Before the appearance of the European giant A-380 on the market, the Boeing 747 was considered the largest aircraft in the world, the cabin capacity of which, more precisely, 2 passenger decks, was more than 500 people. Like other planes of the company, this airliner went through several modifications, but its main differences did not change. The aircraft contained 2 decks, an original bow, 4 engines, and the largest passenger capacity.
The aircraft became the first wide-body airliner, which was planned only for freight traffic. It began to be developed a year after the launch of version 737, as a result of which a fundamentally new aircraft did not work. However, this was not required. The whole world was following the development of supersonic airliners, so the Boeing 747 had every chance of remaining a cargo plane. Especially for the cargo version, the cockpit was located on the second floor. Initially, it was planned to leave the second deck for passengers, while the first floor was given entirely for the cargo compartment. The aircraft also received four engines for greater payload.
First flights
Despite financial difficulties, the first wide-body airliner took off in 1970. Since the airliner was passenger, the upper deck became official, and all passengers were accommodated according to the principle usual for other aircraft. The capacity of the Boeing 747 of the first samples was only 200 people, but when compared with the 737th model launched that same year and took 100 people on board, we get a double difference.
Active interest in the new airliner significantly undermined the position of “concord” - European supersonic aircraft: many carriers reviewed their orders and Boeing 747 shares began to grow rapidly. Based on the first aircraft, the production of several modifications began. The first of them was developed for the Japanese carrier, while the order was for short-range aircraft. The response to the order of the Japanese was the modification 747-100SR. This version received an improved fuselage, smaller tanks, which significantly increased the capacity of the aircraft. The Boeing 747-100SR was able to take on board 500, and then 550 people. Later, the same modification - a plane flying at short range, will receive the development of 747-300.
Other modifications
Despite growing orders for passenger versions, Boeing did not abandon its initial plans for the production of cargo aircraft. So the following modifications appeared: F - cargo version, M - combi, which has the ability to take fewer passengers, but more luggage, B - improved chassis (for the first versions) and tanks (subsequently). In addition, on the basis of the 747-200, two classic “sides 1” were assembled for transportation of the US president.
Modification 200 served as a prototype for the next generation - the 300s, the only difference of which was to have three engines instead of the standard four. But this decision was not continued - the Boeing 747-300 became a completely new airliner.
Boeing 747-300
One of the features of the new aircraft was a straight staircase to the second floor (previously used a spiral), an enlarged upper deck, designed for economy or business class, and at the same time the ability to vary the number of seats. The capacity of the Boeing 747-300 ranges from 400 (operation of three classes) to 600 people when only one class of service is used.
The first 300th Boeing took off in 1980 and quickly became one of the most used. Until 2005 (the first take-off of "A-380"), this modification was considered the best model of a long-distance main liner, but it also revealed significant shortcomings.
Operation problems
Along with the increase in the number of passengers, operational problems began. The largest Boeing 747, whose capacity was growing rapidly, ceased to correspond to the parameters of airports. In addition, four engines versus three on competitor aircraft of the DC-10 type meant high fuel consumption. And with the onset of the crisis of 1970, many companies refused to work with the 747th model due to its unprofitability. If we recall that at about the same time the Boeing 767 and the Airbus-300 entered the market (both with two engines), which almost immediately captured the market for wide-body aircraft, the 747th began to lose ground. And although the capacity of the Boeing 747 was still one of the largest, airlines began to remake this version into a cargo version, and subsequently simply sell it.
Long-Range Aircraft
And, perhaps, another plane would have gone down in history, but it was the increase in the number of passengers that allowed Boeing 747 aircraft to remain in service. The passenger capacity of this airliner satisfied the demanding United Kingdom and Japan, not to mention the fact that such an aircraft can be used on long-distance transcontinental flights or on high-load lines.
The future of the 747th model
With the development of aviation, many carriers have a need for the possibility of long flights without refueling, in connection with which the developers again took up the Boeing 747. The capacity of passengers in the new versions reached 800 people. The flight range met the standards of the previously released 747-400. But very soon the projects of the 747-500 and 747-600 aircraft went to the archive. Carriers wanted a new plane, not a modernization of the old. Nevertheless, the developers did not forget about the 747th: it was finalized, closed, and finalized again. This continued until 2005. Finally, after the release of the Boeing 787, the corporation announced the return of the 747. The new machine is code-named "Boeing 747-8," or Advanced.
Carriers, remembering the dubious success of the first versions of the 747th, first ordered 109 cars - a third of them in passenger clearance. The rest was required in the cargo version. In total, 121 cars have been sold to date. The capacity of the Boeing 747-8 was not overwhelming - 581 people using 2 classes of service. When using three classes of service (with the addition of the first class), the number of seats decreases to about 400.
Top places
The article provides a typical arrangement of three classes in an aircraft of Lufthansa Airlines (Germany). The liner has several first-class seats - on the ground floor under the cockpit, 80 seats in the business class and almost 300 seats in the economy. The total capacity of the Boeing 747-8 in this arrangement is 386 seats.
There were no complaints about the first class - there is a lot of free space for passengers, they have the opportunity to comfortably accommodate, while each seat is behind its own screen. Next are the front exits, buffets and restrooms. The first-row seats in the business class, although spacious, abut against a partition, behind which there are toilets and a kitchen, which can create some inconvenience. Armchairs 9C and 9H are in close proximity to the aisle and toilets. Similar inconveniences can be expected for passengers of the 81st and 88th row (second floor, first and last rows). Passengers of the tenth row will have to look at the partition in front of themselves throughout the flight, which, of course, is quite uncomfortable. The business class is located 6 people in a row, while they are divided by two passes.
The economy class begins with rows at number 16 and 18. The sixteenth row has a total of 6 seats. Considering that there are no passengers in front of them, there is enough free space for the inhabitants of this row and they do not risk finding themselves in a trap created by a reclined chair sitting in front of a person. The same goes for the middle section in the 18th row. The twentieth row is located next to the emergency exit - this explains the lack of portholes. Middle section passengers in this row are not able to take a horizontal position, since there is a wall of toilets at the back. 21-22th rows repeat the arrangement of rows No. 16-18, except that in the 21st row there are only four places that are not fenced off from the rest. There is also enough legroom, the only drawback: there are emergency exits nearby. The middle section, namely the 32nd and 33rd row, has rear walls, so you can’t relax and lie down. All places of the 34th row have a partition in front of them, because of which there may be little space. The 45th-47th rows are in the tail of the aircraft, so it can be crowded there. The 49th row can be called the most unsuccessful, since the shortcomings that were mentioned earlier are fully present in this sector.
Conclusion
The capacity of the Boeing 747 has been upgraded from version to version, but, according to carriers and direct users of this aircraft, although it requires a lot of fuel, it justifies itself on transcontinental flights. A serious confirmation can serve as the airline British Airways, which bought during the times of the American crisis the largest Boeing 747, with a capacity of up to 500 people. The number of cars of this class in the company's fleet today is 57 units.