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Aviation History
1988
1988 - 0087.PDF
Overall length 119ft 7in (36-4m) Wlngspan 94ft 9in (28 • 9m) Height 36ft 6in (11-1m) seieeeeeeeec c cccc c c c cc ecc ccc c cc cc c ccc c c c As recently as April 1987 Boeing draw ings were appearing with overwing exits, but these have now been removed from the standard aircraft to save 6001b weight, to gain at least six seats, and to ease seat reconfiguration. This is a sensitive safety area. Boeing is testing proposed new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) policy in a US court, maintaining that even with eight main-deck exits instead of ten, and half of them blocked, evacuation time is well within the 90sec required. The FAA takes the view that exits add safety and should not be deleted, especially when deletion increases the distance between exits to more than 60ft, and when they are also the only exits which allow passengers' to jump out on to the 'wing. Some 747-400 customers, including Air France and UTA, have specified ten main-deck exits as fitted on all earlier 747s. The in-flight entertainment system (IFS) now has digital distribution, allow ing more services to each seat. The 'IFS is to customer choice, but the 747-400 passenger will typically watch the film on a video monitor located every few yards along the aisles, rather than projected optically on to a possibly distant or neck- craning screen. Seatback video is on the way. Passengers will have more audio channels, LEDs rather than knobs and dials, and air-driven headsets. The 747-400 looks like being popular with passenger, 800 million of whom have now flown in its predecessors. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 16 January 1988 737-400 "The most reliable engine going" is how one 737 airline engineer describes the CFM56, which will now displace its veteran predecessor the JT8D on the Renton production line. Introduced with the 737-300 in December 1984, the GE-Snecma turbofan will now power the -400 stretch and -500 "shrink". The JT8D-powered 737 (born 1965) went to the top of the jetliner sales charts, overtaking the record 727 score of 1,832 last June. The 1,833rd production 737 is due off the line at the end of next year, when this Boeing model will become the world's most numerous airliner. The CFM56 has accelerated sales, now approaching 2,000 for 140 customers for all 737 models.' More than 300 737-300s have been delivered in three years. To simplify production at Renton, where 737 output is 14 a month, the -200 is no longer on offer. Its size—100-plus seats single class or 120 at a squeeze—is now offered by the -500, for certification in^ February 1990. Five airlines have ordered 56 of this model. Next in size is the -300, with 18 more seats (612 ordered by 37), • followed by the -400, with 18 more seats again (88 ordered by nine). The 737-400 actually has enough inches and exits for up to 168 package holidaymakers. The 737-400, due for certification in September, is now Boeing's main chal lenge to the Airbus A320, the 7J7 having been postponed. In the -400's marketing favour, as nine customers already have decided, is the 737's proven reliability. Mechanical delays of more than 15min have been fewer than 1 per cent over three years, claims Boeing for the 737-300. The 737-500 goes in with similar creden tials. This model is the low trip-cost 100-seater challenging the BAe 146, Fokker 100, and MD-87. The 737-400 differs visibly from the -300 in body length, with plugs forward (44in) and aft (60in) of the centre section, and in the provision of two overwing exits per side compared with one in the -300. The aerodynamics are as -300, with a 4 per cent increase in chord to gain 18kt in the cruise, an extra ground spoiler per side for better braking, and tailplane tip exten sions. The -400 has a higher gross weight option to give operators more range. Package-tour charter airlines tend to go for the higher weight (143,0001b, up 4,0001b) with extra beefing. The inclusive-tour operators are also going for the optional airstairs forward (and aft if required). The range of the 737-400 with 146 passengers and reserves comfortably qovers North African and Middle East itesorts from London, and extends to Gander using the higher take-off weight. Payload-range performance is comparable with that of the 1958 707, with two instead of four engines. Boeing has cleared the 737-300 for Erops (extended-range twin- 33
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