The Jumbo Jet, King of the Skies: a history of the 747 including Boeing’s struggle to develop “the Queen.”
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Where Eagles Dare to Roam : In Search of the World’s Largest Passenger Plane – The Boeing 747-400 and Its Predecessors : A Personal View by a British Pilot Who Flew Them All over Three Decades (1981-2010). Edinburgh : Luath Press Ltd., 2010.
“One of the first things Boeing did was to conduct a worldwide survey of airports to determine the physical characteristics of runways and ramps. “We found,” says Bob Withington, “that no airport in the world could handle a 400,000-pound airplane. So we began by cutting 100,000 pounds off the design weight.”
To get rid of the extra 100,000 pounds, Boeing engineers retraced every step in designing the SST. They eliminated all nonessentials — every excess ounce of structural material was dumped overboard — and made extensive use of high-strength aluminum alloys and other advanced materials. In addition, they introduced several new technology features to reduce weight and improve performance:
— A single piece of aluminum for fuselage skin (instead of overlapping panels)
— Honeycomb sandwich panels for wing parts
— Welded rather than riveted structure
— Cold bond instead of fasteners in some places
— Two-piece instead of one-piece passenger doors and cargo doors
— Hydraulically operated instead of pneumatic landing gear components
The result was a dramatic reduction in takeoff weight — from 400,000 pounds to 300,000 pounds — which meant that the airplane could take off on existing runways at most major airports around the
The Boeing 747 is a large, wide-body (two-aisle) airliner with four wing-mounted engines. First introduced in 1969, the 747 was the first wide-body airplane ever produced.
The design for the first wide-body aircraft began in the 1960s, when airlines began demanding more range and passenger capacity than the existing airliners could offer. In 1965, Boeing announced its design for a double-aisle airliner designated the Model 747; its first flight took place on February 9th, 1969. The 747 was originally designed to be used as a cargo plane; during its development, however, Boeing realized that it would be a more economical passenger jet than any other at that time. It entered commercial service with Pan Am on January 22nd, 1970.
In 1976, an extended version of the original 747 model–the 747SP–was introduced; this version became popular among airlines using intercontinental routes (routes over water). A new version of the 747–the 747 Advanced Series 300–entered production in 1982. The Advanced Series 300 can hold up to 366 passengers and has increased fuel capacity as well as greater range than existing 747 models.
The first flight of the Boeing 747 occurred on February 9, 1969, with test pilots Jack Waddell and Brien Wygle at the controls. The aircraft today is bigger than any other passenger plane in service and has been in production for more than 40 years.
The 747 program was initially conceived as a high-capacity airliner that would be able to carry twice as many passengers as Boeing’s 707 model.
The 707 had been launched in 1958 and quickly became a commercial success, with a number of airlines placing orders for the four-engine jetliner. However, Boeing executives soon realized that there was a potential market for an even larger aircraft that could carry more passengers at less cost per seat mile.
As a result, the company began studying designs for a jetliner that would be able to carry up to 400 passengers and have a range of some 4,000 miles (6,400 km). When it became clear that such an aircraft would have to have at least four engines, Boeing decided not only to build it but also to offer it for use by both military and civilian operators.
The new aircraft was designated the 747 and its development was given top priority by Boeing management. In order to raise funds for the program, Boeing sold off its agricultural equipment
Ever since the first jet airliner, the de Havilland Comet, entered service in 1952, there has been a requirement for an aircraft capable of carrying a large number of passengers on longer-range routes. This need was met by the introduction of the Boeing 707 in 1958. However, from this point onwards Boeing began to receive requests from operators to modify their basic design and produce a larger capacity version. As it stood, the 707 could only carry up to 189 passengers in a single class configuration however airlines such as Pan Am were interested in the possibility of operating high density versions able to carry up to 300 passengers on shorter range routes.
The result of these studies was internally designated as the Model 753 and featured a smaller wing, a greater fuselage diameter, increased seating capacity and more powerful engines than the 707-320s then in service. In order to provide sufficient lift at low speeds during takeoff and landing, the wingspan was increased by 2.13m (7ft) on each side via a hinged section at mid-span that could be extended downwards by 4 degrees. The first Model 753 prototype flew for the first time on February 9th 1969 and had a cruising speed of 946km/h (500kts). After completing
The Boeing 747, the plane that brought air travel to the masses and literally changed the world, celebrates its 50th birthday today.
Because of its size, the plane was initially called “the Queen of the Skies.” It’s also been nicknamed “Jumbo Jet” and “Queen of the Skies,” but it’s most commonly known as the 747.
The plane made its first flight on February 9, 1969. But it didn’t fly commercially until 1970. It’s since carried more than 5 billion people around the globe.
The 747 revolutionized air travel in many ways. For starters, it’s one of the few commercial planes that has two aisles and is capable of carrying hundreds of passengers. It was also one of the first planes to have a first-class section, which was located on a second level above economy class.
The 747 has also helped usher in a new era of globalization by making long-haul flights more accessible and affordable for business travelers, vacationers and almost anyone else who can afford a ticket. Planes like this have helped make our world a smaller place.
With the first flight of the Boeing 747, also known as Jumbo Jet or Queen Of The Skies, American civil aviation entered a new era.
The Boeing 747 was developed from a proposal to the U.S Air Force back in 1964. The Air Force had put out a request for a large military transport aircraft and several companies, including Boeing, Douglas and Lockheed submitted proposals.
The winning design was the CX-HLS model by Lockheed, which was later developed into the C-5A Galaxy. However, Boeing’s CX-HGM design became the basis for their proposal to American Airlines for an airliner that could carry more passengers than any other aircraft at the time.
American Airlines saw an opportunity to attract more passengers while reducing their costs per passenger. They would use this aircraft on routes with high traffic levels such as New York to Los Angeles and New York to Chicago. The American Airlines CEO at the time said he was prepared to order 25 of these aircraft if Boeing could deliver them within three years at $7 million each (around $52 million today). With the help of Pan Am president Juan Trippe, who also wanted this plane, Boeing had secured orders for 30 before they even built one!