747-400
From AceWiki
747-400
| Aircraft Role: | Civilian |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Real-World Origin: | United States of America |
| AC Installments: | Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War |
| Primary Operator: | Erusea |
| Secondary Operator: | Osea |
Contents |
[edit] Description
The Boeing 747, commonly called the Jumbo Jet, is one of the most recognizable modern jet airliners and is the largest airliner currently in airline service. First flown commercially in 1970, it held the size record for more than 35 years, although it has been surpassed by the Airbus A380 (due to enter service in late 2006). The Soviet-built Antonov An-225, a transport, remains the world's largest aircraft in service, while the Spruce Goose had a larger wing-span.
The four-engine 747, produced by Boeing Commercial Aircraft, uses a two-deck configuration. A typical three-class layout accommodates 416 passengers, while a two-class layout accommodates a maximum of 524 passengers. The hump created by the upper deck has made the 747 a highly recognizable icon of air travel. By February 2006, a total of 1430 aircraft have been built or ordered in various 747 configurations, making it a very profitable product for Boeing.
The 747-400, the only series currently in production, flies at high-subsonic speeds (typically mach 0.85 (1041 km/h)) and features intercontinental range (7260 nm (13446 km)). In some configurations this is sufficient to fly non-stop from New York to Hong Kong — a third of the way around the globe. In 1989, a Qantas 747-400 flew non-stop from London to Sydney, a distance of 11185 mi (18001 km) in 20 hours and 9 minutes, although this was a delivery flight with no passengers or freight aboard. Future of the 747
[edit] Future
Many different stretching schemes for the 747 have been proposed, but the only design to be adopted is 2005's 747-8. The 747-X program was launched in 1996 as Boeing's response to the Airbus A3XX proposal. The 747-X would have consisted of the 747-500X and 747-600X, seating up to 800 passengers. General Electric and P&W formed the Engine Alliance and designed the GP7200 turbofan to power the stretched 747. Airlines, however, would have preferred Boeing to develop an all-new design instead of an updated 747, and the plan was dropped after a few months.
After the Airbus A380 was formally launched in 2000, Boeing reexamined its 747-X studies but instead devoted its energies to the Sonic Cruiser, and then later on the 787 after the Sonic Cruiser program was put on hold for an undefined period. Some of the ideas developed for the 747-X were, however, used in the production of the 747-400ER.
In early 2004, Boeing rolled out tentative plans for what it called the 747 Advanced. Similar in nature to the 747-X plans, the stretched 747 Advanced uses advanced technology from the 787 to modernize the design and its systems. On November 14, 2005, Boeing announced it was launching the 747 Advanced as the 747-8. Eventually, the 747 (in all forms) will be replaced by a clean-sheet aircraft dubbed "Y3".
[edit] Comparable Aircraft
-Airbus A-380
[edit] Related Development
-YAL-1
-E-4B
-VC-25 Air Force One
-Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA)
-747-8
[edit] Sources
Ace Combat 5: The game itself Boeing Official Website: The Boeing 747 Family Airchive.com, So-net, Zap 16, Virgilo.it, Laperlenoire, and Skyfliers.com for the images
