Boeing 747-400
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The Boeing 747-400 is the only model of the Boeing 747 in production and will remain the largest commercial airliner in service until the introduction of the Airbus A380 in late 2006. The 400 series 747 is the best selling and the most advanced model of the 747 family. The aircraft will be superseded by the Boeing 747-8, expected to enter service in 2009.
The 747-400 was announced by Boeing in October 1985, was rolled out in January 1988 and first flew on April 29, 1988. Certification was received on January 10, 1989 with PW4000 engines, May 18, 1989 with CF6-80C2s and June 8, 1989 with RB211-524Gs. The first 747-400 was delivered to Northwest Airlines on January 26, 1989, with service entry on February 9. [About the 747 Family], Boeing, retrieved 12 June, 2006
Variants
747-400
Compared to the 747-300 the 747-400 has 6 ft (2 m) wing tip extensions and 6 ft (2 m) winglets, an all-new glass cockpit which dispensed with the need for a flight engineer, tail fuel tanks, revised engines, an all-new interior, revised fuselage/wing fairings and newer in-flight entertainment to the basic design of the -300 series. The -400 entered service with Northwest Airlines on February 9, 1989. Most strikingly, the upper deck is almost twice as long as on previous versions of the 747.While the wingspan was increased, the overall weight of the wings was decreased due to the use of composites and aluminium alloys.
747-400F
The 747-400F (Freighter) is an all freight version which uses the fuselage design of the 747-200F. The aircraft's first flight was on May 4, 1993 and it entered service with Cargolux Airlines on November 17, 1993. Major customers include Atlas Air, Cargolux, China Airlines, Korean Air, Nippon Cargo Airlines, Polar Air Cargo, and Singapore Airlines. The -400F can be easily distinguished from the passenger -400 by its shorter upper-deck hump.The United States Air Force has purchased seven 747-400Fs to act as Airborne Laser carriers, designated YAL-1A. The aircraft are heavily modified to carry a nose mounted turret and Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) equipment.
747-400M
The 747-400M (a passenger/freight or "Combi" variant) first flew on June 30, 1989 and entered service with KLM on September 12, 1989. The -400M has a large cargo door fitted to the rear of the fuselage.747-400D
The 747-400D (Domestic) is a high density seating model developed for short-haul domestic Japanese flights. The aircraft is the highest-capacity passenger aircraft in the world, and will be until the Airbus A380 officially enters service. The -400D lacks the wing tip extensions and winglets included on other variants, allowing for increased number of takeoffs and landings by lowering wing stresses. Also the winglets are not effective, because the -400D serves shorter routes than other 747s. The -400D may be converted to the long range version when needed.The 747-400 Domestic first flew on March 18, 1991 and entered service with Japan Airlines on October 22, 1991.
747-400ER
The 747-400ER (Extended range) was launched on November 28, 2000 following an order by Qantas for 6 aircraft. The -400ER can fly an additional 805 km or carry 6,800 kg more freight. Qantas received the first -400ER on October 31, 2002. This model features a 777-style interior, also known as the Boeing Signature Interior.The 747-400ER includes the option of 1 or 2 additional 3240USG body fuel tanks in the forward cargo hold. Manufactured by Marshall Aerospace of Cambridge, UK, these tanks utilise cutting edge metal to metal honeycomb bonded technology to achieve an incredibly high dry weight to fuel volume ratio. Similar technology has been used in the development by Marshall of body fuel tanks for the 777-200LR and P-8A MMA aircraft.
The Boeing Signature Interior is now available as an option on base 747-400 as interior refitting on existing 747-400s or as a "fresh-from-installation" option on newer base 747-400s. One example, a China Airlines Boeing 747-409, under the identification B-18210, was newly built with Boeing Signature Interior. The exterior paint had a combined Boeing/China Airlines livery.
747-400ERF
The 747-400ERF is the freight version of the -400ER, launched on April 30, 2001. The -400ERF was delivered to Air France (via ILFC) on October 17, 2002.747-400BCF
The 747-400BCF (Boeing Converted Freighter), formerly known as the 747-400SF (Special Freighter), is a conversion programme for standard 747-400s. The project was launched in 2004. The first Boeing 747-400BCF was delivered to Cathay Pacific Cargo and entered service on December 19, 2005.747 Large Cargo Freighter
Boeing announced in October 2003 that due to the high cost of marine shipping, air transport will be the primary method of transporting parts for the Boeing 787. Passenger 747-400 aircraft are to be converted into an outsize configuration, in order to ferry sub-assemblies to Everett, Washington for final assembly. It has a bulging fuselage like the Super Guppy or Airbus Beluga cargo planes used for transporting wings and fuselage sections. The conversion, designed by Boeing´s Moscow office, is to be carried out in Taiwan by a subsidiary of the Evergreen Group. Boeing has purchased two former China Airlines aircraft which are currently being modified and a third aircraft, yet to be acquired, will be added later.
Delivery times for the wings — built in Japan — will be reduced from around 30 days to one day with the 747 LCF. The Large Cargo Freighter can hold three times the volume of a 747-400F freighter. [Boeing 7E7 Will Use Air Transport for Component Delivery], Boeing, 13 October, 2003, retrieved 12 June, 2006[Boeing's 747 Large Cargo Freighter Development on Plan], Boeing, 22 February, 2005, retrieved 12 June, 2006[Boeing Selects EGAT for 747 Large Cargo Freighter Modifications], Boeing, 18 February, 2005, retrieved 12 June, 2006 Evergreen International Airlines, which is unrelated to the Evergreen Group, will be the operator of the LCF fleet. [Evergreen International Aviation Selected as Operator of Boeing’s 747 Large Cargo Freighter], Evergreen International Aviation, 15 December, 2005, retrieved 12 June, 2006
References
External links
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