84-490: The Delta Flight Museum is an aviation and corporate museum located in Hapeville, Georgia , United States , near the airline's main hub, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport . The museum is housed in two 1940s-era Delta Air Lines aircraft hangars at Delta's headquarters, designated a Historic Aerospace Site in 2011. Its mission is to allow visitors from around the world "to explore aviation history, celebrate
168-512: A flight engineer . It typically accommodates 416 passengers in a three- class layout over a 7,285 nmi (13,492 km; 8,383 mi) range with its 875,000-pound (397 t) maximum takeoff weight (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 variant, without
252-837: A 1,000 nautical miles (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) 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 . 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 , KLM , Lufthansa , Singapore Airlines , and British Airways also announced orders several months later, followed by United Airlines , Air France , Malaysia Airlines and Japan Airlines . Seven early customers, namely British Airways, Cathay Pacific, KLM, Lufthansa, Northwest, Qantas and Singapore Airlines, formed
336-508: 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 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 (CRT) display technologies first employed on
420-456: A maximum takeoff weight of 910,000 pounds (412,769 kg) and a maximum payload of 248,600 pounds (112,760 kg). It offers cargo airlines the choice of either adding 22,000 pounds (10,000 kg) more payload than other 747-400 freighter variants, or adding 525 nautical miles (972 km; 604 mi) to the maximum range. The -400ERF has a range of 5,700 miles (9,200 km) with maximum payload, about 326 miles (525 km) farther than
504-444: A result of new aluminum alloys. The horizontal tail was also redesigned to fit a 3,300 US gallons (12,000 L) fuel tank, resulting in a 350 nautical miles (650 km; 400 mi) 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
588-475: A rudder hardover. 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 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
672-711: 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
756-520: 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 on October 22, 1991. A cargo variant, the 747-400F, was first delivered in May 1993 to Cargolux . By the end of the 1990s, Boeing was producing four versions of the 747-400. The extended range freighter (ERF) entered service in October 2002. The next month,
840-419: A walkway that runs over part of the wing, protected by railings. In addition, the cargo hold has been emptied and the cabin ceiling removed so that visitors can look down from the upper deck through the lower deck and cargo hold to see the entirety of the aircraft's massive cross-section. The museum's collections and facilities include: Hapeville, Georgia Too Many Requests If you report this error to
924-514: 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 892,450 pounds (404,810 kg), and in order to satisfy Fédération Aéronautique Internationale regulations, climbed to a height of 6,562 feet (2,000 m). 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
SECTION 10
#17327798331881008-475: Is another passenger-to-freighter conversion, carried out by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The first 747-400BDSF was redelivered to Air China Cargo in August 2006. Several Boeing 747-400M "combi" aircraft operated by EVA Air were also converted to pure cargo aircraft by IAI. Neither the 747-400BCF or the 747-400BDSF has a nose cargo door; freight can only be loaded through the side cargo door as opposed to
1092-482: 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 1,800 pounds (820 kg). 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
1176-408: 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
1260-494: The Spirit of Mojave air launcher. The Dreamlifter is an outsize cargo conversion designed to move Dreamliner 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 trijet and Airbus A340 quadjet. It has been superseded by the stretched and improved Boeing 747-8 , introduced in October 2011. Beginning
1344-451: The Boeing 777 , Boeing 787 Dreamliner , and Airbus A350 XWB have entered service since the late 1990s onward, and these have taken over routes previously flown by 747-400s, as reducing capacity improved load factors. The change in emphasis from hub and spoke operations to point-to-point flights has also reduced the need for jumbo jets (very large aircraft (VLA) with more than 400 seats) like
1428-493: The COVID-19 pandemic , 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. As of 2024, Air Atlanta Icelandic , an Icelandic cargo and charter passenger airline, operates one Boeing 747-400M. The 747-400D (Domestic) is a high-density seating model developed for short-haul, high-volume domestic Japanese flights, serving
1512-467: The Qantas 747-400 VH-OJA flew non-stop from London Heathrow to Sydney , a distance of 18,001 km (11,185 mi), in 20 hours and 9 minutes to set a commercial aircraft world distance record. As of 2014 , this is the fastest heavyweight flight between London and Sydney. This was a delivery flight with no commercial passengers or freight on board. During testing, the first 747-400 built also set
1596-480: The potable water system tanks and pumps, because the body fuel tanks prevent access to the standard locations. 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
1680-525: The 2010s. By that time many 747-400s were also more than 20 years old so airlines have accelerated their retirement. The 747, alongside the smaller Airbus A340 and MD-11 , each have more than two engines making them relatively expensive to operate, although their main appeal during the early 1990s was their long range as well as high capacity, before the development of wide-body twin-engine aircraft that could achieve similar range and payload while also providing better fuel economy. Such medium/large twinjets like
1764-443: 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,
SECTION 20
#17327798331881848-735: The 747 and Airbus A380 . Airlines such as British Airways and Qantas that plan to maintain the same capacity on routes currently served by 747-400s did not order the updated 747-8 but instead opted for the Airbus A380 . For example, Delta Air Lines reduced the number of flights it operated from the United States to Narita International 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
1932-685: 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 ) which adjusted engine performance for improved efficiency compared with the Classic 747s. A new auxiliary power unit (APU) manufactured by Pratt & Whitney Canada
2016-636: The 747-400 passenger version officially ceased on March 15, 2007. The last four -400s on order were cancelled by Philippine Airlines (which switched to the 777-300ER ). The last to order the -400 was China Airlines 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. The 747-400's leasing, resale and salvage value has dropped steeply since
2100-411: 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 , site of
2184-546: The 747-400's first European customer, KLM, the Joint Aviation Authorities (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
2268-532: 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 as of November 2009 . The last -400F was delivered to Nippon Cargo Airlines on August 2, 2008. 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 on September 12, 1989. Based on
2352-458: The 747-400SF (Special Freighter), is a conversion program for standard passenger 747-400 aircraft. The project was launched in 2004 with conversions by approved contractors such as HAECO , KAL Aerospace and SIA Engineering Company . 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)
2436-452: 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 17 feet (5.2 m) over the Classic 747 through wingtip extensions. For reduced aerodynamic drag , the wings were fitted with 6 feet (1.8 metres)-tall winglets . Despite the added length, the wings were 6,000 pounds (2,700 kg) lighter as
2520-553: 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
2604-528: 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 retired its remaining 31 Boeing 747-400s 4 years ahead of the original February 2024 deadline. Virgin Atlantic also retired their remaining leisure fleet 747-400s in May 2020 citing
Delta Flight Museum - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-597: The Boeing 747, retiring the last of the 747-400 fleet it inherited from Northwest Airlines in December 2017. Prior to COVID-19, British Airways , the largest passenger 747-400 operator then, announced that they would've phased out their 747-400 fleet in February 2024, replacing it with the Airbus A350-1000. Lufthansa was to retire their 747-400 fleet in 2025 as they were to be replaced by the Boeing 777x and
2772-475: 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
2856-454: The Boeing 747-8i. KLM planned to retire their 747-400 Combi and Passenger fleet in 2020 as they were being replaced by the Boeing 777-300ER, the Boeing 787-10, 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 hastened the retirement of many remaining passenger Boeing 747-400s due to
2940-494: The Boeing Signature Interior, derived from the Boeing 777. The original variant of the redesigned 747, the 747-400 debuted an increased wingspan, winglets , revised engines, and a glass cockpit 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,
3024-629: 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. On 29 April 2022, Air India retired its remaining 747-400 planes in its fleet, after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation deregistered them. In March 2024, Asiana Airlines announced to retire their sole remaining 747-400, leaving Air China as
3108-561: 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 and Boeing P-8A Poseidon . Other changes to the 747-400ER included the relocation of oxygen system components and
3192-792: The Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum was incorporated under Georgia law as an independent nonprofit corporation, organized exclusively for public charitable uses and purposes and qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. In the Propeller Era (Hangar One) is the Monroe Cafe, a full-scale replica of Delta's former Monroe, Louisiana headquarters. It served as Delta's headquarters from 1928 to 1941, when headquarters were moved to Atlanta. Hangar One also houses several of
3276-525: The Everett factory, and landed at Boeing Field , 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
3360-499: The United States. Additional exhibit items in Hangar 2 include the forward fuselage of the prototype Lockheed L-1011 (formerly home to the museum store), the cockpit section of a Convair 880 , the tail section of a Douglas DC-9 , and a Boeing 737 flight simulator that formerly trained Delta pilots and now available for a one-hour flight experience. The museum's collection includes three other aircraft which are parked outdoors around
3444-535: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.150 via cp1114 cp1114, Varnish XID 916735176 Upstream caches: cp1114 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 07:43:53 GMT Boeing 747-400 The Boeing 747-400 is a large, long-range wide-body airliner produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes , an advanced variant of the initial Boeing 747 . The "Advanced Series 300"
Delta Flight Museum - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-450: 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. The first 747-400 ( N661US ) was delivered to launch customer Northwest Airlines . This jet became known for an incident on Northwest Flight 85 caused by
3612-415: 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
3696-488: 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 displays (LCDs), which replaced the six cathode-ray tube (CRT) displays found on
3780-491: 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
3864-406: The edges of the museum parking lot: a Boeing 757-200 painted in the 1980s livery, registered N608DA (ship no. 608, manufactured in 1985), a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-50 registered N675MC (ship no. 9880, built in 1975), and first ever Boeing 747-400 produced for passenger transport, registered N661US (ship no. 6301). The most significant aircraft in the outdoor collection is Delta Ship 6301 (N661US),
3948-462: The extended range (ER) passenger version entered service with Qantas , the only airline ever to order the passenger version of the 747-400ER. Qantas initially used the 747-400ER for the Melbourne to Los Angeles and Dallas 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
4032-411: 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,
4116-427: 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 and galley locations to the color shades of cabin warning labels . Coupled with new, relatively inexperienced workers, a lack of veteran technicians, interior configurations needing costly re-work, and teething problems with electronics integration on
4200-535: The first production Boeing 747-400. Originally used for flight testing by Boeing as N401PW, N661US was delivered to Northwest Airlines on December 8, 1989. On October 9, 2002, N661US was operating as Northwest Flight 85 when it had to make an emergency landing in Anchorage while on its way to Tokyo from Detroit for a rudder malfunction. When Northwest merged with Delta in 2009, N661US became Delta Ship 6301 and continued passenger operations for Delta until it
4284-466: The first years following airline deregulation." The aircraft was repainted in a commemorative paint scheme and toured the country to celebrate the airline's 75th anniversary in 2004. The airplane remained the flagship of the Delta fleet until March 2006 (it was later replaced with a Boeing 777-200LR named The Delta Spirit ). The aircraft arrived at the museum on March 3, 2006, after a farewell tour around
SECTION 50
#17327798331884368-470: 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 , 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
4452-436: The fourth aircraft serving as a backup. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification was received on January 9, 1989, with Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines, May 18, 1989, with General Electric CF6 -80C2s and June 8, 1989, with Rolls-Royce RB211 -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
4536-569: The general public in June 2014. Prior to that, Delta employee ID or prior arrangement was required to access the campus in which the museum is located. The idea for a museum about Delta Air Lines originated with group of retirees who started a campaign in 1990 to find one of Delta's original five purchased-new Douglas DC-3s from the early 1940s. After some searching, the employees found Delta Ship 41, Delta's second DC-3 to carry passengers, in Puerto Rico performing cargo services. The group bought
4620-400: The last scheduled passenger operator in Asia. 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 flap section. When unfurnished, the basic 747-400 fuselage
4704-412: The late 2010s, 747-400 passenger aircraft began being phased out by airlines in favor of long-range, wide-body twinjet aircraft, such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 . 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
4788-401: 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 on February 11, 1996. This variant
4872-405: 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,
4956-476: The museum's restored aircraft, which include: The Jet Era (Hangar Two) showcases Boeing 767 Delta Ship 102 (N102DA), The Spirit of Delta. Acquired in 1982, it was the company's first Boeing 767-200 . It was paid for "by voluntary contributions from employees, retirees and Delta's community partners." The effort, called Project 767, was led by three Delta flight attendants to show the employees' appreciation to Delta for "solid management and strong leadership during
5040-448: 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 devices . 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 would be issued for the 747-400, provided that
5124-458: The newly produced freight variants. 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 twinjets, 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 aircraft were converted by the BCF program, with
SECTION 60
#17327798331885208-462: The parking lot surrounding it into an outdoor exhibit similar to The Spirit of Delta inside. Much as in the Spirit of Delta , museum visitors enter the 747-400 via stairs and an elevator, proceed through the intact first class cabin, then through the economy section, part of which has been converted into an exhibition space, where the aft pressure bulkhead is visible. Visitors are also able to walk on
5292-582: 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 on November 17, 1993. Other major customers included Atlas Air , China Airlines , Korean Air , Nippon Cargo Airlines and Singapore Airlines . 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 40 ft (12 m) can be loaded straight in on motor-driven rollers. An optional main deck side cargo door (like
5376-483: 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
5460-468: The plane from the cargo airline and flew Ship 41 home to Atlanta. The aircraft restoration project combined with efforts to consolidate historic collections from around the Delta headquarters led to the formation of a non-profit museum, named the Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum, Inc. From 1995 to October 8, 1999, Ship 41 was painstakingly restored by active and retired Delta employees and volunteers to its exact original configuration and appearance when it
5544-460: The powerful Jetstream linked to Storm Ciara . 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 875,000 pounds (397,000 kg) and a maximum payload of 274,100 pounds (124,000 kg). The -400F can be easily distinguished from
5628-633: 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 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
5712-408: The same role as the prior Boeing 747SR 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
5796-407: 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 models (collectively referred to as
5880-480: 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 (via ILFC ) 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 maximum takeoff weight . The 747-400BCF (Boeing Converted Freighter), formerly known as
5964-428: The story and people of Delta, and discover the future of flight." Over 40 airlines in Delta's family tree can be found in the museum's collections and exhibitions. The museum is a nonprofit organization and relies on volunteers, corporate sponsors, donations, event rentals and merchandise sales. The Delta Flight Museum is considered an ongoing project and items are added to the collections year round. The museum opened to
6048-423: The stretched upper deck, was first delivered in May 1993. With an increased MTOW of 910,000 lb (410 t), 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 , YAL-1 laser testbed, engine testbed or
6132-430: The successful Combi versions of the Classic 747s, the 747-400M 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
6216-419: The trans-pacific market. Remaining operators in 2014 included EVA Air, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic , British Airways and United Airlines. United's deployment of them also reflected a change in emphasis from Asian hubs to domestic hubs. 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
6300-488: The use of oil extracted from the jatropha plant. Air New Zealand 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 and 50% jet fuel for two hours during the flight while engineers collected data. Continental Airlines 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. Production of
6384-573: 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. 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 . All components were integrated during
6468-422: Was announced at the September 1984 Farnborough Airshow , targeting a 10% cost reduction with more efficient engines and 1,000 nautical miles [nmi] (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) of additional range. Northwest Airlines 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 on April 29, 1988. Type certification
6552-403: 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 or Airbus A350 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
6636-543: 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 was the last commercial 747-400M operator. KLM initially planned to retire their 747-400M by January 1, 2021, however the Boeing 747-400M was instead retired by March 27, 2020, as Air France-KLM 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
6720-567: Was first delivered to Delta on January 4, 1941. Delta Ship 41 is by far one of the most faithfully restored passenger transport DC-3s in the world, evidenced by the fact that in 2001, it was the first aircraft to be presented with an award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation . Delta Ship 41 is the only remaining Delta passenger Douglas DC-3 left in existence. Delta Air Lines is the only major air carrier known to still possess its first new passenger carrying DC-3. On May 23, 1995,
6804-406: Was received on January 9, 1989, and it entered service with Northwest on February 9, 1989. It retains the 747 airframe , including the 747-300 stretched upper deck, with 6-foot (1.8 m) winglets . The 747-400 offers a choice of improved turbofans: the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 , General Electric CF6 -80C2 or Rolls-Royce RB211 -524G/H. Its two-crew glass cockpit dispenses with the need for
6888-421: Was retired on September 9, 2015, having logged more than 61 million miles of flight over its lifetime. The following April, the jumbo jet was moved across two streets from a parking spot on the tarmac at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to its permanent home in the museum parking lot. Delta employees conducted a funding campaign called "The Airloom Project" with the aim of converting Ship 6301 and
6972-444: Was retired when ANA retired its last 747-400D on March 31, 2014. 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 3,240 US gal (12,300 L) body fuel tanks in
7056-473: 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 500 miles (800 km) farther, or carry 15,000 lb (6,800 kg) 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. The 747-400ERF (Extended Range Freighter)
#187812