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Aviation History
1985
1985 - 0188.PDF
747 15 years in line service Boeing's 747 has changed a great deal over 15 years since Pan Am first flew it. What are Boeing's plans for it now? Harry Hopkins reports from Seattle. On January 21, 1970, the first Boeing 747 revenue flight was operated by Pan American. Since that day the type has evolved through 45 airframe/engine combinations into ten current variants, powered by three differ ent engine manufacturers. Five passenger variants, three combi/convertible, and two all-cargo configurations are currently available. The aircraft is powered variously by General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce, which have developed, respectively, four, four, and eight models of engine over the life of the 747. Pratt & Whitney first powered the "jumbo" into the skies. Take-off thrust has climbed from 43,5001b to nearly 55,0001b. Much of the 747 was at first conceived within the competition for the CX-HLS requirement, which ended with selection of the Lockheed C-5A. But it was Pan Am's legendary Juan Trippe, with his order for 25 plus eight of the type, who gave Boeing the confidence to continue. Boeing then developed its concept into a configuration for civil use, primarily on the basis of being able to take above-floor freight in 8ft x 8ft containers side by side. This effectively determined the fuselage diameter—once the "double-bubble" concept had been abandoned. Develop ment since then has centred on flexibility in both operational role and configuration. Maximum ramp weight varies from 520,0001b for the SR to 833,0001b for the 747-300; passenger load ranges from 331 for the SP to 550 for the SR. Range with maximum passengers and international reserves extends between 2,200 n.m. for the SR to 5,800 n.m. for the SP and 6,100 n.m. for the -200B. Fuel capacity has risen from 51,131 US gal to 53,985, or 55,705 with the optional body tank. The statisti cal record to June 1984 speaks for itself: more than 600 aircraft now delivered, at roll-out rates varying over the years between two and seven per month; 514 million passengers carried; 7,500 million nautical miles flown; 14 • 6 million hours of flight. The 747-300 was first delivered in February 1983. By the end of 1985, when 40 will have been produced, the -300 will make up 70 per cent of 747 production. Current operators average 14-3hr daily use, between a minimum of 11-2 and a maximum of 16-8. Minimum equipped weight on leaving the factory was held at 351,0731b—7231b below the predicted FLIGHT International, 19 January 1985
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