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Boeing 747 'Queen of the Skies'

747-100, 747-200, 747-300, 747SP

Boeing 747-100 Kalitta Air

A Kalitta Air Boeing 747-100SF (Special Freighter, a converted passenger plane) is approaching Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

Boeing 747 Classic


The Boeing 747, unofficially nicknamed 'Jumbo Jet' or 'Queen of the Skies', was the world's first widebody aircraft in airline service and the biggest operational passenger airplane in the world for almost four decades. The latter role has been taken over by the Airbus A380 in October 2007. Because it was much bigger than any earlier airliner, the 747 meant a revolution in air transport. It made long-haul flying affordable to many more people than before.

Boeing started the development of the 747 in the mid-sixties. The aircraft manufacturer did not succeed in winning the contract for a large transport plane for the US Air Force (winner was Lockheed with the C-5A Galaxy), but used the results of its research for designing a big airliner. Pan Am appeared very enthusiastic about Boeing's plans and in April 1966 placed the first order for 25 747-100 aircraft (23 passenger aircraft and 2 freighters).

The passenger cabin of the 747 is almost twice as wide as the 707's and the aircraft is 24.07 m (79 ft) longer than the 707-320. The aircraft also has a small upper deck, including the cockpit. The 747 was the first civil application for high-bypass turbofan engines, which are more powerful and fuel-efficient than earlier jet engines and produce less noise.

Boeing 747 Pan Am The first flight took place on 9 February 1969 and the new type entered service with Pan Am on 21 January 1970. The initial 747-100 version was soon followed by the 747-200B with higher weights, more powerful engines and extra range. The -200B made its maiden flight on 11 October 1970 and the first airline to operate it was KLM. Further developments were the 747-200F (Freighter, with a hinged nose plus an optional side cargo door behind the wing), the 747-100SR (Short Range, specially developed for domestic air travel in Japan), the 747-200C (Convertible - with a interior that can easily be adapted from passenger layout to cargo configuration) and the 747-200M (Mixed or Combi - with a combined passenger and cargo maindeck).



747-300

The Boeing 747-300 is the first version with a stretched upper deck (SUD) and it offers room for up to 69 extra passengers. The first flight took place on 5 October 1982 and the first operator was Swissair. Apart from the stretched upper deck there is not much difference compared with the 747-200. Boeing delivered only 81 747-300s. A small number of airlines, including KLM, had earlier 747-200s converted to provide them with the stretched upper deck.

Boeing 747SP SOFIA Some 747s are used for special purposes, like two 747-200s delivered as U.S. presidential Air Force One aircraft, and four 747-200s, designated 'E-4', as airborne emergency command and control posts for the US Air Force. One 747 was modified to ferry space shuttles between California and Florida on its back. A 747SP has been modified to carry an infrared telescope as part of the SOFIA programme (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy). The telescope is in the aft part of the cabin behind big doors which open during flight (Photo: NASA).

Boeing delivered 724 of the 'Classic' versions (747-100, 747-200, 747-300 and 747SP). Many early 747 passenger aircraft have been converted into freighters. In 2018 the 747-100 and 747SP are not any longer in airline service. Around a dozen of the 747-200 and 747-300 are still operational with airlines.

The Boeing 747-400 and 747-8 are separately described here.

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747-200 / 747-300 Specifications

Boeing 747-200 European Aviation Air Charter Wingspan: 59.64 m (195 ft 8 in). Length: 70.66 m (231 ft 2 in). Height: 19.33 m (63 ft 5 in). Empty weight: 178,171 kg (392,800 lb). Max. take-off weight: 377,842 kg (833,000 lb). Passengers: 366-539 (-300: 412-565). Range: 12,408km (6,700 nm). Cruise speed: 893 km/h (481 kts). Engines: four GE CF6-50E turbofans (233.5 kN - 52,500 lb) or P&W JT9D-7 (243.5 kN - 54,750 lb) or RR RB211-524 (235.8 kN - 53,000 lb)


747SP Specifications

Boeing 747SP United Arab Emirates Wingspan: 59.64 m (195 ft 8 in). Length: 56.31 m (184 ft 9 in). Height: 19.94 m (65 ft 5 in).
Empty weight: 147,420 kg (325,000 lb). Max. take-off weight: 317,515 kg (700,000 lb).
Passengers: 316-440. Range: 12,325 km (6,650 nm). Cruise speed: 990 km/h (535 kts).
Engines: four Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7 turbofans (218.4 kN - 48,750 lb) or Rolls Royce RB211-524B (222.8 kN - 50,100 lb).

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747-100 / 747-200 pax

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747-200F Freighters

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747SP

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747-300 / 747-300F

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