The Boeing 747-400 is a large, long-range
wide-body airliner
A wide-body aircraft, also known as a twin-aisle aircraft, is an airliner with a fuselage wide enough to accommodate two passenger aisles with seven or more seats abreast. The typical fuselage diameter is . In the typical wide-body economy cabin ...
produced by
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) is a division of The Boeing Company. It designs, assembles, markets, and sells jet airliners and business jets ( Boeing Business Jets), and also provides product-related maintenance and training to customers wor ...
, an advanced variant of the initial
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a large, long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2022.
After introducing the 707 in October 1958, Pan Am wanted a jet times its size, t ...
.
The "Advanced Series 300" was announced at the September 1984
Farnborough Airshow
The Farnborough Airshow, officially the Farnborough International Airshow, is a trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries, where civilian and military aircraft are demonstrated to potential customers and investors. Since its fir ...
, targeting a 10% cost reduction with more efficient engines and of additional range.
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWA) was a major American airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines, Inc. by a merger. The merger, approved on October 29, 2008, made Delta the largest airline in the world until the American Airlines ...
(NWA) became the first customer with an order for 10 aircraft on October 22, 1985. The first 747-400 was rolled out on January 26, 1988, and made its
maiden flight
The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets.
The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...
on April 29, 1988.
Type certification
A type certificate signifies the airworthiness of a particular category of aircraft, according to its manufacturing design (''type design''). It confirms that the aircraft of a new type intended for serial production, is in compliance with applica ...
was received on January 9, 1989, and it entered service with NWA on February 9, 1989.
It retains the 747
airframe
The mechanical structure of an aircraft is known as the airframe. This structure is typically considered to include the fuselage, undercarriage, empennage and wings, and excludes the propulsion system.
Airframe design is a field of aerospa ...
, including the 747-300 stretched upper deck, with
winglets
Wingtip devices are intended to improve the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft by reducing drag. Although there are several types of wing tip devices which function in different manners, their intended effect is always to reduce an aircraft' ...
. The 747-400 offers a choice of improved turbofans: the
Pratt & Whitney PW4000
The Pratt & Whitney PW4000 is a family of dual-spool, axial-flow, high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines produced by Pratt & Whitney as the successor to the JT9D.
It was first run in April 1984, was FAA certified in July 1986, and was introdu ...
,
General Electric CF6
The General Electric CF6, US military designations F103 and F138, is a family of high-bypass turbofan engines produced by GE Aviation. Based on the TF39, the first high-power high-bypass jet engine, the CF6 powers a wide variety of civilian ai ...
-80C2 or
Rolls-Royce RB211
The Rolls-Royce RB211 is a British family of high-bypass turbofan engines made by Rolls-Royce. The engines are capable of generating of thrust. The RB211 engine was the first production three-spool engine, and turned Rolls-Royce from a signif ...
-524G/H. Its two-crew
glass cockpit
A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. While a traditional cockpit relies on numerous mech ...
dispenses with the need for a
flight engineer
A flight engineer (FE), also sometimes called an air engineer, is the member of an aircraft's flight crew who monitors and operates its complex aircraft systems. In the early era of aviation, the position was sometimes referred to as the "air me ...
. It typically accommodates 416 passengers in a three-
class
Class or The Class may refer to:
Common uses not otherwise categorized
* Class (biology), a taxonomic rank
* Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects
* Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...
layout over a range with its
maximum takeoff weight
The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) or maximum gross takeoff weight (MGTOW) or maximum takeoff mass (MTOM) of an aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot is allowed to attempt to take off, due to structural or other limits. The analogous ...
(MTOW).
The first -400M
combi was rolled out in June 1989. The -400D Domestic for the Japanese market, without winglets, entered service on October 22, 1991. The -400F
cargo
Cargo consists of bulk goods conveyed by water, air, or land. In economics, freight is cargo that is transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. ''Cargo'' was originally a shipload but now covers all types of freight, including trans ...
variant, without the stretched upper deck, was first delivered in May 1993. With an increased MTOW of , the extended range version entered service in October 2002 as the -400ERF freighter and the -400ER passenger version the following month. Several 747-400 aircraft have undergone freighter conversion or other modifications to serve as
transports of heads of state
Air transports for heads of state and government are, in many countries, provided by the air force in specially equipped airliners or business jets. One such aircraft in particular has become part of popular culture: Air Force One, used by the P ...
,
YAL-1
The Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser Testbed (formerly Airborne Laser) weapons system was a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) mounted inside a modified military Boeing 747-400F. It was primarily designed as a missile defense system ...
laser testbed,
engine testbed or the ''
Cosmic Girl'' air launcher. The
Dreamlifter
The Boeing 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF) is a wide-body cargo aircraft modified extensively from the Boeing 747-400 airliner. With a volume of it can hold three times that of a 747-400F freighter.Hanson, Mary et al"Boeing Selects EGAT f ...
is an outsize cargo conversion designed to move
Dreamliner
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an American wide-body jet airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
After dropping its unconventional Sonic Cruiser project, Boeing announced the conventional 7E7 on January 29, 2003, ...
components.
With 694 delivered over the course of 20 years from 1989 to 2009,
it was the best-selling 747 variant. Its closest competitors were the smaller
McDonnell Douglas MD-11
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is an American tri-jet wide-body airliner manufactured by American McDonnell Douglas (MDC) and later by Boeing.
Following DC-10 development studies, the MD-11 program was launched on December 30, 1986.
Assembly of t ...
trijet and
Airbus A340
The Airbus A340 is a long-range, wide-body passenger airliner that was developed and produced by Airbus.
In the mid-1970s, Airbus conceived several derivatives of the A300, its first airliner, and developed the A340 quadjet in parallel with ...
quadjet. It has been superseded by the stretched and improved
Boeing 747-8
The Boeing 747-8 is a wide-body airliner formerly developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, and the largest variant of the 747.
After introducing the 747-400, Boeing considered larger 747 versions as alternatives to the proposed double-deck ...
, introduced in October 2011. In the late 2010s, older 747-400 passenger aircraft were being phased out by airlines in favor of long-range, wide-body twinjet aircraft, such as the
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777, commonly referred to as the Triple Seven, is an American long-range wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet.
The 777 was designed to bridge the gap bet ...
and
Airbus A350
The Airbus A350 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner developed and produced by Airbus.
The first A350 design proposed by Airbus in 2004, in response to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, would have been a development of the A330 wi ...
.
Development
Background
![Boeing 747-400 3view](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Boeing_747-400_3view.svg)
Following its introduction in 1969, the Boeing 747 became a major success with airlines and the flying public.
As the world's first wide-body jetliner, the 747 had revolutionized air travel, and cemented its manufacturer's dominance in the passenger aircraft market. In 1980, Boeing announced the 747-300, its latest 747 variant featuring greater passenger capacity. This was made possible by making a stretched upper deck (SUD), previously an option on the 747-200, a standard feature. The SUD was almost twice as long as the original 747 upper deck. Besides increased capacity, the 747-300 did not offer any increase in range, nor did it include improvements in flight deck technology or construction materials.
At the same time, 747s were becoming more costly to operate due to a number of factors, notably conventional flight control systems, three-person flight crews, and fuel costs.
In 1982, Boeing introduced a two-crew glass cockpit, new engines, and advanced materials on its 757 and 767 twinjets.
[ At the same time, combined sales of the 747-100, −200, −300, and ]747SP
The Boeing 747SP (for ''Special Performance'') is a shortened version of the Boeing 747 wide-body airliner, designed for a longer range.
Boeing needed a smaller aircraft to compete with the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 TriSta ...
models (collectively referred to as the 747 "Classics") exceeded 700, but new orders slowed precipitously. The introduction of the 747-300 did little to stem the decline, and itself faced potential competition from more modern designs. As a result, Boeing began considering a more significant upgrade for its largest passenger jet.[
By early 1984, company officials had identified five development objectives for the latest 747 upgrade: new technologies, an enhanced interior, a range increase, more efficient engines, and a 10 percent reduction in operating cost.][ In September 1984, Boeing announced development of the newest 747 derivative, the "Advanced Series 300", at the ]Farnborough Airshow
The Farnborough Airshow, officially the Farnborough International Airshow, is a trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries, where civilian and military aircraft are demonstrated to potential customers and investors. Since its fir ...
.[ On October 22, 1985, the type was officially launched when Northwest Airlines became the first 747-400 customer, with an order for 10 aircraft.][ ]Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (CPA), more widely known as Cathay Pacific (), is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport. The airline's operations and subsidiaries have sc ...
, KLM
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, legally ''Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V.'' (literal translation: Royal Aviation Company Plc.), is the flag carrier airline of the Netherlands. KLM is headquartered in Amstelveen, with its hub at nearby Amste ...
, Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa AG (), commonly shortened to Lufthansa, is the flag carrier of Germany. When combined with its subsidiaries, it is the second- largest airline in Europe in terms of passengers carried. Lufthansa is one of the five founding m ...
, Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines (abbreviation: SIA) is the flag carrier airline of the Republic of Singapore with its Airline hub, hub located at Singapore Changi Airport. The airline is notable for highlighting the Singapore Girl as its central figure in ...
, and British Airways
British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a populati ...
also announced orders several months later, followed by United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. , Air France
Air France (; formally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global air ...
, and Japan Airlines
, also known as JAL (''Jaru'') or , is an international airline and Japan's flag carrier and largest airline as of 2021 and 2022, headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Haneda Airport, as w ...
.
Design effort
Seven early customers, namely British Airways, Cathay Pacific, KLM, Lufthansa, Northwest, Qantas and Singapore Airlines, formed a consultative group to advise Boeing on the 747-400's design process. While the aircraft was planned as a new-technology upgrade, Boeing originally proposed minimal design changes in order to reduce development cost and retain commonality
In aviation, fleet commonality is the economic and logistic benefits of operating a standardized fleet of aircraft that share common parts, training requirements, or other characteristics.
Different types of commonality
Commonality policies ...
with existing models.[ The airline consultative group sought more advanced changes, including a two-crew glass cockpit. As a result of airline input, the 747-400's new digital cockpit design featured ]cathode-ray tube
A cathode-ray tube (CRT) is a vacuum tube containing one or more electron guns, which emit electron beams that are manipulated to display images on a phosphorescent screen. The images may represent electrical waveforms (oscilloscope), pictur ...
(CRT) display technologies first employed on the 757 and 767. The autopilot was also changed to that of the 757 and 767; on the 747-400 a software update was added to allow an 'altitude intervention' mode.
The 747-400's wingspan was stretched by over the Classic 747 through wingtip extensions. For reduced aerodynamic drag
In fluid dynamics, drag (sometimes called air resistance, a type of friction, or fluid resistance, another type of friction or fluid friction) is a force acting opposite to the relative motion of any object moving with respect to a surrounding fl ...
, the wings were fitted with -tall winglet
Wingtip devices are intended to improve the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft by reducing drag. Although there are several types of wing tip devices which function in different manners, their intended effect is always to reduce an aircraft' ...
s. Despite the added length, the wings were lighter as a result of new aluminum alloys.[ The horizontal tail was also redesigned to fit a fuel tank, resulting in a range increase, and the rudder travel was increased to 30 degrees.][ The landing gear was redesigned with larger wheels and carbon brakes.][ Internal changes further included a restyled cabin with new materials and updated fittings.]
New engines offered on the 747-400 included the Pratt & Whitney PW4056, the General Electric CF6-80C2B1F, and the Rolls-Royce RB211-524G/H.[ The engines offered lower fuel consumption and greater thrust, along with a full-authority digital engine control (]FADEC
A full authority digital engine (or electronics) control (FADEC) is a system consisting of a digital computer, called an "electronic engine controller" (EEC) or "engine control unit" (ECU), and its related accessories that control all aspects of ai ...
) which adjusted engine performance for improved efficiency compared with the Classic 747s.[ A new ]auxiliary power unit
An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft and naval ships as well as some large land vehicles. Aircraft APUs generally produce 115&n ...
(APU) manufactured by Pratt & Whitney Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC or P&WC) is a Canada-based aircraft engine manufacturer. PWC's headquarters are in Longueuil, Quebec, just outside Montreal. It is a division of the larger US-based Pratt & Whitney (P&W), itself a business unit of ...
was also selected to provide on-ground power for the 747-400, with a 40 percent reduction in fuel consumption compared to previous APU designs.[
]
Production and testing
Final assembly of the first 747-400 began at Boeing's Everett factory, the longtime site of 747 production, in September 1987.[ More than fifty percent of the aircraft was produced by subcontractors, with major structures, engine nacelles, and sub-assemblies supplied by Northrop, and upper deck fuselage frames from ]Daewoo
Daewoo ( ; Hangul: , Hanja: , ; literally "great universe" and a portmanteau of "dae" meaning great, and the given name of founder and chairman Kim Woo-choong) also known as the Daewoo Group, was a major South Korean chaebol (type of conglomerat ...
. All components were integrated during the final assembly process at the Everett factory. The first aircraft, equipped with PW4056 engines, was completed over the winter months of late 1987.[ On January 26, 1988, the first 747-400 rolled out at the Everett factory, while the first 737-400 rolled out at Boeing's Renton factory on the same day, marking the first double jetliner rollout in the manufacturer's history.][ By the time of the rollout, the 747-400 program had amassed more than 100 orders.][
]
The 747-400 flew for the first time on April 29, 1988, under the command of test pilot James Loesch and co-pilot Kenneth Higgins. The first flight was six weeks behind schedule, owing to subcontractor delays in supplying components, and extra troubleshooting on the aircraft's electronics systems.[ The maiden flight took off from ]Paine Field
Paine Field , also known as Snohomish County Airport, is a commercial and general aviation airport serving the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located in unincorporated Snohomish County, Washington, between the ...
, site of the Everett factory, and landed at Boeing Field
Boeing Field, officially King County International Airport , is a public airport owned and operated by King County, five miles south of downtown Seattle, Washington. The airport is sometimes referred to as KCIA (King County International Airpo ...
, south of Seattle, after an uneventful 2 hours and 26 minutes.[ The 747-400's flight test program utilized the first four aircraft built, one more than the minimum number necessary to certify the aircraft's three engine options.][ One test aircraft each was fitted with the CF6-80C2B1F and RB211-524G/H engines, while the other two featured PW4056 engines, with the fourth aircraft serving as a backup.][ ]Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
(FAA) certification was received on January 9, 1989, with Pratt & Whitney PW4000
The Pratt & Whitney PW4000 is a family of dual-spool, axial-flow, high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines produced by Pratt & Whitney as the successor to the JT9D.
It was first run in April 1984, was FAA certified in July 1986, and was introdu ...
engines, May 18, 1989, with General Electric CF6
The General Electric CF6, US military designations F103 and F138, is a family of high-bypass turbofan engines produced by GE Aviation. Based on the TF39, the first high-power high-bypass jet engine, the CF6 powers a wide variety of civilian ai ...
-80C2s and June 8, 1989, with Rolls-Royce RB211
The Rolls-Royce RB211 is a British family of high-bypass turbofan engines made by Rolls-Royce. The engines are capable of generating of thrust. The RB211 engine was the first production three-spool engine, and turned Rolls-Royce from a signif ...
-524Gs.
As the flight test program proceeded, Boeing encountered problems in the 747-400's production process, leading it to disclose delivery delays of up to one month for the first 20 aircraft built.[ A primary reason for the delays was the unprecedented complexity of interior configurations offered to airlines, which ranged from ]lavatory
Lavatory, Lav, or Lavvy may refer to:
*Toilet, the plumbing fixture
*Toilet (room), containing a toilet
*Public toilet
*Aircraft lavatory, the public toilet on an aircraft
*Latrine, a rudimentary toilet
*A lavatorium, the washing facility in a mon ...
and galley
A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used ...
locations to the color shades of cabin warning label
A warning label is a label attached to a Product (business), product, or contained in a product's Owner's manual, instruction manual, warning the user about risks associated with its use, and may include restrictions by the Manufacturing, man ...
s.[ Coupled with new, relatively inexperienced workers, a lack of veteran technicians, interior configurations needing costly re-work, and teething problems with electronics integration on the advanced flight deck, 747-400 production fell behind schedule.][ The company managed to resolve early production issues by mid-1989, with the first example airframes of all three engine variants delivered within four months of each other, and overall delays not exceeding several weeks.][
]
Service entry and operations
The first 747-400 ( N661US) was delivered to launch customer Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWA) was a major American airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines, Inc. by a merger. The merger, approved on October 29, 2008, made Delta the largest airline in the world until the American Airlines ...
.[ "Registration No.: N401PW as Boeing test plane; changed to ''N661US'' for delivery to Northwest."] This jet became known for an incident on Northwest Flight 85 caused by a rudder hardover.[Originally retrieved]
on December 23, 2012. "Registration: ''N661US''...the captain said the airplane was at a cruise altitude of 35,000 feet with the autopilot engaged, when it abruptly rolled into a 30 to 40 degree left bank." N661US was later sold to Delta Airlines when Northwest merged with it. N661US later became preserved at the Delta Flight Museum. This was the twentieth anniversary of the 747-100's first flight. On May 31, 1989, Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines (abbreviation: SIA) is the flag carrier airline of the Republic of Singapore with its Airline hub, hub located at Singapore Changi Airport. The airline is notable for highlighting the Singapore Girl as its central figure in ...
operated the first international service using a 747-400, on a flight from Singapore to London.
In May 1989, one week before the initial delivery to the 747-400's first European customer, KLM, the Joint Aviation Authorities
The Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) was an associated body of the European Civil Aviation Conference representing the civil aviation regulatory authorities of a number of European States who had agreed to co-operate in developing and implementin ...
(JAA) shocked Boeing by refusing to grant regulatory certification for the aircraft, citing the upper deck cabin floor's resistance to collapse in the event of a sudden decompression.[ While the manufacturer asserted that the 747-400's cabin floor was no different from the already-certified and in-service 747-300, the JAA maintained that the newer model would have a service life into 2020 and beyond and was thus subject to a newer, more stringent standard which had been updated to reflect the risk of ]explosive device
An explosive device is a device that relies on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide a violent release of energy.
Applications of explosive devices include:
*Building implosion (demolition)
* Excavation
*Explosive forming
...
s. In the days leading up to the first delivery to KLM, negotiations between Boeing, the FAA, and the JAA resulted in a compromise: a temporary operating certificate
Operating certificate is a category of license issued by a government agency allowing an individual or company to provide a controlled type of service. These certificates are generally issued for a limited time period. Certificates can have in ...
would be issued for the 747-400, provided that the manufacturer develop a structural retrofit for the aircraft within two years.[ The last-minute deal allowed KLM and Lufthansa to take delivery of their 747-400s without further delays.][
After the first 747-400 deliveries, Boeing began production on more variants of the aircraft. The first 747-400 Combi, able to carry both passengers and freight, was rolled out in June 1989.][ The 747-400 Domestic, a short-range variant of the aircraft designed for Japanese intra-island services, first flew on March 18, 1991, and entered service with ]Japan Airlines
, also known as JAL (''Jaru'') or , is an international airline and Japan's flag carrier and largest airline as of 2021 and 2022, headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Haneda Airport, as w ...
on October 22, 1991. A cargo variant, the 747-400F, was first delivered in May 1993 to Cargolux
Cargolux, legally ''Cargolux Airlines International S.A.'', is a Luxembourgian flag carrier cargo airline with its headquarters and hub at Luxembourg Airport. With a global network, it is one of the largest scheduled all-cargo airlines in Europe ...
.[ By the end of the 1990s, Boeing was producing four versions of the 747-400.
]
Further developments
The extended range freighter (ERF) entered service in October 2002. The next month, the extended range (ER) passenger version entered service with Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the world's third-oldest airline still in operation, having been founded ...
, the only airline ever to order the passenger version of the 747-400ER. Qantas initially used the 747-400ER for the Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
to Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
and Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
to Sydney route allowing the completion of the flight with full passenger load and cargo. Prior to the 747-400ER, Qantas would complete such flights by blocking out 'E' zone of the cabin and limiting passenger numbers and cargo. The 747-400ER featured the ''Boeing Signature Interior'', which was later made available on the 747-400 (either as a retrofit on existing 747-400s or factory installation on new frames).
The 747-400ER also introduced some flight deck enhancements, including liquid-crystal display
A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display
A flat-panel display (FPD) is an electronic display used to display visual content such as text or images. It is present in consumer, medical, transportation, and industrial equipmen ...
s (LCDs), which replaced the six cathode ray tube
A cathode-ray tube (CRT) is a vacuum tube containing one or more electron guns, which emit electron beams that are manipulated to display images on a phosphorescent screen. The images may represent electrical waveforms ( oscilloscope), pictu ...
(CRT) displays found on the Boeing 747-400. LCDs later became standard on the 747-400 as well, and could be retrofitted to earlier aircraft. The three standby flight displays found on the 747-400 were also replaced by a single combined LCD, the integrated standby flight display (ISFD), which also became standard on the 747-400 in late 2003.
In the 2000s, as part of an effort to promote sustainable and alternative fuel development, as well as lower emissions, several 747-400 operators studied the use of oil extracted from the jatropha
''Jatropha'' is a genus of flowering plants in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. The name is derived from the Greek words ἰατρός (''iatros''), meaning "physician", and τροφή (''trophe''), meaning "nutrition", hence the common name ...
plant. Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited () is the flag carrier airline of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 20 domestic and 30 international destinations in 18 countries, primarily around and within the Pacific ...
carried out the first commercial flight using jatropha oil for fuel; the airline's 747-400 had one engine burning a mix of 50% jatropha oil
''Jatropha curcas'' is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, that is native to the American tropics, most likely Mexico and Central America. It is originally native to the tropical areas of the Americas from Mexico to ...
and 50% jet fuel for two hours during the flight while engineers collected data. Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines, simply known as Continental, was a major United States airline founded in 1934 and eventually headquartered in Houston, Texas. It had ownership interests and brand partnerships with several carriers.
Continental started o ...
tested jatropha oil in one of its airliners on January 7, 2009. Jatropha is easy to grow, needs little fertilizer or water, and produces an oil-rich plant.
In 2007, unit cost for the 747-400/-400ER was US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
234 or 266.5 million, and for the 747-400F/-400ERF US$238 or 268 million.[Boeing Commercial Airplanes prices](_blank)
. Boeing.
Production of the 747-400 passenger version officially ceased on March 15, 2007.["747-400 passenger jet is no more"]
''Seattle Post-Intelligencer''. March 17, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2011. The last four -400s on order were cancelled by Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines (PAL), a trade name of PAL Holdings, Inc. ( PSEPAL (Philippine Air Lines until 1970), is the flag carrier airline of the Philippines. Headquartered at the PNB Financial Center in Pasay, the airline was founded in 1941 and i ...
(which switched to the 777-300ER
The Boeing 777, commonly referred to as the Triple Seven, is an American long-range wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet.
The 777 was designed to bridge the gap betw ...
). The last to order the -400 was China Airlines
China Airlines (CAL; ) is the state-owned flag carrier of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and one of its two major airlines along with EVA Air. It is headquartered in Taoyuan International Airport and operates over 1,400 flights weekly (inclu ...
in November 2002, with the last passenger 747-400 constructed in 2005 and delivered in April of that year. It was the 1358th 747 (MSN33737/B-18215). The last 747-400 was a -400ERF delivered on December 22, 2009, to Kalitta Air.[Kingsley-Jones, Max]
"Chapter closes as Boeing finally delivers last of original 747s"
. ''Flight International'', December 22, 2009.
Retirement and economic value
The 747-400's leasing, resale and salvage value has dropped steeply because it is relatively expensive to operate. As most 747-400s are now more than 20 years old, airlines are beginning to replace them. Airlines using the 747-400 have been retiring the model, replacing it with more fuel efficient aircraft. The main appeal of the 747-400 like its predecessors was its range rather than its capacity, and in most cases it has been replaced by wide-body twin-engine aircraft of similar range, such as the Boeing 777
The Boeing 777, commonly referred to as the Triple Seven, is an American long-range wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet.
The 777 was designed to bridge the gap bet ...
and Boeing 787 Dreamliner
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an American wide-body jet airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
After dropping its unconventional Sonic Cruiser project, Boeing announced the conventional 7E7 on January 29, 2003, ...
. The change in emphasis from hub and spoke operations to point-to-point flights has also reduced the need for jumbo jets. Airlines such as British Airways and Qantas that plan to maintain the same capacity on routes currently served by 747-400s ordered the Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a large wide-body airliner that was developed and produced by Airbus. It is the world's largest passenger airliner and only full-length double-deck jet airliner.
Airbus studies started in 1988, and the project was annou ...
rather than the updated 747-8
The Boeing 747-8 is a wide-body airliner formerly developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, and the largest variant of the 747.
After introducing the 747-400, Boeing considered larger 747 versions as alternatives to the proposed double-deck ...
.
For example, Delta Air Lines reduced the number of flights it operated from the United States to Narita International Airport
Narita International Airport ( ja, 成田国際空港, Narita Kokusai Kūkō) , also known as Tokyo-Narita, formerly and originally known as , is one of two international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the other one being Haneda Airport ...
that were intended to transfer passengers to other destinations in Asia, switching to twin-engine widebody aircraft operating from an expanded hub at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Total capacity was cut, but load factors improved. In April 2015, Delta announced it would accelerate the retirement of its 747-400s and replace them either with Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body aircraft developed and produced by Airbus.
Airbus conceived several derivatives of the A300, its first airliner in the mid-1970s. Then the company began development on the A330 twinjet in parallel with the A340 ...
or Airbus A350
The Airbus A350 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner developed and produced by Airbus.
The first A350 design proposed by Airbus in 2004, in response to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, would have been a development of the A330 wi ...
aircraft (both of which are twinjets). Delta could not keep the 747s full without deeply discounting ticket prices; the discounts and increased maintenance required of a four-engine aircraft led to a drag on profits.
Since the cost of replacing a 747-400 is high (an airline must purchase or lease another wide-body), some operators choose to fly the 747-400 to the conclusion of its accepted useful life and then scrap it. The current parts resale value for this aircraft has been reduced to its engines. When a 26-year-old 747-400 owned by Delta flew through a violent hailstorm, the company indicated it was likely the aircraft would be scrapped. George Dimitroff, head of valuations for FlightGlobal, estimated the aircraft's value before the incident at about $8 million. He noted that this was not the same as its insured value. As discussed in the section on 747-400 converted freighters, there is no longer a viable economic model for converting retired passenger 747-400 aircraft into dedicated freighters, so most retired passenger aircraft will likely be scrapped.
Several airlines have retired their 747-400s from the trans-pacific market. Remaining operators in 2014 included EVA Air, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic, a trading name of Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited and Virgin Atlantic International Limited, is a British airline with its head office in Crawley, England. The airline was established in 1984 as British Atlantic Airways, and w ...
, British Airways and United. United's deployment of them also reflected a change in emphasis from Asian hubs to domestic hubs.[Adrian Schofield, Madhu Unnikrishnan and Sean Broderick.]
Airlines Cut 747s From Asia-Pacific Networks
''Aviation Week & Space Technology
''Aviation Week & Space Technology'', often abbreviated ''Aviation Week'' or ''AW&ST'', is the flagship magazine of the Aviation Week Network. The weekly magazine is available in print and online, reporting on the aerospace, defense and aviati ...
'', 16 September 2014. Accessed: 17 September 2014
Archived
on 17 September 2014 On January 11, 2017, United announced it would begin phasing out its 747-400s and made its last 747 flight on November 7 that year. Delta Airlines was the last US airline to operate the Boeing 747, retiring the last of the 747-400 fleet it inherited from Northwest Airlines in December 2017. British Airways, the largest passenger 747-400 operator, announced that they will be phasing out their 747-400 fleet in February 2024, British Airways will replace its Boeing 747-400s with the Airbus A350-1000. Lufthansa will be retiring their 747-400 fleet in 2025 as they are being replaced by the Boeing 777x and the Boeing 747-8i. KLM will be retiring their 747-400 Combi and Passenger fleet in 2020 as they are being replaced by the Boeing 777-300ER, the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, and the Airbus A350-900. However, KLM announced it plans to retire its last Boeing 747-400 by January 1, 2021, instead of 2020 due to delivery delays for the new wide-body twin jets.
The global COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
hastened the retirement of many remaining passenger Boeing 747-400s due to a sharp decline in passenger traffic. For instance, KLM retired its Boeing 747-400 Combi and Passenger fleets in March 2020. Qantas announced the retirement of its 747-400 and 747-400ER fleet by the end of 2020, with the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner taking its place. China Airlines also announced that they will be retiring their remaining four passenger Boeing 747-400s by the end of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (which were delivered between 2004 and 2005, operating on flights within Asia) with the Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 777-300ER taking over all high-volume routes and all Asian International routes. However, China Airlines didn't retire its last passenger Boeing 747-400 until February 2021. British Airways
British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a populati ...
retired its remaining 31 Boeing 747-400s 4 years ahead of the original February 2024 deadline. Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic, a trading name of Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited and Virgin Atlantic International Limited, is a British airline with its head office in Crawley, England. The airline was established in 1984 as British Atlantic Airways, and w ...
also retired their remaining leisure fleet 747-400s in May 2020 citing the COVID-19 pandemic - the fleet was due to retire in 2021. As of September, 2021, there were just 42 passenger 747-400 in operation (10 actively flying, 32 in storage) across 10 carriers worldwide. Lufthansa and Air China had plans to resume flying some of their stored aircraft by October, 2021.
Design
The 747-400's airframe features extended and lighter wings than the previous 747s, capped by winglets. The winglets result in a 3 percent increase in long-range cruise, improved takeoff performance, and higher cruise altitudes.[ The extended wingspan also gains an additional ]leading edge
The leading edge of an airfoil surface such as a wing is its foremost edge and is therefore the part which first meets the oncoming air.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 305. Aviation Supplies & Academics, ...
flap section.[ When unfurnished, the basic 747-400 fuselage is lighter than preceding models, but when fitted out it is heavier and stronger than previous models.] The landing gear uses the same configuration as the previous 747s, but with carbon brakes replacing the previous steel ones, and overall weight savings of .[
The 747-400's glass cockpit features CRT displays which show flight instrumentation along with engine indication and crew alerting system (EICAS) diagnostics.][ The flight engineer station on the previous 747s is no longer installed, and the new displays and simplified layout results in a two-thirds reduction of switches, lights, and gauges versus the Classic 747.][ Other new systems include an advanced ]Honeywell
Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building technologies, performance ma ...
flight management computer (FMC) which assists pilots in calculating optimal altitudes and routes along with a Rockwell-Collins central maintenance computer (CMC) which automates troubleshooting tasks.[
The redesigned 747-400 interior features new cabin sidewalls, heat-resistant phenolic glass and carbon composite paneling, and larger storage bins.][ An enhanced in-flight entertainment framework, called the Advanced Cabin Entertainment/Service System (ACESS), debuted on the 747-400, which integrates 18-channel audio capability, four-passenger intercom announcement zones, inter-cabin telephones, and passenger lighting into a central system.] An eight-bunk overhead crew rest is installed above the aft cabin, while a second crew rest area is located on the upper deck behind the cockpit for flight crew use.[
The last few 747-400s delivered feature the Boeing Signature Interior, derived from the Boeing 777.]
United Airlines B747-422 Economy cabin.jpg, alt=Aircraft main cabin with two aisle and multiple seat rows., United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. 747-400 main deck economy class
Economy class, also called third class, coach class, steerage, or to distinguish it from the slightly more expensive premium economy class, standard economy class or budget economy class, is the lowest travel class of seating in air travel, rail ...
cabin
British Airways 747 Club World 2006.jpg, alt=A forward-looking view in the stretched upper deck cabin of later 747s, British Airways
British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a populati ...
747-400 upper deck old style business class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary, by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between ...
N673USBizelitecabin.jpg, alt=Aircraft cabin with first class seats., Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...
747-400 main deck BusinessElite cabin
Variants
747-400
The original variant of the redesigned 747, the 747-400 debuted an increased wingspan, winglet
Wingtip devices are intended to improve the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft by reducing drag. Although there are several types of wing tip devices which function in different manners, their intended effect is always to reduce an aircraft' ...
s, revised engines, and a glass cockpit
A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. While a traditional cockpit relies on numerous mech ...
which removed the need for a flight engineer. The type also featured the stretched upper deck (SUD) introduced with the 747-300. The passenger model formed the bulk of 747-400s sold, and 442 were built.
In 1989, the Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the world's third-oldest airline still in operation, having been founded ...
747-400 VH-OJA flew non-stop from London Heathrow
Heathrow Airport (), called ''London Airport'' until 1966 and now known as London Heathrow , is a major international airport in London, England. It is the largest of the six international airports in the London airport system (the others bei ...
to Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
, a distance of , in 20 hours and 9 minutes to set a commercial aircraft world distance record.[FAI Record ID #2201 - Distance]
" ''Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The (; FAI; en, World Air Sports Federation) is the world governing body for air sports, and also stewards definitions regarding human spaceflight. It was founded on 14 October 1905, and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. It maintai ...
(FAI).'' Retrieved: 17 September 2014. , this is the fastest heavyweight flight between London and Sydney.[FAI Record ID #2202 - Speed over a recognised course]
" ''Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The (; FAI; en, World Air Sports Federation) is the world governing body for air sports, and also stewards definitions regarding human spaceflight. It was founded on 14 October 1905, and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. It maintai ...
(FAI).'' Retrieved: 17 September 2014. This was a delivery flight with no commercial passengers or freight on board. During testing, the first 747-400 built also set a world record for the heaviest airliner takeoff on June 27, 1988, on a flight to simulate heavy-weight stalls.[ The aircraft had a takeoff weight of , and in order to satisfy ]Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The (; FAI; en, World Air Sports Federation) is the world governing body for air sports, and also stewards definitions regarding human spaceflight. It was founded on 14 October 1905, and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. It maintai ...
regulations, climbed to a height of .[
On February 9, 2020, a British Airways Boeing 747-400 broke the New York–London subsonic airliner speed record in 4 hours 56 minutes, pushed by the powerful ]Jetstream
Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow, meandering air currents in the atmospheres of some planets, including Earth. On Earth, the main jet streams are located near the altitude of the tropopause and are westerly winds (flowing west to east) ...
linked to Storm Ciara
Storm Ciara was a powerful and long-lived extratropical cyclone that was the first of a pair of European windstorms to affect the United Kingdom and Ireland at peak intensity less than a week apart in early February 2020, followed by Storm Denn ...
.
747-400F
The 747-400F (Freighter) is an all freight version of the 747-400. While using the updated systems and wing design of the passenger versions, it features the original short upper deck found on the classic 747s to reduce weight. The 747-400F has a maximum takeoff weight of and a maximum payload of . The -400F can be easily distinguished from the passenger -400 by its shorter upper-deck hump and lack of windows along the main deck.
The model's first flight was on May 4, 1993, and entered service with Cargolux
Cargolux, legally ''Cargolux Airlines International S.A.'', is a Luxembourgian flag carrier cargo airline with its headquarters and hub at Luxembourg Airport. With a global network, it is one of the largest scheduled all-cargo airlines in Europe ...
on November 17, 1993. Major customers included Atlas Air
Atlas Air, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, is a major American cargo airline, passenger charter airline, and aircraft lessor based in Purchase, New York. Atlas Air is the world's largest operator of the Boei ...
, Cargolux, China Airlines
China Airlines (CAL; ) is the state-owned flag carrier of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and one of its two major airlines along with EVA Air. It is headquartered in Taoyuan International Airport and operates over 1,400 flights weekly (inclu ...
, Korean Air
Korean Air Co., Ltd. (), operating as Korean Air (Korean Air Lines before 1984), is the flag carrier of South Korea and its largest airline based on fleet size, international destinations and international flights.
The present-day Korean Air ...
, Nippon Cargo Airlines
, or NCA, is a cargo airline with its head office on the property of Narita International Airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, outside Tokyo. It operates scheduled cargo services in Asia and to Europe and North America. Its main base is Narita ...
and Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines (abbreviation: SIA) is the flag carrier airline of the Republic of Singapore with its Airline hub, hub located at Singapore Changi Airport. The airline is notable for highlighting the Singapore Girl as its central figure in ...
.
The 747-400F has a main deck nose door and a mechanized cargo handling system. The nose door swings up so that pallets or containers up to can be loaded straight in on motor-driven rollers. An optional main deck side cargo door (like the 747-400M Combi) allows loading of dimensionally taller cargo modules. A lower deck ("belly") side door allows loading of unit load devices (ULD) up to 163 cm in height. Boeing delivered 126 Boeing 747-400F aircraft with no unfilled orders .[747 Model Orders and Deliveries data](_blank)
. Boeing, November 2009. Retrieved: December 22, 2009. The last -400F was delivered to Nippon Cargo Airlines on August 2, 2008.
A 2008 747-400F value new was $ million, a 2003 aircraft was leased $400,000 per month in 2019 for a $29 million value while a B747-400BCF was priced at around $10 million.
747-400M
The 747-400M (a passenger/freight or "Combi" variant originally designated as 747-400BC) first flew on June 30, 1989, and entered service with KLM
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, legally ''Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V.'' (literal translation: Royal Aviation Company Plc.), is the flag carrier airline of the Netherlands. KLM is headquartered in Amstelveen, with its hub at nearby Amste ...
on September 12, 1989. Based on the successful Combi versions of the Classic 747s, the -400M has a large cargo door fitted to the rear of the fuselage for freight loading to the aft main deck cargo hold. A locked partition separates the cargo area from the forward passenger cabin, and the -400M also features additional fire protection, a strengthened main deck floor, a roller-conveyor system, and passenger-to-cargo conversion equipment. The last 747-400M was delivered to KLM on April 10, 2002. Boeing sold 61 747-400M aircraft, which was similar to earlier 747 "Combi" versions (78 747-200M, 21 747-300M).
KLM is the last 747-400M operator. The Boeing 747-400M was initially planned to be retired by January 1, 2021, however the Boeing 747-400M was instead retired by March 27, 2020, as Air France-KLM
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
announced in early March 2020 to retire all remaining passenger Boeing 747-400s of KLM (including all KLM Boeing 747-400M aircraft) immediately due to reduced air travel demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, although, due to a global shortage in air cargo capacity, three KLM 747-400Ms were temporarily reactivated after just a week to operate cargo-only flights to Asia.
747-400D
The 747-400D (Domestic) is a high-density seating model developed for short-haul, high-volume domestic Japanese flights, serving the same role as the prior Boeing 747-100SR domestic model. This model is capable of seating a maximum of 568 passengers in a two-class configuration or 660 passengers in a single-class configuration.
The -400D lacks the wingtip extensions and winglets included on other variants. Winglets would provide minimal benefits on short-haul routes while adding extra weight and cost. The -400D may be converted to the long-range version if needed. The 747-400D can be distinguished from the otherwise similar-looking 747-300 by the extra windows on the upper deck. These allow for extra seating at the rear of the upper deck, where a galley would normally be situated on longer flights. In total, 19 of the type were built, with the last example delivered to All Nippon Airways
, also known as ANA (''Ē-enu-ē'') or is an airline in Japan. Its headquarters are located in Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area of Minato ward of Tokyo. It operates services to both domestic and international destinations and had mo ...
on February 11, 1996. This variant was retired when ANA retired its last 747-400D on March 31, 2014.
747-400ER
The 747-400ER (Extended Range) was launched on November 28, 2000, following an order by Qantas for six aircraft. The model was commonly referred to as the '910k', signifying its maximum weight achieved via structural modifications and modified landing gear. The 747-400ER included the option of one or two additional body fuel tanks in the forward cargo hold, but Qantas only ordered the single body tank configuration, and no airplanes were delivered with two body fuel tanks. Manufactured by Marshall Aerospace
Marshall Group, formerly Marshall of Cambridge and Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, is a British company headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Subsidiaries include Marshall Aerospace, an aircraft maintenance, modification, and desig ...
, the tanks utilized metal to metal honeycomb-bonded technology to achieve a high fuel volume-to-dry weight ratio. The tanks featured a double wall and an integrated venting system, and achieved fuel control via a modified Fuel System Management Card (FSMC) which optimized fuel transfer into the Center Wing Tank (CWT) in flight, along with fuel transfer from the Horizontal Stabiliser Tank (HST). The tank was removable using tooling that interfaced with the cargo loading system. Similar technology had been used by Marshall in the development of body fuel tanks for the Boeing 777-200LR
The Boeing 777, commonly referred to as the Triple Seven, is an American long-range wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet.
The 777 was designed to bridge the gap bet ...
and Boeing P-8A Poseidon
The Boeing P-8 Poseidon is an American maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft developed and produced by Boeing Defense, Space & Security, and derived from the civilian Boeing 737-800. It was developed for the United States Navy (USN).
T ...
. Other changes to the 747-400ER included the relocation of oxygen system components and the potable water
Drinking water is water that is used in drink or food preparation; potable water is water that is safe to be used as drinking water. The amount of drinking water required to maintain good health varies, and depends on physical activity level, ag ...
system tanks and pumps, because the body fuel tanks prevent access to the standard locations.[Boeing Field Service Introduction Data 2012]
The first 747-400ER was used as a test flight airplane and painted in Boeing colors, with registration N747ER. Qantas received the first delivery of a 747-400ER registration VH-OEF on October 31, 2002, although it was the second airplane built. The flight test airplane was later refurbished, repainted in standard QANTAS livery, and registered as VH-OEE. Qantas was the only customer for the passenger version of the 747-400ER, chosen by the airline to allow for full loads between Melbourne and Los Angeles, particularly in the western direction. The 747-400ER could fly farther, or carry more payload, than the -400.
In May 2018, Qantas announced that it would retire the whole of its 747 fleet by 2020, including all 747-400ERs.
747-400ERF
The 747-400ERF (Extended Range Freighter) is the freight version of the -400ER, launched on April 30, 2001. The 747-400ERF is similar to the 747-400F, except for increased gross weight capability which allows it to carry more payload. Unlike the 747-400ER, no customers ordered the optional body (cargo compartment) fuel tanks which reflects the desire to carry more cargo, not fuel, as the benefit of the improved payload rating. The 747-400ERF has a maximum takeoff weight of and a maximum payload of . It offers cargo airlines the choice of either adding more payload than other 747-400 freighter variants, or adding to the maximum range.
The -400ERF has a range of with maximum payload, about farther than the standard 747-400 freighter, and has a strengthened fuselage, landing gear, and parts of its wing, along with new, larger tires. The first -400ERF was delivered to Air France
Air France (; formally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global air ...
(via ILFC
The International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) was an aircraft lessor headquartered in the Constellation Place in Century City, Los Angeles, California, US.
It was the world's largest aircraft lessor by value, though ILFC's rival, General El ...
) on October 17, 2002. Boeing has delivered 40 Boeing 747-400ERFs with no outstanding orders. The new 747-8 Freighter has more payload capacity, but less range than the 747-400ERF when both are at MTOW.
747-400 Boeing Converted Freighter
The 747-400BCF (Boeing Converted Freighter), formerly known as the 747-400SF (Special Freighter), is a conversion program for standard passenger 747-400s. The project was launched in 2004 with conversions by approved contractors such as HAECO
Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited (HAECO) is a leading independent aircraft engineering and maintenance group with its head office located at Hong Kong International Airport. Established in 1950, the HAECO Group comprises 16 operat ...
, KAL Aerospace and SIA Engineering Company
SIA Engineering Company Limited (commonly abbreviated as SIAEC) () is a Singaporean company, specialising in aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul ( MRO) services in the Asia-Pacific. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Singapore Airline ...
. The first Boeing 747-400BCF was redelivered to Cathay Pacific Cargo and entered service on December 20, 2005. Cathay retired the 747-400BCF in 2017 after 11 years of service.
The 747-400BDSF (BeDek Special Freighter) is another passenger-to-freighter conversion, carried out by Israel Aerospace Industries
Israel Aerospace Industries (Hebrew: התעשייה האווירית לישראל ''ha-ta'asiya ha-avirit le-yisra'el'') or IAI (תע"א) is Israel's major aerospace and aviation manufacturer, producing aerial and astronautic systems for both mi ...
(IAI). The first 747-400BDSF was redelivered to Air China Cargo in August, 2006. Several Boeing 747-400Ms of EVA Air
EVA Airways Corporation (pronounced as three letters: ; ) (), of which "EVA" stands for Evergreen Airways, is a Taiwanese international airline based at Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei, Taiwan, operating passenger and dedicated carg ...
have been converted as BDSF model after retiring from passenger service.
Neither the 747-400BCF or the 747-400BDSF has a nose cargo door; freight can only be loaded through the side cargo door.
The demand for converted 747-400 freighters declined in the early 2010s, due to the availability of belly cargo capacity on more efficient passenger wide-body twin jets, and new orders for Boeing 747-8F and 777F freighters. Approximately 79 747-400 aircraft were converted before the programs were terminated; 50 of these converted aircraft were 747-400BCF, with the remaining 29 being 747-400BDSF. Boeing announced the end of their conversion program in 2016, although conversions had ceased years earlier with no orders after 2012. Some converted freighters, that had been retired to desert storage, were returned to active service due to the increase in demand for air cargo capacity in the 2020-2021 COVID era.
747 Large Cargo Freighter
Boeing announced in October 2003 that, because of the amount of time involved with marine shipping
Maritime transport (or ocean transport) and hydraulic effluvial transport, or more generally waterborne transport, is the transport of people (passengers) or goods (cargo) via waterways. Freight transport by sea has been widely used thro ...
, air transport would be the primary method of transporting parts for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an American wide-body jet airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
After dropping its unconventional Sonic Cruiser project, Boeing announced the conventional 7E7 on January 29, 2003, ...
. Used passenger 747-400 aircraft have been converted into an outsize, "Large Cargo Freighter" (LCF) configuration to ferry sub-assemblies to Everett, Washington
Everett is the county seat and largest city of Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is north of Seattle and is one of the main cities in the metropolitan area and the Puget Sound region. Everett is the seventh-largest city in the ...
for final assembly.[Lunsford, J. L]
"Ugly in the Air: Boeing's New Plane Gets Gawks, Stares"
. ''The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
''. January 8, 2007. The LCF has a bulging fuselage similar to that of the Aero Spacelines Super Guppy
The Aero Spacelines Super Guppy is a large, wide-bodied cargo aircraft that is used for hauling outsize cargo components. It was the successor to the Pregnant Guppy, the first of the Guppy aircraft produced by Aero Spacelines. Five were built i ...
or Airbus Beluga
The Airbus A300-600ST (Super Transporter), or Beluga, is a version of the standard A300-600 wide-body airliner modified to carry aircraft parts and outsize cargo. It received the official name of ''Super Transporter'' early on; however, the nam ...
cargo aircraft.
The conversion, designed by Boeing engineers from Puget Sound
Puget Sound ( ) is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected ma ...
, Moscow and Canoga Park, Cal., and Gamesa Aeronáutica in Spain,[Boeing's 747 Large Cargo Freighter Development on Plan]
." Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) is a division of The Boeing Company. It designs, assembles, markets, and sells jet airliners and business jets ( Boeing Business Jets), and also provides product-related maintenance and training to customers wor ...
press release. February 22, 2005. was carried out in Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
by a subsidiary of the Evergreen Group
The Evergreen Group () is the Business group, organizational designation used by a Taiwan-based Conglomerate (company), conglomerate of shipping, transportation, and associated service companies. The Evergreen Group arose in 1975 from the divers ...
.[Boeing Selects EGAT for 747 Large Cargo Freighter Modifications]
." Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) is a division of The Boeing Company. It designs, assembles, markets, and sells jet airliners and business jets ( Boeing Business Jets), and also provides product-related maintenance and training to customers wor ...
press release. February 18, 2005. Boeing purchased four second-hand aircraft and had them all converted; the fourth and final LCF took its first flight in January 2010.
Delivery times are as low as one day using the 747 LCF, compared to up to 30 days for deliveries by ship.[747 Dreamlifter fact sheet](_blank)
. Boeing.com. The LCF can hold three times the volume of a 747-400F freighter and had the largest cargo hold of any aircraft, until it was surpassed by the Airbus BelugaXL
The Airbus BelugaXL (A330-743L) is a large transport aircraft based on the Airbus A330-200F built by Airbus to replace the original Airbus Beluga to move oversized aircraft components, such as wings. The aircraft made its first flight on 19 July ...
.[Boeing 7E7 Will Use Air Transport for Component Delivery]
." Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) is a division of The Boeing Company. It designs, assembles, markets, and sells jet airliners and business jets ( Boeing Business Jets), and also provides product-related maintenance and training to customers wor ...
press release. October 13, 2003. The LCF is not a Boeing production model and has not been offered for sale to any customers. The LCFs are intended for Boeing's exclusive use.
Government, military and other variants
* C-33: Proposed U.S. military transport version of the 747-400F, intended to augment the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two ...
fleet. The C-33 cost less and had greater range, although it could not use austere runways or handle outsize military equipment and had a higher expected operating cost. The plan was canceled in favor of the purchase of more C-17s.
* YAL-1
The Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser Testbed (formerly Airborne Laser) weapons system was a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) mounted inside a modified military Boeing 747-400F. It was primarily designed as a missile defense system ...
: "Airborne Laser" carrier based on a 747-400F for the United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
. The aircraft was heavily modified to carry a nose-mounted turret and Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser
A chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) is a near–infrared chemical laser. As the beam is infrared, it cannot be seen with the naked eye. It is capable of output power scaling up to megawatts in Laser#Continuous_wave_operation, continuous mode. Its ...
(COIL) equipment in order to destroy Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more thermonuclear warheads). Conventional, chemical, and biological weapons c ...
s. The aircraft was retired in 2012 after cancellation of the program funding.
*Cosmic Girl: A former Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic, a trading name of Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited and Virgin Atlantic International Limited, is a British airline with its head office in Crawley, England. The airline was established in 1984 as British Atlantic Airways, and w ...
747-400 named '' Cosmic Girl'' is used by Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic is an American spaceflight company founded by Richard Branson and his British Virgin Group retains an 11.9% stake through Virgin Investments Limited. It is headquartered in California, and operates from New Mexico. The company i ...
as the air launch to orbit
Air launch to orbit (ALTO) is the method of launching smaller rockets at altitude from a heavier conventional horizontal-takeoff
aircraft, to carry satellites to low Earth orbit. It is a follow-on development of air launches of experimental air ...
launcher for LauncherOne
LauncherOne is a two-stage orbital launch vehicle developed and flown by Virgin Orbit that began operational flights in 2021, after being in development from 2007 to 2020. It is an air-launched rocket, designed to carry smallsat payloads of u ...
, an orbital rocket
A launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket designed to carry a payload (spacecraft or satellites) from the Earth's surface to outer space. Most launch vehicles operate from a launch pads, supported by a launch control center and syste ...
.
* Evergreen 747 Supertanker: Global SuperTankers has converted an ex-Japan Airlines 747-400BCF for use as an airborne firefighter, serving as the second generation 747 Supertanker. The converted water bomber carries of water or chemical fire retardant in eight pressurized tanks. The United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...
was considering the use of this aircraft in 2017. Global SuperTanker received FAA certification September 12, 2016.
Operators
As of October 2022, there were 269 passenger and cargo aircraft of the -400 variant in service with the majority being freight aircraft. The largest passenger operators were with nine and Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa AG (), commonly shortened to Lufthansa, is the flag carrier of Germany. When combined with its subsidiaries, it is the second- largest airline in Europe in terms of passengers carried. Lufthansa is one of the five founding m ...
with eight aircraft. Additionally the largest cargo variant operators are Atlas Air
Atlas Air, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, is a major American cargo airline, passenger charter airline, and aircraft lessor based in Purchase, New York. Atlas Air is the world's largest operator of the Boei ...
(35), Kalitta Air
Kalitta Air is an American cargo airline headquartered at Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti Township, Michigan. The company operates international scheduled and cargo charter services. Its call sign "Connie" is from its founder, Connie Kalitta.
Hi ...
(24) and China Airlines
China Airlines (CAL; ) is the state-owned flag carrier of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and one of its two major airlines along with EVA Air. It is headquartered in Taoyuan International Airport and operates over 1,400 flights weekly (inclu ...
(17).
Former operators
This list also includes carriers that used the aircraft temporarily, besides main operators.
;Commercial
* Aerolíneas Argentinas
Aerolíneas Argentinas, formally Aerolíneas Argentinas S.A., is Argentina's largest airline and the country flag carrier. The airline was created in 1949 from the merger of four companies and started operations in . A consortium led by Iberia ...
* Aerosur
* Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Canada by the size and passengers carried. Air Canada maintains its headquarters in the borough of Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec. The airline, founded in 1937, provides scheduled and ...
* Air Cargo Germany
Air Cargo Germany GmbH (abbreviated ACG) was a German cargo airline. Based at Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, it was operational between 2009 and 2013.
History
In an attempt to challenge the pre-eminence of Lufthansa Cargo on the German air freight ma ...
* Air France
Air France (; formally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global air ...
* Air India
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India, headquartered at New Delhi. It is owned by Talace Private Limited, a Special-Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of Tata Sons, after Air India Limited's former owner, the Government of India, completed the sa ...
* Air Namibia
Air Namibia (Pty) Limited, which traded as Air Namibia, was the national airline of Namibia, headquartered in the country's capital, Windhoek. It operated scheduled domestic, regional, and international passenger and cargo services, having its ...
* Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited () is the flag carrier airline of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 20 domestic and 30 international destinations in 18 countries, primarily around and within the Pacific ...
* Air Pacific
Fiji Airways (trading as and formerly known as Air Pacific) is the flag carrier airline of Fiji and operates international services from its hubs in Fiji to 13 countries and 26 cities including, Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, K ...
* Al Wafeer Air
Al Wafeer Air (Arabic:''Al-Wafeer Al Thoyaran'') was a charter airline based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Its main operations were Hajj and Umrah charters. It was founded by Adnan Dabbagh, former Executive Vice-President of Operations of Saudia. The m ...
* Alitalia Cargo
* All Nippon Airways
, also known as ANA (''Ē-enu-ē'') or is an airline in Japan. Its headquarters are located in Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area of Minato ward of Tokyo. It operates services to both domestic and international destinations and had mo ...
* Ansett Australia
Ansett Australia was a major Australian airline group, based in Melbourne, Australia. The airline flew domestically within Australia and from the 1990s to destinations in Asia. After operating for 65 years, the airline was placed into adminis ...
* Avianca
Avianca S.A. (acronym in Spanish for ''Aerovias del Continente Americano S.A.'', "Airways of the American Continent") is a Colombian airline. It has been the flag carrier of Colombia since December 5, 1919, when it was initially registered under ...
* Biman Bangladesh Airlines
Biman Bangladesh Airlines ( bn, বিমান বাংলাদেশ এয়ারলাইন্স) commonly known as Biman ( bn, বিমান), pronounced (), is the national flag carrier of Bangladesh. With its main hub at Hazra ...
* Blue Sky Airlines
Blue Sky was the flag carrier of Armenia and a charter airline based in Yerevan. The airline was operating for Mahan Air.
Fleet
*3 Boeing 747-400 (operated for Mahan Air, all stored at Tehran)
*1 Airbus A310-300
References
External links
* British Airways
British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a populati ...
* British Airways World Cargo
British Airways World Cargo, formerly British Airways Cargo, was a division of IAG Cargo, operating air cargo services under the British Airways brand. It was the twelfth-largest cargo airline in the world by total freight tonne-kilometres flow ...
* Canadian Airlines
Canadian Airlines International Ltd. (stylized as Canadi›n Airlines or Canadi‹n Airlines, or simply Canadian) was a Canadian airline that operated from 1987 until 2001. The airline was Canada's second largest airline after Air Canada, carr ...
* Cargo B Airlines
Cargo B Airlines was a cargo airline with its head office in the Brucargo Building 706 in Zaventem, Belgium.
History
The airline was founded by Rob Kuijpers, former CEO of Brussels Airlines and DHL. It started operations in October 2007. In ...
* Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (CPA), more widely known as Cathay Pacific (), is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport. The airline's operations and subsidiaries have sc ...
* China Airlines
China Airlines (CAL; ) is the state-owned flag carrier of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and one of its two major airlines along with EVA Air. It is headquartered in Taoyuan International Airport and operates over 1,400 flights weekly (inclu ...
* Condor
Condor is the common name for two species of New World vultures, each in a monotypic genus. The name derives from the Quechua ''kuntur''. They are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere.
They are:
* The Andean condor (''Vult ...
* Corsair
A corsair is a privateer or pirate, especially:
* Barbary corsair, Ottoman and Berber pirates and privateers operating from North Africa
* French corsairs, privateers operating on behalf of the French crown
Corsair may also refer to:
Arts and ...
* Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...
* Dragonair Cargo
* Emirates SkyCargo
Emirates SkyCargo ( ar, الإمارات للشحن الجوي) is a cargo airline based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. As of 2020, it is the fourth largest cargo airline worldwide in terms of the total freight tonne-kilometres flown and interna ...
* Etihad Cargo
* EVA Air
EVA Airways Corporation (pronounced as three letters: ; ) (), of which "EVA" stands for Evergreen Airways, is a Taiwanese international airline based at Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei, Taiwan, operating passenger and dedicated carg ...
* El Al
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (, he, אל על נתיבי אויר לישראל בע״מ), trading as El Al (Hebrew: , "Upwards", "To the Skies" or "Skywards", stylized as ELAL; ar, إل-عال), is the flag carrier of Israel. Since its inaugural ...
* Evergreen International Airlines
Evergreen International Airlines was a charter and cargo airline based in McMinnville, Oregon, United States. Wholly owned by Evergreen International Aviation, it had longstanding ties to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It operated co ...
* Flynas
Flynas ( ar, طيران ناس), stylized ''flynas'', formerly Nas Air, is a Saudi low-cost airline, the country first budget airline. The company's head office is located in Riyadh.
History
Saudi Arabian Airlines was the only airline in the c ...
* Garuda Indonesia
Garuda Indonesia is the flag carrier of Indonesia, headquartered at Soekarno–Hatta International Airport. A successor of KLM Interinsulair Bedrijf, it is a member of SkyTeam and the second-largest airline of Indonesia after Lion Air, operat ...
* Global Supply Systems
* Grandstar Cargo
Grandstar Cargo International Airlines Company () was a cargo airline based in Tianjin, China. It was a joint venture between Sinotrans Air transportation Development Company and Korean Air Cargo. It planned to operate scheduled and non-schedul ...
* Greatwall Airlines
Great Wall Airlines Company Limited was a cargo airline based in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. It operated cargo services to Europe, the United States and Asia. Its main base was Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The airline was merg ...
* Iberia
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
* Jade Cargo International
Jade Cargo International was a cargo airline with its headquarters on the sixth floor of the Shenzhen Airlines Flight Operations Building at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. It operated regular ca ...
* Japan Airlines
, also known as JAL (''Jaru'') or , is an international airline and Japan's flag carrier and largest airline as of 2021 and 2022, headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Haneda Airport, as w ...
* Kenya Airways Cargo
* KLM
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, legally ''Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V.'' (literal translation: Royal Aviation Company Plc.), is the flag carrier airline of the Netherlands. KLM is headquartered in Amstelveen, with its hub at nearby Amste ...
* Kuwait Airways
Kuwait Airways ( ar, الخطوط الجوية الكويتية, ) is the national carrier of Kuwait, with its head office on the grounds of Kuwait International Airport, Al Farwaniyah Governorate. It operates scheduled international services thr ...
* Lion Air
PT Lion Mentari Airlines, operating as Lion Air, is an Indonesian low-cost airline. Based in Jakarta, Lion Air is the country's largest privately run airline, the second largest low-cost airline in Southeast Asia (after AirAsia) and the large ...
* Lufthansa Cargo
Lufthansa Cargo AG is a German cargo airline and a wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa. It operates worldwide air freight and logistics services and is headquartered at Frankfurt Airport, the main hub of Lufthansa. Besides operating dedicated ...
* Malaysia Airlines
Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB; ms, Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad), formerly known as Malaysian Airline System (MAS; ), and branded as Malaysia Airlines, is the flag carrier airline of Malaysia and a member of the Oneworld airline alliance. (The ...
* Mandarin Airlines
Mandarin Airlines () is a Taiwanese regional airline based in Taipei, Taiwan, whose parent company is China Airlines. The airline operates domestic and regional international flights, while its parent company focuses on international operations. ...
* Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWA) was a major American airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines, Inc. by a merger. The merger, approved on October 29, 2008, made Delta the largest airline in the world until the American Airlines ...
* Royal Air Maroc
Royal Air Maroc (; ar, الخطوط الملكية المغربية, , literally ''Royal Moroccan Lines'' or ''Royal Moroccan Airlines''; ber, ⴰⵎⵓⵏⵉ ⴰⵢⵍⴰⵍ ⴰⴳⵍⴷⴰⵏ ⵏ ⴰⵎⵓⵔⴰⴽⵓⵛ, ''Amuni Aylal Age ...
* Oasis Hong Kong Airlines
Oasis Hong Kong Airlines Limited () was a long-haul, low-cost Asian airline. It operated scheduled services to London Gatwick Airport and Vancouver International Airport from its hub, Hong Kong International Airport. The airline offered low ...
* Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines (PAL), a trade name of PAL Holdings, Inc. ( PSEPAL (Philippine Air Lines until 1970), is the flag carrier airline of the Philippines. Headquartered at the PNB Financial Center in Pasay, the airline was founded in 1941 and i ...
* Phuket Airlines
* Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the world's third-oldest airline still in operation, having been founded ...
* Sabena
The ''Societé anonyme belge d'Exploitation de la Navigation aérienne'' (French; ), better known by the acronym Sabena or SABENA, was the national airline of Belgium from 1923 to 2001, with its base at Brussels National Airport. After its ba ...
* Saudia
Saudia ( ar, السعودية '), formerly known as Saudi Arabian Airlines (), is the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, based in Jeddah. The airline's main operational base is at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. King Khalid Internati ...
* Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines (abbreviation: SIA) is the flag carrier airline of the Republic of Singapore with its Airline hub, hub located at Singapore Changi Airport. The airline is notable for highlighting the Singapore Girl as its central figure in ...
* South African Airways
South African Airways (SAA) is the flag carrier airline of South Africa. Founded in 1934, the airline is headquartered in Airways Park at O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and operated a hub-and-spoke network, serving ten destin ...
* Southern Air
Southern Air Inc. was a global air cargo carrier headquartered in Florence, Kentucky. It was the first airline to provide ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) service for the wide-body Boeing 777F. On November 17, 2021, Southern Air ce ...
* Surinam Airways
Surinam Airways ( nl, Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij), also known by its initials ''SLM'', is the flag carrier of Suriname, based in Paramaribo. It operates regional and long-haul scheduled passenger services. Its hub is at Johan Adolf Penge ...
* TAAG Angola Airlines
TAAG Angola Airlines E.P. ( pt, TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola E.P.) is a state-owned airline and flag carrier of Angola. Based in Luanda, the airline operates domestic services within Angola, medium-haul services in Africa and long-haul service ...
* TAT
* Thai Airways International
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, trading as THAI (, th, บริษัท การบินไทย จำกัด (มหาชน)) is the flag carrier airline of Thailand. Formed in 1961, the airline has its corporate h ...
* Transaero
Transaero (russian: Трансаэро), officially ''OJSC Transaero Airlines'' (russian: ОАО «АК „ТРАНСАЭРО“», Открытое акционерное общество «Авиационная компания „ТРАНС ...
* Union de Transports Aériens
Union de Transports Aériens (abbreviated as UTA and sometimes known as UTA French Airlines), was a French airline that was formed in 1963 as a result of a merger between Union Aéromaritime de Transport (UAT) and Transports Aériens Interconti ...
* United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois.
* Varig
* Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic, a trading name of Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited and Virgin Atlantic International Limited, is a British airline with its head office in Crawley, England. The airline was established in 1984 as British Atlantic Airways, and w ...
* Wamos Air
* World Airways
;Non-commercial
* Government of Kuwait
* United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
Deliveries
Incidents and accidents
The first hull loss of a 747-400 occurred on November 4, 1993, when China Airlines Flight 605, flying from Taipei to Hong Kong's Kai Tak Airport, touched down more than past the runway's displaced threshold during 20-knot (gusting to 38 knots) crosswinds. Combined with the disengagement of auto brakes and retracted speed brakes, manual braking and thrust reversal were not enough to prevent the aircraft from sliding into Victoria Harbour. No one was seriously injured, but the aircraft was written off. The type's second hull loss occurred on October 31, 2000, when Singapore Airlines Flight 006, a 747-400 flying on a Singapore to Los Angeles route via Taipei, rammed into construction equipment while attempting to take off from a closed runway at Chiang Kai-shek International Airport. The aircraft caught fire and was destroyed, killing 79 passengers and four crew members.[": Crashed on a partially closed runway during takeoff Singapore Airlines Flight 006 Boeing 747-400, 9V-SPK CKS Airport, Taoyuan, Taiwan October 31, 2000", ''Aviation Safety Council, Taiwan, Republic of China''] The cause was attributed to the flight crew navigating to the wrong runway.
The 747-400F has recorded four hull-loss accidents. On September 3, 2010, UPS Airlines Flight 6 from Dubai International Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport, a 747-400F with two crew members on board, crashed roughly 25 minutes after departure. The crew declared an emergency, apparently due to an in-flight fire, and after abandoning one attempt at landing, are unable to see their instruments due to the smoke entering the cockpit and their oxygen masks did not have good filtering of the smoke from the pilot's vision and ran out of oxygen in the attempt to land. The aircraft impacted with the ground at high speed, killing both crew members. The result after the accident was that the fire started with Lithium-ion battery, lithium-ion batteries and the FAA decided to limit how powerful can lithium batteries be transported by plane and the powerful ones, more than 160 watt-hours, which per person can carry two. On July 28, 2011, Asiana Airlines Flight 991, a Boeing 747-400F flying from Incheon Airport to Shanghai Pudong Airport, crashed into the Pacific Ocean off Jeju Island, South Korea, after reportedly suffering mechanical problems due to a possible on-board fire. Two crew members on board were killed. National Airlines Flight 102, a 747-400BCF crashed on April 29, 2013 (the 25th anniversary of the type's first flight) at Bagram Air Base Afghanistan killing 7 crew members. The crash was attributed to a cargo shift of military vehicles to the back of the hold during take-off. On January 16, 2017, Turkish Airlines Flight 6491, a 747-400F operated by ACT Airlines, failed to reach the runway on landing in thick fog at Manas International Airport in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, crashed into a residential area, and caught fire. 39 people died, including all four crew members, and 35 people on the ground.
Other incidents involving the 747-400 did not result in irreparable aircraft damage. On December 15, 1989, KLM Flight 867, a 747-400M, en route to Tokyo's Narita International Airport
Narita International Airport ( ja, 成田国際空港, Narita Kokusai Kūkō) , also known as Tokyo-Narita, formerly and originally known as , is one of two international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the other one being Haneda Airport ...
from Amsterdam's Schiphol International Airport via Anchorage International Airport, flew through a thick cloud of volcanic ash, causing severe damage to the aircraft and replacement of all four engines. On July 23, 1999, a man killed the pilot of All Nippon Airways Flight 61, a 747-400D bound for New Chitose Airport near Sapporo, Hokkaidō from Haneda Airport, Tokyo International Airport (Haneda), during an attempted hijacking, and was restrained by other crew members; the aircraft landed safely.[World: Asia-Pacific Japanese hijacker kills pilot"]
. ''BBC'' On September 23, 1999, Qantas Flight 1, flying from Sydney to London via Bangkok, overran the runway after touching down more than from the threshold during a storm with heavy rain, resulting in aircraft damage and minor passenger injuries.[ATSB Final Report Qantas Flight 1](_blank)
. Australian Transport Safety Bureau, ATSB, April 26, 2001. On January 31, 2001, the pilot of 2001 Japan Airlines mid-air incident, Japan Airlines Flight 907, a 747-400D bound for Naha International Airport from Tokyo International Airport, made an emergency dive, narrowly avoiding a collision with a Japan Airlines DC-10-40 due to conflicting instructions from air traffic control; several people on the 747-400 suffered injuries during the evasive manoeuvres and some interior damage was sustained to the aircraft.[Accident Investigation to a Near Mid-Air Collision]
". asasi.org
On October 9, 2002, Northwest Airlines Flight 85, traveling from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to Narita International Airport
Narita International Airport ( ja, 成田国際空港, Narita Kokusai Kūkō) , also known as Tokyo-Narita, formerly and originally known as , is one of two international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the other one being Haneda Airport ...
, made an emergency landing at Anchorage International Airport after a sudden lower rudder hardover. On July 25, 2008, Qantas Flight 30, traveling to Melbourne Airport from Hong Kong International Airport, made an emergency landing at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines with a gaping hole in its lower forward fuselage; no one was hurt, and authorities determined that an exploding emergency oxygen supply bottle was the most likely cause.
Aircraft on display
Following the gradual withdrawal of older examples of the type from passenger service from the early-2010's onward, a relatively large number of Boeing 747-400s have entered preservation after being decommissioned.
* An ex-Qantas 747-400 formerly registered VH-OJA and City of Canberra (aircraft), named ''City of Canberra'', the first 747-400 delivered to the airline, is displayed at the Historical Aviation Restoration Society museum at Illawarra Regional Airport south of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It is the first to be preserved, and also holds the record for the longest non-stop flight undertaken by a commercial aircraft, from London To Sydney in 20 hours, 9 minutes and 5 seconds, a record it has held since 1989.
*N661US, a former Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...
example, is on display at the Delta Flight Museum at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. The aircraft was the first -400 series built, serving as the prototype (then registered N401PW) prior to delivery to Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWA) was a major American airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines, Inc. by a merger. The merger, approved on October 29, 2008, made Delta the largest airline in the world until the American Airlines ...
in December 1989. It is also the aircraft that was involved in Northwest Airlines Flight 85.
* In July 2018, a Thailand, Thai businessman named Somchai Phukieow purchased an ex-Thai Airways 747-400 formerly registered HS-TGR and had it shipped to his home in Chai Nat, north of Bangkok. The aircraft had its engines removed and the titles painted over, but is otherwise unchanged from its time in active service.
*In February 2019, a former KLM 747-400 registered PH-BFB and named ''City of Bangkok'' was transported on a giant trailer from Schiphol airport across fields, main roads and meadows to the Corendon Village Hotel in Badhoevedorp, having been repainted into Corendon Airlines, Corendon's livery beforehand. To make this transport possible, the Motorway A9 was closed during the night from Friday February 8 until Saturday February 9. The aircraft was hauled a total of 12.5 kilometres over fields and roads to reach its new home at the hotel. Upon arrival at the hotel, the aircraft was installed in the grounds of the hotel complex.
*PK-LHF, last operated by Lion Air
PT Lion Mentari Airlines, operating as Lion Air, is an Indonesian low-cost airline. Based in Jakarta, Lion Air is the country's largest privately run airline, the second largest low-cost airline in Southeast Asia (after AirAsia) and the large ...
was converted for use as the Steak 21 restaurant in Summarecon Bekasi, Indonesia. The plane was originally operated by Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines (abbreviation: SIA) is the flag carrier airline of the Republic of Singapore with its Airline hub, hub located at Singapore Changi Airport. The airline is notable for highlighting the Singapore Girl as its central figure in ...
registered 9V-SMC.
*G-CIVW, an ex-British Airways 747-400, arrived at Dunsfold Aerodrome, Surrey in the United Kingdom on 22 October 2020 for preservation after a final ferry flight from Cardiff. The aircraft joins the aerodrome's Boeing 747-200, G-BDXJ, for use as a filming location and trainer aircraft.
* G-CIVB, the third of three 747-400 retrojets formerly operated by British Airways, is on display at Cotswold Airport in Kemble, Gloucestershire, Kemble, Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom. The aircraft, which was the joint last of BA's 747-400s to leave London Heathrow alongside G-CIVY, arrived at Kemble on 8 October 2020. G-CIVB is decorated with the Negus livery used by the airline during the 1970s and early 1980s, and has been modified for use as an events centre.
*G-BYGC, the first of British Airways' three retrojets and decorated with the British Overseas Airways Corporation livery is on display at MOD St Athan, Bro Tathan Airfield, within the Bro Tathan Business Park at St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. G-BYGC arrived at Bro Tathan for preservation on 11 December 2020.
*G-BNLY ''Swansea, City of Swansea'', the second of British Airways' three retrojets and wearing the classic Landor Associates livery used from the 1980s to the late 1990s is on display at Dunsfold Aerodrome, joining 747-400 G-CIVW and 747-200 G-BDXJ as a filming location. The announcement of its preservation was made at the same time as that of G-BYGC, meaning that as of December 2020, all three of BA's heritage-liveried 747s have been preserved. G-BNLY arrived at Dunsfold on 5 December 2020 after a ferry flight from Cardiff.
*A former Orient Thai Airlines, Orient Thai Boeing 747-400 registered HS-STA is converted into a cafe and restaurant in Bangkok's Lat Krabang district. The airplane originally belonged to United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. , registered N187UA.
* HS-TGT, an ex-Thai Airways 747-400, has been placed on static display at Chic Chic Market in Nong Khai, Thailand, alongside ex-Las Vegas Sands Lockheed L-1011 TriStar N388LS.
* The cockpit and upper deck section of G-BYGA, an ex-British Airways airframe is at City Airport & Manchester Heliport, Manchester City Airport, where it is to be used as a flight simulator and events and conference space.
* The cockpit and upper deck sections of two ex-British Airways 747-400s, G-CIVM and G-BYGG, have been combined for use as the '744 Experience', a combined flight simulator and upper deck experience in Nantwich, Cheshire, England.
Specifications
See also
References
Bibliography
*
*
External links
747-400 page on Boeing.com
747-400 page on Airliners.net
*
*
{{US transport aircraft
__FORCETOC__
Boeing 747
1980s United States airliners
Quadjets
Aircraft first flown in 1988
Double-deck aircraft
sr:Боинг 747#747-400