeing's Commercial Airplane unit
in the United States, the original version of the 747 was two and a half
times the size of the Boeing 707, one of the common large commercial
aircraft of the 1960s. The aircraft is so large that its wingspan is longer than
the length of the Wright Brothers' first flight. First flown commercially in
1970, it held the passenger capacity record for 37 years, until it was
surpassed by the Airbus A380.

The four-engine 747 uses a double deck configuration for part of its length.
It is available in passenger, freighter and other versions. The 747's hump
created by the upper deck allows for a front cargo door on freighter
versions, and serves as additional seating in most versions. The 747-400,
the latest version in service, is among the fastest airliners in service with a
high-subsonic cruise speed of Mach 0.85 (567 mph or 913 km/h). It has an
intercontinental range of 7,260 nautical miles (8,350 mi or 13,450 km). The
747-400 passenger version can accommodate 416 passengers in a typical
three-class layout or 524 passengers in a typical two-class layout.

The 747 was expected to become obsolete after 400 were sold because of
the development of supersonic airliners, but it has outlived many of its
critics' expectations, and production passed the 1,000 mark in 1993. As of
December 2007, 1,399 aircraft had been built, with 122 more in various
configurations on order. The latest version of the aircraft, the 747-8, is
scheduled to enter service in 2009.
ABOUT THE 747 FAMILY
Instantly recognized by passengers around the world, the
Boeing 747 is in a class by itself. The 747-8 continues the 747
family legacy by integrating advanced technology into one of
the world's most modern and fuel-efficient airplanes.

The Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental and 747-8 Freighter are the

new, high-capacity 747s that offer airlines the lowest operating
costs and best economics of any large passenger or freighter
airplane-while providing enhanced environmental performance.
This latest family of 747 jetliners meets airline requirements for
a passenger airplane that serves the 400- to 500-seat market
between the 555-seat Airbus A380 and the 365-seat Boeing
777-300 Extended Range airplanes, and for a freighter that
continues the leadership of the 747 Freighter family in the world
cargo market.
Boeing launched the airplane on Nov. 14, 2005, with firm orders
for 18 747-8 Freighters: 10 from Cargolux of Luxembourg and 8
from Nippon Cargo Airlines of Japan. The combined list price
value of the orders is approximately $5 billion.
Boeing studied the market feasibility of a new 747 for some
time, working with operators to establish their requirements for
an incrementally larger 747 to continue the profitability of
current 747 fleets. By working together with customers and
applying the innovative new technologies of the 787 Dreamliner,
Boeing created the 747-8 family. In fact, the designation 747-8
was chosen to show the technology connection between the 787
and the new 747.
Both the passenger and freighter versions of the 747-8 will
allow operators to maximize their profitability. Seat-mile costs
for the 747-8 Intercontinental are 13 percent lower than for the
747-400, with 2 percent lower trip costs. The 747-8
Intercontinental is more than 10 percent lighter per seat than
the Airbus A380 and consumes 11 percent less fuel per
passenger. That translates into a trip-cost reduction of 21
percent and a seat-mile cost reduction of more than 6 percent
compared to the A380.
The 747-8 should be able to operate safely at any airport that
currently has 747-400 service. The 747-8 will build on the
current 747's capability to fly into most airports worldwide,
using the same pilot type ratings, services and most ground
support equipment. With a range of 8,000 nautical miles
(14,815 km), the 747-8 Intercontinental can connect nearly any
major city pair in the world.
The 747-8 family provides new revenue opportunities that will
allow airlines to maximize profits. For example, the passenger
airplane has 51 additional seats to accommodate 467
passengers in a typical three-class configuration, and it also
offers 26 percent more cargo volume. The 747-8 Freighter
offers a range of 4,390 nautical miles (8,130 km) and has 16
percent more cargo volume than the 747-400, which allows it to
hold seven additional pallets with the same nose-door loading
capability, industry-standard 10-foot (3-m) -high pallets and
real-world cargo density capability at 9.9 pounds per cubic foot
(159 kg/m3).
Both airplanes represent a new benchmark in fuel efficiency and
noise reduction, allowing airlines to lower fuel costs and fly into
more airports at more times of the day. The 747-8
Intercontinental is 16 percent more fuel efficient than the 747-
400, 11 percent more fuel efficient than the A380 and offers
QC2 departures.
Compared one on one, the 747-8 Freighter has no competitors.
With a maximum structural payload capacity of 154 tons (140
tonnes), the 747-8 Freighter offers 16 percent more revenue
cargo volume than the 747-400 Freighter. The additional 4,221
cubic feet (120 m3) of volume means the airplane can
accommodate four additional main-deck pallets and three
additional lower-hold pallets. The 747-8 Freighter enables
operators to choose between carrying greater revenue payload-
up to an additional 22 tons (20 tonnes)-or flying up to 1,400
nautical miles (2,593 km) farther in markets where cargo
density requirements are lower. The airplane upholds its
predecessor's legendary efficiency, with nearly equivalent trip
costs and 16 percent lower ton-mile costs than the 747-400
Freighter. In fact, the 747-8 Freighter will enjoy the lowest ton-
mile costs of any freighter, giving operators unmatched profit
potential.
The 747-8 is the right size for the large airplane market,
lowering risk for airlines in a highly variable operating
environment.

Instantly recognized by passengers around the world, the

Boeing 747 is the world's favorite airplane as well as the world's
only 400-seat airplane.
The 747-400 is a proven performer with high reliability.
It incorporates major aerodynamic improvements over earlier
747 models, including the addition of winglets to reduce drag,
new avionics, and a new flight deck.
The 747 fits into today's infrastructure, serving more than 210
airports around the world; is the world's best freighter; and is
also the world's fastest commercial jetliner.

With the lowest operating cost per ton-mile in the industry, the
new-technology Boeing 747-400 Freighters are the all-cargo
transport members of the 747-400 family.
They can carry twice as much cargo, twice as far, as the
competitor's leading freighter. Along with earlier versions, 747
Freighters -- nearly 300 in all -- carry half the freighter air
cargo in the world.
With the enhanced 747-400ER Freighter, the airplane offers an
even more unbeatable combination of payload, range and
speed.
The newest member of the family, the 747-400 Boeing
Converted Freighter, gives air cargo companies an economical
means to add cargo lift by converting 747-400 passenger or
combi airplanes to freighters.
Seventeen customers have ordered a total of 124 747-400
Freighters, including 32 747-400ER Freighters. Cargolux Airlines
was the first to put the 747-400 Freighter into service in
November 1993.
More than 100 747-400 Freighters have been delivered,
including a record 18 in 2002.

Boeing took another huge step in the continuing evolution of the

world's most recognized jetliner -- the 747 -- by launching new
and more capable versions of the airplane that changed the
world.
The 747-400ER (extended range) family -- available in both
passenger and freighter versions -- provides the same size as
current 747-400s, but offers an even more unbeatable
combination of payload and range.
With Qantas Airways' Nov. 28, 2000, order for six of these new,
longer-range jumbo jets, the 747-400ER was launched into
production and entered service in November 2002.
Boeing launched the 747-400ER Freighter on April 30, 2001
with an order from International Lease Finance Corporation
(ILFC) for five freighter airplanes, the first of which entered
service in October 2002.

IMPROVED AERODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE

The 747-400's most noticeable aerodynamic improvement is the

6-foot (1.8 m) longer wing with a 6-foot-high winglet angled
upward and slightly outward. This change reduces fuel burn and
extends the airplane's range.
The winglet provides the effect of having an even greater
wingspan without outgrowing the standard airport slot.
The wingtip extension and winglet offer a fuel mileage
improvement of about 3 percent.
The durable and lightweight winglets are made of graphite-
epoxy materials, currently used on the all modern Boeing
airplanes.
The composite and aluminum winglet saves 60 pounds (27 kg)
per airplane compared to an all-aluminum structure.
FACTS AND FIGURES

Parts

• A 747-400 has six million parts, half of which are fasteners.

• A 747-400 has 171 miles (274 km) of wiring and 5 miles (8
km) of tubing.
• A 747-400 consists of 147,000 pounds (66,150 kg) of high-
strength aluminum.
• The 747-400 has 16 main landing gear tires and two nose
landing gear tires.
• The 747-400 tail height is 63 feet 8 inches (19.4 m),
equivalent to a six-story building.

Wings

• The 747-400 wing weighs 95,000 pounds (43,090 kg),

more than 30 times the weight of the first Boeing airplane, the
1916 B&W.
• The 747-400 wing measures 5,600 square feet (524.9 m
2 ), an area large enough to hold 45 medium-sized automobiles.
• Four World War I vintage JN4-D "Jenny" airplanes could be
lined up on each of the Boeing 747 wings.
• How much weight does an additional 6-foot (1.8-m) wingtip
extension and winglet add to the 747-400 wing? None! A weight
savings of approximately 5,000 pounds (2,270 kg) was achieved
in the wing by using new aluminum alloys, which offset the
weight increase of the wing tip extension and winglet
Engineering and Testing

• Seventy-five thousand engineering drawings were used to

produce the first 747.
• The first 747 completed more than 15,000 hours of wind-
tunnel testing.
• The original 747 flight test program, which led to the
airplane's certification for commercial service in December 1969,
used five airplanes, lasted 10 months and required more than
1,500 hours of flying.

Flight

• The 747 fleet has logged more than 42 billion nautical miles
(77.8 billion kilometers), equivalent to 101,500 trips from the
Earth to the moon and back.
• The 747 fleet has flown 3.5 billion people - the equivalent
of more than half of the world's population.
• The 747-400ER range is approximately 7,713 nautical miles
(14,297 km).
• A 747-400 typically takes off at 180 mph (290 km/h),
cruises at 565 mph (910 km/h) and lands at 160 mph (260
km/h).
• For a typical international flight, one 747 operator uses
about 5.5 tons (5,000 kg) of food supplies and more than
50,000 in-flight service items.

Engines

• Engine thrust has grown from 43,500 pounds (19,730 kg)

per engine on the early 747s to as much as 63,300 pounds
(28,710 kg) on the current model.
• The diameter of the 747 engine cowling is 8 feet 6 inches
(2.6 m).
Fuel

• The 747-400ER can carry more than 63,500 gallons of fuel

(240,370 L), making it possible to fly extremely long routes,
such as Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia.
• A 747-400 that flies 3,500 statute miles (5,630 km) and
carries 126,000 pounds (56,700 kg) of fuel will consume an
average of five gallons (19 L) per mile.
• The 747-400 carries 3,300 gallons (12,490 L) of fuel in the
horizontal (tail) stabilizer, allowing it to fly an additional 350
nautical miles.

Interior

• The award-winning Boeing Signature Interior is available on

both the 747-400 and 747-400ER.
• At 31,285 cubic feet (876 cubic meters), the 747-400 has
the largest passenger interior volume of any commercial airliner,
which is equivalent to more than three houses each measuring
1,500 square feet (135 square meters).
• The 747-400 has a redesigned "flexible" cabin interior that
allows airlines to rearrange seats and class configuration
overnight (in eight hours). They also permit 48-hour conversion
times for changes in galley and lavatory locations.
• Airline cargo handlers use the 747-400's lower-lobe cargo
handling system to load or unload more than 65,000 pounds
(30,000 kg) of cargo - the equivalent of 625 pieces of luggage
combined with 20 tons of revenue freight - in less than 15
minutes.
• The Wright Brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C., could
have been performed within the 150-foot (45-m) economy
section of a 747-400.
• There are 365 lights, gauges and switches in the new-
technology 747-400 flight deck, reduced from 971 on earlier 747
models.
 ENVIRONMENT
Boeing recognizes the serious challenges facing our eco-system
and is committed to improving the environmental performance
of its operations, products and services. Our greatest
contribution to meeting the challenge is to pioneer new
technologies for environmentally progressive products and
services -- and to design, develop and build them in an
environmentally responsible manner.
Boeing has implemented aggressive targets for improving its
environmental performance both for its operations and the
lifecycle of its products. Boeing has a record of commitment to
regulatory compliance and a legacy of environmental
performance improvements in its products and services. And by
learning from and enabling its employees to drive change,
Boeing is embedding environmental thought and action into
everything we do.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
Boeing is committed to operating in a manner that promotes
environmental stewardship.
Boeing will strive to:

• Conduct operations in compliance with applicable

environmental laws, regulations, and Boeing policies and
procedures.
• Prevent pollution by conserving energy and resources,
recycling, reducing waste, and pursuing other source reduction
strategies.
• Continually improve our environmental management
system.
• Work together with our stakeholders on activities that
promote environmental protection.

BOEING (CULTURE AND VALUES)

Boeing is a company of amazing people working in one of the most
exciting industries in the world. When you consider our many
accomplishments -- from designing and building the earliest biplanes to
creating and supporting today's supersonic aircraft and spacecraft -- you
might think we would be content with how far we've come. But a company
of our size and scope doesn't succeed by resting on its laurels; we are
constantly re-examining our capabilities and processes to ensure that our
company is as strong and vital as our heritage. In fact, our culture mirrors
the heritage of aviation itself, built on a foundation of innovation,
aspiration and imagination.

Our Values

At Boeing, we are committed to a set of core values that not only define
who we are, but also serve as guideposts to help us become the company
we would like to be. We truly live these values every day.

Leadership

We will be a world-class leader in every aspect of our business: in

developing our team leadership skills at every level, in our management
performance, in the way we design, build and support our products, and in
our financial results.

Integrity

We will always take the high road by practicing the highest ethical
standards, and by honoring our commitments. We will take personal
responsibility for our actions, and treat everyone fairly and with trust and
respect.

Quality

We will strive for continuous quality improvement in all that we do, so that
we will rank among the world's premier industrial firms in customer,
employee and community satisfaction.

Customer Satisfaction
Satisfied customers are essential to our success. We will achieve total
customer satisfaction by understanding what the customer wants and
delivering it flawlessly.

People Working Together

We recognize our strength and our competitive advantage is -- and always

will be -- people. We will continually learn, and share ideas and knowledge.
We will encourage cooperative efforts at every level and across all
activities in our company.
We value the skills, strengths and perspectives of our diverse team. We
will foster a participatory workplace that enables people to get involved in
making decisions about their work that advance our common business
objectives.

Good Corporate Citizenship

We will provide a safe workplace and protect the environment. We will

promote the health and well-being of Boeing people and their families. We
will work with our communities by volunteering and financially supporting
education and other worthy causes.

Enhancing Shareholder Value

Our business must produce a profit, and we must generate superior

returns on the assets entrusted to us by our shareholders. We will ensure
our success by satisfying our customers and increasing shareholder value.

OUR VISION
The Boeing Vision is: People working together as a global enterprise for
aerospace leadership. How will we get there?

• Run healthy core businesses

• Leverage our strengths into new products and services
• Open new frontiers

In order to realize our vision, we consider where we are today and where
we would like to be tomorrow. There are certain business imperatives on
which Boeing places a very strong emphasis.

• Detailed customer knowledge and focus that understand, anticipate

and respond to customer needs.
• Large-scale systems integration that continually develops and
advances technical excellence.
• A lean enterprise characterized by efficiency, supplier management,
short cycle times, high quality and low transaction costs.
 Development
Background
In 1963, the US Air Force started a series of study projects on a very large
"strategic" transport aircraft. Although the C-141 Starlifter was in the
process of being introduced, they felt that a much larger and more capable
aircraft was needed, especially the capability to carry "outsized" cargo that
would not fit in any existing aircraft. These studies led to the "CX-X"
(Cargo, Experimental, no number) design that called for a load capacity of
180,000 pounds (81,600 kg) and a speed of Mach 0.75 (500 mph/805
km/h), and an unrefueled range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 km) with a
payload of 115,000 pounds (52,200 kg). The payload bay had to be 17 feet
(5.18 m) wide by 13.5 feet (4.11 m) high and 100 feet (30.5 m) long with
access through doors at the front and rear.

The initial design was met by a series of proposals featuring six engines.
However the designs were all considered not enough of an advance over
the C-141 to be worthwhile committing to development. A new set of
criteria was finalized and an official Request for Proposal was sent out on
27 April 1964 for the "Heavy Logistics System" (CX-HLS). Featuring only
four engines, the design also required new engine designs with greatly
increased power and better fuel economy. On 18 May 1964, airframe
proposals arrived from Boeing, Douglas, General Dynamics, Lockheed and
Martin Marietta; while engine proposals were submitted by General
Electric, Curtiss-Wright and Pratt and Whitney. After a downselect, Boeing,
Douglas and Lockheed were given additional study contracts for the
airframe, along with General Electric and Pratt and Whitney for the
engines.

All three of the airframe proposals shared a number of features, but one in
particular would become iconic on the 747. As the CX-HLS aircraft was
designed to carry heavy cargo, a cockpit at a conventional location in the
nose represented a serious risk during a crash landing, as the cargo would
move forward and potentially crush the pilots. All of the companies took this
problem into account by moving the cockpit above the cargo area; Douglas
had a small "pod" just forward and above the wing, Lockheed used a long
"spine" running the length of the aircraft with the wing spar passing through
it, while Boeing blended the two, with a longer pod that ran from just behind
the nose to just behind the wing.
 Airliner proposal

The 747 was conceived while air travel was increasing in the 1960s. The
era of commercial jet transportation, led by the enormous popularity of the
Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8, had revolutionized long-distance travel.
Even before it lost the CX-HLS contract, Boeing was pressed by Juan
Trippe, president of Pan American World Airways (Pan Am), one of its most
important airline customers, to build a passenger airplane more than twice
the size of the 707. During this time, airport congestion, worsened by
increasing numbers of passengers carried on relatively small planes,
became a problem that Trippe thought could be addressed by a large new
aircraft.

In 1965, Joe Sutter was transferred from Boeing's 737 development team
to manage the studies for a new airliner, already assigned the model
number 747. Sutter initiated a design study with Pan Am and other airlines,
in order to better understand their requirements. At the time, it was widely
thought that the 747 would eventually be superseded by supersonic
transport aircraft. Boeing responded by designing the 747 so that it could
be adapted easily to carry freight and remain in production even if sales of
the passenger version declined. In the freighter role, the clear need was to
support the containerized shipping methodologies that were being widely
introduced at about the same time. Standard containers are 8 feet square
at the front (slightly higher due to attachment points) and either 20 or 40
feet long. This meant that it would be possible to support a 2-wide 2-high
stack of containers two or three ranks deep with a fuselage size similar to
the earlier CX-HLS project.

In April 1966, Pan Am ordered twenty-five 747-100 aircraft for US$525

million. During the ceremonial 747 contract-signing banquet in Seattle on
Boeing's 50th Anniversary, Juan Trippe predicted that the 747 would be "...
a great weapon for peace, competing with intercontinental missiles for
mankind's destiny", according to Malcolm T. Stamper, one of the senior
management for the 747 program at the time. As launch customer, and
because of its early involvement before placing a formal order, Pan Am
was able to influence the design and development of the 747 to an extent
unmatched by a single airline before or since.
 Design effort

Ultimately, the high-winged CX-HLS Boeing design was not used for the
747, although technologies developed for their bid had an influence. The
original design included a full-length double-deck fuselage with rows of
eight-across seating and two aisles on the lower deck and seven-across
seating and two aisles on the upper deck. However, concern over
evacuation routes and limited cargo-carrying capability caused this idea to
be scrapped in early 1966 in favor of a wider single deck design. The
cockpit was, therefore, placed on a shortened upper deck so that a freight-
loading door could be included in the nose cone; this design feature
produced the 747's distinctive "bulge". In early models it was not clear what
to do with the small space in the pod behind the cockpit, and this was
initially specified as a "lounge" area with no permanent seating.

One of the principal technologies that enabled an airplane as large as the

747 to be conceived was the high-bypass turbofan engine. The engine
technology was thought to be capable of delivering double the power of the
earlier turbojets while consuming a third less fuel. General Electric had
pioneered the concept but was committed to developing the engine for the
C-5 Galaxy and did not enter the commercial market until later. Pratt &
Whitney was also working on the same principle and, by late 1966, Boeing,
Pan-Am and Pratt & Whitney agreed to develop a new engine, designated
JT9D, to power the 747.

The project was designed with a new methodology called fault tree
analysis, which allowed the effects of a failure of a single part to be studied
to determine its impact on other systems. To address concerns about
safety and flyability, the 747's design included structural redundancy,
redundant hydraulic systems, quadruple main landing gear and dual control
surfaces. Additionally, some of the most advanced high-lift devices used in
the industry were included in the new design, in order to allow it to operate
from existing airports. These included leading-edge slats running almost
the entire length of the wing, as well as complex three-part slotted flaps
along the rear. The wing's low mounting allows the flaps to capture airflow
under them, increasing ground effects.

Boeing agreed to deliver the first 747 to Pan Am by the end of 1969. The
delivery date left 28 months to design the aircraft, which was two-thirds the
normal time. The schedule was so fast that the people who worked on it
were given the nickname "The Incredibles". Developing the aircraft was
such a technical and financial challenge that management was said to have
"bet the company" when it started the project.

Production plant

Because Boeing did not have a plant large enough to assemble the giant
airliner, it chose to build a new one. The company considered locations in
about 50 cities, and eventually decided to build the new plant some 30
miles (48 km) north of Seattle on a site adjoining a military base at Paine
Field near Everett, Washington. It bought the 780 acre (316 hectare) site in
June 1966.

Developing the 747 had been a major challenge, and building its assembly
plant was also a huge undertaking. Boeing president William M. Allen
asked Malcolm T. Stamper, then head of the company's turbine division, to
oversee construction of the Everett factory and to start production of the
747. To level the site, more than 4 million cubic yards (3.1 million m³) of
earth had to be moved. Time was so short that the 747's full-scale mock-up
was built before the factory roof above it was finished. The plant is the
largest building by volume ever built.

Development and testing

Before the first 747 was fully assembled, testing began on many
components and systems. One important test involved evacuation of 560
volunteers from a cabin mock-up via the plane's emergency chutes. The
first full-scale evacuation took two and a half minutes instead of the
maximum of 90 seconds mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration,
and several volunteers were injured. Subsequent test evacuations
achieved the 90-second goal but caused more injuries. Most problematic
was evacuation from the airplane's upper deck; volunteer passengers,
instead of using a conventional slide, escaped by using a harness attached
to a reel.

Boeing built an unusual training device known as "Waddell's Wagon"

(named for a 747 test pilot, Jack Waddell) that consisted of a mock-up
cockpit mounted on the roof of a truck. While the first 747s were still being
built, the device allowed pilots to practice taxi maneuvers from a high
upper-deck position.

On 30 September 1968, the first 747 was rolled out of the Everett assembly
building before the world's press and representatives of the 26 airlines that
had ordered the plane.

Over the following months, preparations were made for the first flight, which
took place on 9 February 1969, with test pilots Jack Waddell and Brien
Wygle at the controls and Jess Wallick at the flight engineer's station.
Despite a minor problem with one of the flaps, the flight confirmed that the
747 handled extremely well. The plane was found to be largely immune to
"Dutch roll", a phenomenon that had been a major hazard to the early
swept-wing jets.

During later stages of the flight test program, flutter testing showed that the
wings suffered oscillation under certain conditions. This difficulty was partly
solved by reducing the stiffness of some wing components. However, a
particularly severe high-speed flutter problem was solved only by inserting
depleted uranium counterweights as ballast in the outboard engine nacelles
of the early 747s. This measure caused anxiety when these aircraft
crashed, as did China Airlines Flight 358 at Wanli in 1991 and El Al Flight
1862 at Amsterdam in 1992.

The flight test program was hampered by problems with the plane's JT9D
engines. Difficulties included engine stalls caused by rapid movements of
the throttles and distortion of the turbine casings after a short period of
service. The problems delayed 747 deliveries for several months and
stranded up to 20 planes at the Everett plant while they awaited engine
installation. The program was further delayed when one of the five test
aircraft suffered serious damage during a landing attempt at Renton
Municipal Airport, site of Boeing's Renton plant. The test aircraft was being
taken to have its test equipment removed and a cabin installed when pilot
Ralph C. Cokely undershot the short runway and sheared off the 747's
landing gear. However, these difficulties did not prevent Boeing from taking
one of the test aircraft to the 28th Paris Air Show in mid-1969, where it was
displayed to the general public for the first time. The 747 achieved its FAA
airworthiness certificate in December 1969, making it ready for introduction
into service.
The huge cost of developing the 747 and building the Everett factory meant
that Boeing had to borrow heavily from a banking syndicate. During the
final months before delivery of the first airplane, the company had to
repeatedly request additional funding to complete the project. Had this
been refused, Boeing's survival would have been threatened. Ultimately,
the gamble succeeded, and Boeing held a monopoly in very large
passenger aircraft production for many years.

Entry into service

On 15 January 1970, First Lady of the United States Patricia Nixon

christened Pan Am's first 747 at Dulles International Airport (later renamed
Washington Dulles International Airport) in the presence of Pan Am
chairman Najeeb Halaby. Instead of champagne, red, white and blue water
was sprayed on the plane. The 747 entered service on 22 January 1970,
on Pan Am's New York–London route; the flight had been planned for the
evening of 21 January, but engine overheating made the original airplane
unusable. Finding a substitute delayed the flight by more than six hours to
the following day.

The 747 enjoyed a fairly smooth introduction into service, overcoming

concerns that some airports would not be able to accommodate an airplane
that large. Though technical problems occurred, they were relatively minor
and quickly solved. After the aircraft's introduction with Pan Am, other
airlines that had bought the 747 in order to stay competitive began to put
their own planes into service. Boeing estimated that half of the early 747
sales were to airlines requiring the airplane's long range rather than its
payload capacity. But though the 747 had the lowest potential operating
cost per seat, this could only be achieved when the aircraft was fully
loaded; costs per seat increased rapidly as occupancy declined. Fuel
consumption for a moderately loaded 747, one with only 70 percent of its
seats occupied, used more than 95 percent of the fuel needed by a fully
occupied 747.

When economic problems in the United States and other countries after the
1973 oil crisis led to reduced passenger traffic, several airlines found they
did not have enough passengers to fly the 747 economically, and they
replaced them with the recently introduced and smaller McDonnell Douglas
DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 tristar wide bodies (and later the twinjet 767
and A300). Having tried replacing coach seats on its 747s with piano bars
in an attempt to attract more customers, American Airlines eventually
relegated its 747s to cargo service and in 1983 exchanged them with Pan
Am for smaller aircraft; Delta Airlines also removed its 747s from service
after several years.

International flights that bypassed traditional hub airports and landed at

smaller cities became more common throughout the 1980s, and this
eroded the 747's original market. However, many international carriers
continued to use the 747 on Pacific routes. In Japan, 747s on domestic
routes are configured to carry close to the maximum passenger capacity.

The 747 rapidly achieved iconic status, appearing in various film

productions such as the Airport series of disaster films, Air Force One and
Executive Decision.

Further developments
After the initial 747-100 model, Boeing developed the higher Maximum
Takeoff Weight -100B variant and higher passenger capacity -100SR
(Short Range) variant. Increased maximum takeoff weight, or MTOW, can
allow an aircraft to carry more fuel and have longer range. The -200 model
followed, entering service in 1971. It featured more powerful engines and
higher takeoff weight. Passenger, freighter and combination passenger-
freighter versions were produced. The shortened 747SP (special
performance) with a longer range was also developed in the mid-1970s.

The 747 line was further developed with the launching of the 747-300 in
1980. The -300 resulted from Boeing studies to increase the seating
capacity of the 747. Solutions such as fuselage plugs and extending the
upper deck over the entire length of the fuselage were rejected. The early
designation of the -300 was 747SUD for "stretched upper deck" then 747-
200 SUD, followed by 747EUD, before the 747-300 designation was used.
The 300 model was first produced in 1983. It included a stretched upper
deck (SUD), increased cruise speed and increased seating capacity.
Passenger, short range and combination freighter-passenger versions were
produced.

In 1985, development of the longer range 747-400 was begun. The new
variant had a new glass cockpit, which allowed for a cockpit crew of two
instead of three. Development cost soared, and production delays occurred
as new technologies were incorporated at the request of airlines.
Insufficient workforce experience and reliance on overtime contributed to
early production problems on the 747-400. The -400 entered service in
1989.

Since the arrival of the 747-400, several stretching schemes for the 747
have been proposed. Boeing announced the larger 747-500X and -600X
designs in 1996. The new variants would have cost more than $5 billion to
develop, and interest was not sufficient to launch the program. Boeing
offered the more modest 747X and 747X stretch derivatives in 2000 as
alternatives to the Airbus A3XX. However, the 747X family was unable to
attract enough interest to enter production. Boeing switched from the 747X
studies to pursue the Sonic Cruiser in 2001 and, after the Sonic Cruiser
program was put on hold, the 787. Some of the ideas developed for the
747X were used on the 747-400ER. After several variants were proposed
but later abandoned, some industry observers became skeptical of new
aircraft proposals from Boeing. However, in early 2004, Boeing announced
tentative plans for the 747 Advanced that were eventually adopted. Similar
in nature to the 747-X, the stretched 747 Advanced used technology from
the 787 to modernize the design and its systems.

On 14 November 2005, Boeing announced it was launching the 747

Advanced as the Boeing 747-8. Long delays in production of the Airbus
A380 helped the 747-8 order book. Two Airbus customers signed additional
747-8 orders; two customers cancelled their A380 orders, and several
launch customers deferred delivery or considered switching to the 747-8
and 777F aircraft.

The 747 remained the largest passenger airliner in service until the Airbus
A380 began airline service in 2007. In 1991, a record-breaking 1,087
passengers were airlifted aboard a 747 to Israel as part of Operation
Solomon. The 747 was the heaviest airliner in regular service until the use
of the Antonov An-124 Ruslan in 1982. The 747-400ER model regained
that distinction in 2000. The Antonov An-225 cargo transport remains the
world's largest aircraft by several measures (including the most accepted
measures of maximum gross takeoff weight and length). The Hughes H-4
Hercules is the largest aircraft by wingspan, but it only flew once. Only two
An-225 aircraft have been produced, and only one is still flying as of 2007,
while the 747 and A380 are made for serial mass production.
Some 747 aircraft have been converted for special uses. A 747-100 owned
by General Electric is used as a testbed for their engines such as General
Electric GEnx. A firefighting prototype has been constructed by Evergreen
International. Eventually, the 747 may be replaced by a new design dubbed
"Y3".

Design
The Boeing 747 is a large, wide-body (two-aisle) airliner with four wing-
mounted engines. The wings have a high sweep angle of 37.5 degrees for
a fast, efficient cruise of Mach 0.84 to 0.88, depending on the variant. The
sweep also allows the 747 to use existing hangars. Seating capacity is
more than 366 with a 3-4-3 seat arrangement (a cross section of 3 seats,
an aisle, 4 seats, another aisle, and 3 seats) in economy class and a 2-3-2
arrangement in first class on the main deck. The upper deck has a 3-3 seat
arrangement in economy class and a 2-2 arrangement in first class.

Raised above the main deck, the cockpit creates a hump. The raised
cockpit is to allow front loading of cargo on freight variants. The upper deck
behind the cockpit provides space for a lounge or extra seating. The
"stretched upper deck" became available as an option on the 747-100B
variant and later as standard on the 747-300.

The 747's maximum takeoff weight ranges from 735,000 pounds (333,400
kg) for the -100 to 970,000 lb (439,985 kg) for the -8. Its range has
increased from 5,300 nautical miles (6,100 mi, 9,800 km) on the -100 to
8,000 nmi (9,200 mi, 14,815 km) on the -8I.

The 747 has multiple structural redundancy including four redundant

hydraulic systems and four main landing gears with 16 wheels, which
provide a good spread of support on the ground and safety in case of tire
blow-outs. The redundant main gear allows for landing on two opposing
landing gears if the others do not function properly. In addition, the 747 has
split control surfaces and sophisticated triple-slotted flaps that minimize
landing speeds and allow the plane to use standard-length runways. For
transportation of spare engines, early 747s could accommodate a non-
functioning fifth-pod engine under the port wing of the aircraft between the
nearest functioning engine and the fuselage.
 Variants
The 747-100 was the original variant launched in 1966. The 747-200 soon
followed, with an order in 1968. The 747-300 was launched in 1980 and
was followed in 1985 by the 747-400. Lastly, the 747-8 was announced in
2005. Several versions of each variant have been produced. Many of the
early variants were in production simultaneously.

Boeing 747-100
The first 747-100s were built with six upper-deck windows (three per side)
to accommodate upstairs lounge areas. Later, as airlines began to use the
upper-deck for premium passenger seating instead of lounge space,
Boeing offered a 10-window upper deck as an option. Some -100s were
retrofitted with the new configuration.

A 747-100B version, which has a stronger airframe and undercarriage

design as well as an increased maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of
750,000 pounds (340,000 kg) was offered. The 747-100B was delivered
only to Iran Air and Saudia (now Saudi Arabian Airlines). Optional engine
models were offered by Rolls-Royce (RB211) and GE (CF6), but only
Saudia ordered the Rolls-Royce option.

No freighter version of this model was developed by Boeing. However, 747-

100s have been converted to freighters. A total of 250 -100s (all versions,
including the 747SP) were produced; the last one was delivered in 1986. Of
these, 167 were 747-100, 45 were SP, 29 were SR and 9 were 100B.

Boeing 747-100SR
Responding to requests from Japanese airlines, Boeing developed the 747-
100SR as a "short range" variant of the 747-100. The SR has a lower fuel
capacity but can carry more passengers, up to 498 in early versions and
more than 550 in later models, because of increased economy class
seating. The 747SR has a modified body structure to accommodate the
added stress accumulated from a greater number of takeoffs and landings.
The -100SR entered service with Japan Airlines (then Japan Air Lines) on 7
October 1973. Later, short range versions of the -100B and the -300 were
also developed. The SR airplanes are used primarily on domestic flights in
Japan.

Two 747-100B/SRs were delivered to Japan Airlines (JAL) with a stretched

upper deck to accommodate more passengers. This modification is known
as the "SUD" (stretched upper deck).

All Nippon Airways (ANA) operated 747SRs on domestic Japanese routes

with 455 or 456 seats but retired the last aircraft on 10 March 2006. JAL
operated the 747-100B/SR/SUD variant with 563 seats on domestic routes,
and retired these planes in the third quarter of 2006. JAL and JALways
have operated the -300SRs on domestic leisure routes and to other parts of
Asia.

Boeing 747SP
The 747SP is 48 feet 4 inches (14.7 m) shorter than the 747-100. Except
for the planned 747-8, the SP is the only 747 with a fuselage of modified
length. Fuselage sections were eliminated fore and aft of the wing, and the
center section of the fuselage was redesigned. Single-slotted flaps
replaced the complex triple-slotted Fowler flaps of the 100 series. The
under-wing "canoes", which housed the flap mechanisms on full-size 747s,
were eliminated entirely on the SP. The 747SP, compared to earlier
variants, had a tapering of the aft upper fuselage into the empennage, a
double hinged rudder, and longer vertical and horizontal stabilizers.

The Boeing 747SP was granted a supplemental certificate on 4 February

1976 and entered service with Pan American World Airways, the launch
customer, that same year.

A total of forty-five 747SPs were built. The 44th 747SP was delivered on 30
August 1982. Boeing re-opened the 747SP production line to build one last
747SP five years later in 1987 for an order by the United Arab Emirates
government.

As of August 2007, 17 Boeing 747SP aircraft were in service with Iran Air
(3), Saudi Arabian Airlines (1), Syrian Arab Airlines (2) and as executive
versions. NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center has one modified for the
SOFIA experiment.

Boeing 747-200
The 747-200 has more powerful engines, higher takeoff weights (MTOW),
and range than the -100. A few early -200s retained the three-window
configuration of the -100 on the upper deck, but most were built with a 10-
window configuration on each side.

Several versions in addition to the -200 were produced. The 747-200B is

an improved version of the 747-200, with increased fuel capacity and more
powerful engines; it first entered service in February 1971. The -200B
aircraft has a full load range of about 6,857 nmi (12,700 km). The 747-200F
is the freighter version of the -200 model. It could be fitted with or without a
side cargo door. It has a capacity of 105 tons (95.3 tonnes) and an MTOW
of up to 833,000 lb (378,000 kg). It entered first service in 1972 with
Lufthansa. The 747-200C Convertible is a version that can be converted
between a passenger and a freighter or used in mixed configurations. The
seats are removable, and the model has a nose cargo door. The -200C
could be fitted with an optional side cargo door on the main deck.

The 747-200M is a combination version that has a side cargo door on the
main deck and can carry freight in the rear section of the main deck. A
removable partition on the main deck separates the cargo area at the rear
from the passengers at the front. This model can carry up to 238
passengers in a 3-class configuration if cargo is carried on the main deck.
The model is also known as the 747-200 Combi. As on the -100, a
stretched upper deck (SUD) modification was later offered. A total of 10
converted 747-200s were operated by KLM. UTA French Airlines also had
two of these aircraft converted.

A total of 393 of the -200 versions had been built when production ended in
1991. Of these, 225 were 747-200s, 73 were 747-200F, 13 were 747-200C,
78 were 747-200M, and 4 were military.

Many 747-200s are still in operation, although most large carriers have
retired them from their fleets and sold them to smaller operators. Large
carriers have speeded up fleet retirement following the September 11th
attacks, scrapping some or turning others into freighters.

Boeing 747-300
The differences between the -300 and the -200 include a lengthened upper
deck with two new emergency exit doors and an optional flight-crew rest
area immediately aft of the flight deck. Compared to the -200, the upper
deck is 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) longer than the -200. A new straight
stairway to the upper deck instead of a spiral staircase is another difference
between the -300 and earlier variants. The staircase creates room below
and above for more seats. With minor aerodynamic changes, Boeing
increased the cruise speed of the -300 to Mach 0.85 from Mach 0.84 on the
-100/-200. The -300 features the same takeoff weight. Two of the three
engine choices from the -200 were unchanged in the -300, but the General
Electric CF6-80C2B1 was offered instead of the CF6-50E2 offered on the
-200.

The 747-300 name, which was proposed for a variant that was never
launched, was revived for this new version, which was introduced in 1980.
Swissair ordered the first 747-300 on 11 June 1980. The 747-300 first flew
on 5 October 1982. Swissair was the first customer to accept delivery on 23
March 1983.

In addition to the passenger version, other versions were available. The

747-300M has cargo capacity in the rear portion of the main deck similar to
the -200M, but with the stretched upper deck it can carry more passengers.
The 747-300SR is a short range version to meet the need for a high-
capacity domestic model. Japan Airlines operated such aircraft with more
than 600 seats on the Okinawa–Tokyo route and elsewhere. Boeing never
launched a newly built freighter version of the 747-300, but it modified used
passenger -300 models into freighters starting in 2000.

A total of 81 aircraft were ordered, 56 for passenger use, 21 -300M and 4

-300SR versions. The 747-300 was soon superseded by the launch of the
more advanced 747-400 in 1985, just two years after the -300 entered
service. The last 747-300 was delivered in September 1990 to Sabena.

Today, most -300 aircraft are still active, despite a significant loss of
interest in the series amongst large carriers who have since sold them to
other smaller airlines. A few of these aircraft have surprisingly been
converted to cargo operations, though none of any -300s have been
delivered new as freighters. Carriers still using these aircraft include Japan
Airlines, Qantas, Pakistan International Airlines, Air India and Saudi
Arabian Airlines.

Boeing 747-400
The 747-400 is an improved model with increased range. It has wing-tip
extensions of 6 ft (1.8 m), winglets of 6 ft (1.8 m), and a new glass cockpit
designed for a flight crew of two instead of three. The use of electronics
reduced the number of dials, gauges and knobs from 971 to 365. It has tail
fuel tanks, revised engines and a new interior. The longer range was used
by some airlines to bypass traditional fuel stops, such as Anchorage. The
-400 was offered in passenger (400), freighter (400F), combi (400C),
domestic (400D), extended range passenger (400ER) and extended range
freighter (400ERF) versions. The freighter version does not have an
extended upper deck. The 747-400D was built for short range operations
and does not include winglets, but these can be retrofitted.

The passenger version first entered service in February 1989 with

Northwest Airlines on the Minneapolis to Phoenix route. The combi version
entered service in September 1989 with KLM. The freighter version entered
service in November 1993 with Cargolux. The 747-400ERF entered service
in October 2002 and the 747-400ER entered service the following month
with Qantas, the only airline ever to order the passenger version.

The last passenger version of the 747-400 was delivered in April 2005.
Boeing announced in March 2007 that it had no plans to produce further
passenger versions of the -400. However, orders for 36 -400F and
-400ERF freighters were already in place at the time of the announcement.

In October 2007, a total of 670 of the 747-400 series aircraft had been
delivered. At various times, the largest 747-400 operator has been
Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, and British Airways.

Boeing 747 LCF Dreamlifter

The 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter or Dreamlifter (originally called the 747
Large Cargo Freighter or LCF) is a Boeing-designed modification of
existing 747-400s to a larger configuration to ferry Boeing 787 sub-
assemblies to the Boeing plant in Everett, Washington, for final assembly.
Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corporation is completing modifications
of 747-400s into Dreamlifters in Taiwan. The aircraft flew for the first time
on 9 September 2006. The Dreamlifter's only intended purpose is to
transport sub-assemblies for the Boeing 787. The aircraft is certified to
carry only essential crew and not passengers. Two aircraft have been built,
and two more are on order.

Boeing 747-8
Boeing announced a new 747 variant, the 747-8 (referred to as the 747
Advanced prior to launch) on November 14, 2005, which will use same
engine and cockpit technology as the 787 (It was decided to call it the 747-
8 because of the technology it will share with the 787 Dreamliner.) Plans
call for the new design to be quieter, more economical and more
environmentally friendly. The 747-8 is stretched to add more payload
capacity. This involves lengthening from 232 to 251 feet (70.8 to 76.4 m),
surpassing the Airbus A340-600 to become the world's longest airliner.

The passenger version, dubbed 747-8 Intercontinental or 747-8I, will be

able to carry up to 467 passengers in a 3-class configuration and fly more
than 8,000 nmi (15,000 km) at Mach 0.855. As a derivative of the already
common 747-400, the 747-8 has the economic benefit of similar training
and interchangeable parts. The 747-8I is scheduled to enter service in
2010.

Also offered is the 747-8 Freighter or 747-8F, which derives from the 747-
400ERF. The 747-8F is 251 feet (76.4 m) long and can accommodate 154
tons (140 tonnes) of cargo. To aid loading and unloading, it features an
overhead nose-door. It has 16 percent more payload capacity than the 747-
400F and can hold seven additional standard air cargo containers. The
747-8F is scheduled to enter service in 2009.

As of December 2007, there were 78 firm orders for the Boeing 747-8F,
from Cathay Pacific (10), Atlas Air (12), Nippon Cargo Airlines (14),
Cargolux (13), Emirates SkyCargo (10), Volga-Dnepr (5), Guggenheim
Aviation Partners (4) and Korean Air (5). A total of 25 firm orders had been
placed for the Boeing 747-8I; of these, 5 were from Boeing Business Jet
and 20 from Lufthansa.

Government and military variants

- C-19 – The U.S. Air Force gave this designation to the 747-100s used by
some U.S. airlines and modified for use in the Civil Reserve Airlift Fleet.

- VC-25 – This aircraft is the U.S. Air Force Very Important Person (VIP)
version of the 747-200B. The U.S. Air Force operates two of them in VIP
configuration as the VC-25A. Tail numbers 28000 and 29000 are popularly
known as Air Force One, which is technically the air-traffic call sign for any
United States Air Force aircraft carrying the U.S. President. Although based
on the 747-200B design, they contain many of the innovations introduced
on the 747-400, such as an updated flight deck and engines. Partially
completed aircraft from Everett, Washington, were flown to Wichita,
Kansas, for final assembly, in contrast with civilian aircraft, which are
completed in Everett.

- E-4B – Formerly known as the National Emergency Airborne Command

Post (referred to colloquially as "Kneecap"), this aircraft is now referred to
as the National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC).

- YAL-1 – This is the experimental Airborne Laser, a component of the

National Missile Defense plan.

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

-A number of other governments also use the 747 as a VIP transport,

including Bahrain, Brunei, India, Iran, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Several new Boeing 747-8s
have been ordered by Boeing Business Jet for conversion to VIP transport
for several unidentified customers.

- C-33 – This aircraft was a proposed U.S. military version of the 747-400
intended to augment the C-17 fleet. The plan was canceled in favor of
additional C-17 military transports.

- KC-33A – A proposed 747 was also adapted as an aerial refueling tanker

and was bid against the DC-10-30 during the 1970s Advanced Cargo
Transport Aircraft (ACTA) program that produced the KC-10A Extender.
Before the Khomeini-led revolution, Iran bought four 747-100 aircraft with
air-refueling boom conversions to support a fleet of F-4 Phantoms. It is
unknown whether these aircraft remain usable as tankers. Since then,
other proposals have emerged for adaptation of later 747-400 aircraft for
this role.

- 747 CMCA – This variant was considered by the U.S. Air Force as a
Cruise Missile Carrier Aircraft during the development of the B-1 Lancer
strategic bomber. It would have been equipped with 50 to 100 AGM-86
ALCM cruise missiles on rotary launchers. This plan was abandoned in
favor of more conventional strategic bombers.
Undeveloped variants
Boeing has studied a number of 747 variants that have not gone beyond the concept stage.

Boeing 747-300 Trijet

During the 1970s, Boeing studied the development of a shorter body, three-engined 747 to compete with the smaller
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar and McDonnell Douglas DC-10, which had lower trip costs than the 747SP. The 747-300
Trijet would have had more payload, range and passenger capacity. The center engine would have been fitted in the
tail with an S-duct intake similar to the L-1011's. However, engineering studies showed that a time-consuming and
costly redesign of the 747 wing would be necessary.

Boeing 747-500X, -600X and -700X

Boeing announced the 747-500X and -600X at the 1996 Farnborough Air Show. The proposed models would have
combined the 747's fuselage with a new 251 ft (77 m) span wing derived from the 777. Other changes included
adding more powerful engines and increasing the number of tires from two to four on the nose landing gear and from
16 to 20 on the main landing gear.

The 747-500X concept featured an 18 ft (5.5 m) stretch to 250 ft (76.2 m) long, and the aircraft was to carry 462
passengers over a range up to 8,700 nautical miles (10,000 mi, 16,100 km), with a gross weight of over 1.0 Mlb (450
Mg). The 747-600X concept featured a greater stretch to 279 ft (85 m) with seating for 548 passengers, a range of up
to 7,700 nmi (8,900 mi, 14,300 km), and a gross weight of 1.2 Mlb (540 Mg). A third study concept, the 747-700X,
would have combined the wing of the 747-600X with a widened fuselage, allowing it to carry 650 passengers over the
same range as a 747-400. The cost of the changes from previous 747 models, in particular the new wing for the 747-
500X and -600X, was estimated to be more than $5 billion. Boeing was not able to attract enough interest to launch
the aircraft.

Boeing 747X and 747X Stretch

As Airbus progressed with its A3XX study, Boeing in 2000 offered the market a 747 derivative as an alternative. This
was a more modest proposal than the previous -500X and -600X that would retain the 747's overall wing design and
add a segment at the root, increasing the span to 229 ft (70 m). Power would have been supplied by either the
Engine Alliance GP7172 or the Rolls-Royce Trent 600, which were also proposed for the 767-400ERX. A new flight
deck based on the 777's would be used. The 747X aircraft was to carry 430 passengers over ranges of up to 8,700
nmi (10,000 mi, 16,100 km). The 747X Stretch would be extended to 263 ft (80.2 m) long, allowing it to carry 500
passengers over ranges of up to 9,000 miles (7,800 nmi, 14,500 km). Both would feature an interior based on the
777's signature architecture. Freighter versions of the 747X and 747X Stretch were also studied.

Like its predecessor, the 747X family was unable to garner enough interest to justify production, and it was shelved
along with the 767-400ERX in March 2001, when Boeing announced the Sonic Cruiser concept. Though the 747X
design was less costly than the 747-500X and -600X, it was criticized for not offering a sufficient advance from the
existing 747-400. The 747X did not make it beyond the drawing board, but the 747-400X being developed
concurrently moved into production to become the 747-400ER.

Boeing 747-400XQLR
After the end of the 747X program, Boeing continued to study improvements that could be made to the 747. The 747-
400XQLR (Quiet Long Range) was meant to have an increased range of 7,980 nmi (9,200 mi, 14,800 km), with
improvements to improve efficiency and reduce noise. Improvements studied included raked wingtips similar to those
used on the 767-400ER and a sawtooth engine nacelle for noise reduction. Although the 747-400XQLR did not move
to production, many of its features were used for the 747 Advanced, which has now been launched as the 747-8.

Accidents and incidents

As of October 2008, the 747 has been involved in 122 incidents, including 48 hull-loss accidents, resulting in 2,850
fatalities. The 747 has been in 35 hijackings which caused 882 fatalities.

Few crashes have been attributed to design flaws of the 747. The Tenerife disaster resulted from pilot error, air traffic
control (ATC) error and communications failure, while the Japan Airlines Flight 123 crash stemmed from improper
aircraft repair. United Airlines Flight 811, which suffered an explosive decompression mid-flight on 24 February 1989,
led the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to issue a recommendation that 747-200 cargo doors similar to
those on the Flight 811 aircraft be modified. Korean Air Lines Flight 007 was shot down by the Soviets in 1983 after it
had strayed into Soviet territory, causing U.S. President Ronald Reagan to authorize the then strictly military Global
Positioning System (GPS) for civilian use. TWA Flight 800, a 747-100 that exploded in midair on 17 July 1996, led the
Federal Aviation Administration to propose a rule requiring installation of an inerting system in the center fuel tank of
most large aircraft that was adopted in July 2008, after years of research into solutions. It is expected that the new
safety system will cost $100,000 to $450,000 per aircraft and weigh approximately 200 pounds.
Specification Boeing Boeing Boeing 747-400
Boeing 747-100 Boeing 747-8I
s 747-200B 747-300 Boeing 747-400ER
Cockpit Crew Three Two
Typical Seating 452 (2-class) 524 (2-class)
467 (3-class)
capacity 366 (3-class) 416 (3-class)
Length 231 ft 10 in (70.6 m) 250 ft 8 in (76.4 m)
Wingspan 195 ft 8 in (59.6 m) 211 ft 5 in (64.4 m) 224 ft 9 in (68.5 m)
Height 63 ft 5 in (19.3 m) 63 ft 8 in (19.4 m) 63 ft 6 in (19.4 m)
393,263 lb
383,000 lb 392,800 lb
358,000 lb (178,756 kg) 410,000 lb
Weight empty (174,000 kg (178,100 kg
(162,400 kg) ER: 406,900 lb (185,972 kg)
) )
(184,600 kg)
875,000 lb
Maximum 735,000 lb 833,000 lb (396,890 kg) 970,000 lb
takeoff weight (333,390 kg) (377,842 kg) ER: 910,000 lb (439,985 kg)
(412,775 kg)
Mach 0.85
(567 mph, 913 km/h,
Cruising speed Mach 0.855
Mach 0.84 487 kt)
(at 35,000 ft (570 mph, 918 km/h,
(555 mph, 895 km/h, 481 knots ) ER: Mach 0.855
altitude) 493 kt)
(570 mph, 918 km/h,
493 kt)
Mach 0.92
Maximum Mach 0.89
(608 mph, 977 km/h,
speed (587 mph, 945 km/h, 510 kt)
527 kt)
Takeoff run at 10,893 ft 9,902 ft (3,018 m)
10,466 ft (3,190 m) 10,138 ft (3,090 m)
MTOW (3,320 m) ER: 10,138 ft (3,090 m)
7,260 nmi
Range fully 5,300 nmi 6,850 nmi 6,700 nmi (13,450 km) 8,000 nmi
loaded (9,800 km) (12,700 km) (12,400 km) ER: 7,670 nmi (14,815 km)
(14,205 km)
57,285 U.S. gal
(47,700 imp gal/216,840
48,445 U.S. gal 52,410 U.S. gal 64,225 U.S. gal
Max. fuel L)
(40,339 imp gal/183,380 (43,640 imp gal/199,158 (53,478 imp gal/243,120
capacity ER: 63,705 U.S. gal
L) L) L)
(53,045 imp gal/241,140
L)
PW JT9D- PW JT9D-
7R4G2 7R4G2 PW 4062
Engine models PW JT9D-7A GE CF6- GE CF6- GE CF6-80C2B5F
GEnx-2B67
(x 4) RR RB211-524B2 50E2 80C2B1 RR RB211-524G/H
RR RB211- RR RB211- ER: GE CF6-80C2B5F
524D4 524D4
PW PW
54,750 lbf 54,750 lbf
PW 63,300 lbf (282 kN)
(244 kN) (244 kN)
PW 46,500 lbf GE 62,100 lbf (276 kN)
GE GE
Engine thrust (207 kN) RR 59,500/60,600 lbf 66,500 lbf
52,500 lbf 55,640 lbf
(per engine) RR 50,100 lbf (265/270 kN) (296 kN)
(234 kN) (247 kN)
(223 kN) ER: GE 62,100 lbf
RR RR
(276 kN)
53,000 lbf 53,000 lbf
(236 kN) (236 kN)