What type of aircraft was used for BOAC flight 777-A?
BOAC Flight 777
BOAC Flight 777-A was a scheduled British Overseas Airways Corporation civilian airline flight from Portela Airport in Lisbon, Portugal to Whitchurch Airport near Bristol, England. On 1 June 1943, the Douglas DC-3 serving the flight was attacked by eight German Junkers Ju 88 fighter planes and crashed into the Bay of Biscay, killing all 17 on board. There were several notable passengers, among them actor Leslie Howard.
Rolls-Royce Trent 800
Testing of the Trent 800 began in September 1993, and certification was achieved in January 1995.
The first Boeing 777 with Trent 800 engines flew in May 1995, and entered service with Thai Airways International on 31 March 1996. 180 minutes ETOPS approval was granted by the FAA on 10 October 1996.
Initially Rolls-Royce had difficulty selling their engine: British Airways, traditionally a Rolls-Royce customer, submitted a large order for General Electric's competing GE90 engine. The breakthrough came when the company won orders from Singapore Airlines, a staunch Pratt & Whitney customer, for its 34 Boeing 777s; this was soon followed by large North American orders from American Airlines and Delta Air Lines for their 777 fleets. British Airways announced in September 1998 that it was returning to Rolls-Royce for its second batch of 777s, and did so again in April 2007. The Trent 800 has a 41% share of the engine market on the 777 variants for which it is available. Rolls-Royce Trent 800s are now commonly used on the Boeing 777 series. Many major airlines such as Air New Zealand, British Airways, American Airlines, and Kenya Airways now operate Boeing 777s with Trent 800s on a regular schedule.
BOAC Flight 777
"Bloody Biscay: The History of V Gruppe/Kampfgeschwader 40" by Christopher H. Goss revealed one of the most detailed versions of the attack. The book states that BOAC Flight 777 was not intentionally targeted and was shot down when it was mistaken for an Allied military aircraft. The account is composed of the author's analysis of events and interviews, conducted decades after the war ended, with some of the German pilots involved in the attack.
1977 British Airtours Boeing 707 crash
The aircraft was a Boeing 707-436, registered as G-APFK, and first flew in 1960. Its construction number was 17712 and its four engines were Rolls-Royce Conway 508 turbines. The aircraft entered service with BOAC on 29 September 1960, transferred to BEA Airtours on 30 December 1971 and finally British Airtours on 1 April 1974.
Aircraft in fiction
A Boeing 777 was scripted as, and widely used in dialog and in footage of the ill-fated Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 that portrays the basis for the ABC television series "Lost". However, the fuselage used to represent the wreckage on the beach was a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar.
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is an American wide-body commercial jet airliner and cargo aircraft, often referred to by its original nickname, "Jumbo Jet". Its distinctive hump upper deck along the forward part of the aircraft has made it one of the most recognizable aircraft, and it was the first wide-body airplane produced. Manufactured by Boeing's Commercial Airplane unit in the United States, the 747 was originally envisioned to have 150 percent greater capacity than the Boeing 707, a common large commercial aircraft of the 1960s. First flown commercially in 1970, the 747 held the passenger capacity record for 37 years.
Boeing 707
The 707-120 was the first production 707 variant, with a longer, wider fuselage, and greater wingspan than the Dash 80. The cabin had a full set of rectangular windows and could seat up to 189 passengers. It was designed for transcontinental routes, and often required a refueling stop when flying across the North Atlantic. It had four Pratt & Whitney JT3C-6 turbojets, civilian versions of the military J57, initially producing with water injection. Maximum takeoff weight was and first flight was on December 20, 1957. Major orders were the launch order for 20 707-121 aircraft by Pan Am and an American Airlines order for 30 707-123 aircraft. The first revenue flight was on October 26, 1958; 56 were built, plus seven short-bodied −138s; the last −120 was delivered to Western in May 1960.
Boeing 717
As the airline industry slowly recovered from 9/11 and the fuel prices of the early 2000s, demand for air travel increased, and carriers started to upgauge to bigger planes from the 50-70 seat regional jets they adopted at the time. With Boeing's discontinuation of the Boeing 737-600, the options in the 100-150 seat market is currently limited to the Airbus A220 and Embraer 190. The carriers currently operating the 717 have no plans to relinquish their planes anytime soon, and can't get enough of the ones currently in inventory, so the future for the continued viability of the 717 fleet looks bright.The 717 features a two-crew cockpit that incorporates six interchangeable liquid-crystal-display units and advanced Honeywell VIA 2000 computers. The cockpit design is called Advanced Common Flightdeck (ACF) and is shared with the MD-10 and MD-11. Flight deck features include an Electronic Instrument System, a dual Flight Management System, a Central Fault Display System, and Global Positioning System. Category IIIb automatic landing capability for bad-weather operations and Future Air Navigation Systems are available. The 717 shares the same type rating as the DC-9, such that the FAA approved transition courses for DC-9 and analog MD-80 pilots that could be completed in 11 days.
In conjunction with Parker Hannifin, MPC Products of Skokie, Illinois designed a fly-by-wire technology mechanical control suite for the 717 flight deck. The modules replaced much cumbersome rigging that had occurred in previous DC-9/MD-80 aircraft. The Rolls-Royce BR715 engines are completely controlled by an electronic engine system (FADEC — Full Authority Digital Engine Control) developed by BAE Systems, offering improved controllability and optimization. The engine has significantly lower fuel consumption compared to other engines of the equivalent amount of thrust.
Boeing 777
The 777 first entered commercial service with United Airlines on June 7, 1995. The 777 has received more orders than any other wide-body airliner; , more than 60 customers had placed orders for 2,013 aircraft of all variants, with 1,582 delivered. The most common and successful variant is the 777-300ER with 799 delivered and 844 orders; Emirates operates the largest 777 fleet, with 163 passenger and freighter aircraft . The 777 has been involved in six hull losses ; the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 accident in July 2013 was its first fatal crash in 18 years of service, and the shootdown of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in July 2014 is its deadliest crash as of January 2019.
BOAC Flight 777
On 15 November 1942 the G-AGBB "Ibis" was attacked by a single Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter, but was able to limp on to Lisbon where repairs were carried out. The damage sustained by cannon and machine gun fire included the port wing, engine nacelle, and fuselage. For damage pictures see 'External links' below.
R. V. Carleton
Retirement would not keep Captain Carleton from returning to Braniff for a special occasion. On January 9, 1971, Braniff International operated the second segment of a 17 city tour to introduce the airline's new Boeing 747-127 registered as N601BN and dubbed 747 Braniff Place. With the new plane Braniff would fly the original route between Oklahoma City and Tulsa that it first flew on June 20, 1928, and then continue on to record turnout at Memphis International Airport later in the day.
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 ("Triple Seven") is a long-range wide-body twin-engine jet airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and has a typical seating capacity of 314 to 396 passengers, with a range of . Commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven", its distinguishing features include the large–diameter turbofan engines, long raked wings, six wheels on each main landing gear, fully circular fuselage cross-section, and a blade-shaped tail cone. Developed in consultation with eight major airlines, the 777 was designed to replace older wide-body airliners and bridge the capacity difference between Boeing's 767 and 747. As Boeing's first fly-by-wire airliner, it has computer-mediated controls. It was also the first commercial aircraft to be designed entirely with computer-aided design.
Alaska Airlines Flight 779
The aircraft involved was a Douglas DC-6A equipped with four Pratt & Whitney R2800 CB17 engines with registration number N6118C. It was manufactured in a cargo configuration for Alaska Airlines on 20 October 1957 with serial number 45243. At the time of the accident it had accumulated 10,600 air frame hours and had undergone a major inspection 146 hours prior to the accident.
EVA Air
EVA Air's long-haul fleet is based on the Boeing 777-300ER, with the carrier's initial order for 15 all delivered by 2011. In 2006, the airline decided against its existing three Boeing 777-200LR orders (stating that with the 777-300ERs it has sufficient passenger capacity), and the 777-200LR orders were converted into 777-300ER orders. In late 2010, EVA Air indicated it planned to lease three A330-300 aircraft for Asian routes in 2011. In mid-2011, EVA Air announced plans to acquire further 777-300ERs to complete the replacement of its 747-400 aircraft on Europe and U.S. routes, along with A321 series narrow-body jets to replace its MD-90 fleet. On 8 May 2012, EVA Air signed orders with Boeing for 3 additional 777-300ERs, and also announced its lease of 4 more 777-300ERs from GECAS. Due to falling of freight demands, the airline restructured its cargo fleet by retiring the MD-11s. The last 747 combi flight was conducted on 5 January 2015 as BR868 from Hong Kong to Taipei, ending its 22-year service. After the release of Airbus A330neo, Eva air puts its A330 renewal plans on hold. Eva air also considers ordering more A321 (either the CEO variant or the NEO variant), and possibly order the 777Fs to replace the existing fleet of 747-400Fs and the already phased out MD-11Fs. The carrier plans to operate up to 100 aircraft.
Boeing 777
The 777 is produced in two fuselage lengths . The original 777-200 variant entered commercial service in 1995, followed by the extended-range 777-200ER in 1997. The stretched 777-300, which is longer, followed in 1998. The initial 777-200, extended-range -200ER, and -300 versions are equipped with General Electric GE90, Pratt & Whitney PW4000, or Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engines. They have since been collectively referred to as 777 Classics. The extended-range 777-300ER and ultra long-range 777-200LR variants entered service in 2004 and 2006 respectively, while the 777F, a freighter version, debuted in February 2009; these second-generation variants all feature high-output GE90 engines and extended raked wingtips. The 777-200LR is one of the world's longest-range airliners, able to fly more than halfway around the globe and holds the record for the longest distance flown non-stop by a commercial aircraft. In November 2013, Boeing announced the development of the third-generation of the 777, the 777X, consisting of the 777-8 and 777-9 variants. The 777X features composite folding wings and GE9X engines plus further technologies developed for the Boeing 787, and is scheduled to enter service by 2020.
Air Canada
On 31 October 2004, the last Air Canada Boeing 747 flight landed in Toronto from Frankfurt as AC873, ending 33 years of 747 service with the airline. The Boeing 747-400 fleet was replaced by the Airbus A340 fleet. On 19 October 2004, Air Canada unveiled a new aircraft colour scheme and uniforms. A Boeing 767-300ER was painted in the new silver-blue colour, and the dark green/almost black tail was replaced with a new version of the maple leaf known as the 'Frosted Leaf'.
On 9 November 2005, Air Canada agreed to renew its widebody fleet by purchasing 16 Boeing 777s (10 -300ERs, 6 -200LRs), and 14 Boeing 787-8s. It placed options on 18 Boeing 777s and 46 Boeing 787-8s and -9s. All of the 777s will be powered by GE90-115B or GE90-110B1 engines, and the 787-8s, by the GEnx engine. Deliveries of the 777s began in March 2007 and deliveries of the 787s began in May 2014. As the 777s and the 787s are delivered, the airline will gradually retire all Boeing 767s and Airbus A330s.
On 24 April 2007, Air Canada exercised half of its options for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The firm order for the Dreamliners then stood at 37 plus 23 options, for a total of 60. The airline also cancelled orders for two Boeing 777Fs. In November 2007, Air Canada leased an additional Boeing 777-300ER. Air Canada has now taken delivery of the 18 Boeing 777s on order (12 -300ERs, 6 -200LRs) and still holds options for 16 more, totalling 34.
British Aircraft Corporation
In 1967, the British, French and German governments agreed to start development of the 300-seat Airbus A300. BAC argued against the proposal in favour of their BAC Three-Eleven project, intended as a large wide-bodied airliner like the Airbus A300, Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed TriStar. Like the One-Eleven, it would have carried two Rolls-Royce turbofan engines, mounted near the tail. The British national airline BEA wanted to order the type, but government intervention prevented it in favour of the Airbus development. BAC was refused development funds and Hawker Siddeley was awarded the contract to build the Airbus wings.
British Airtours
Following the corporations' intervention, BEA Airtours acquired seven former BOAC Boeing 707-436s. These aircraft had a greater seating capacity than required and were powered by four Rolls-Royce Conway engines, an older generation engine type than the four Pratt and Whitney JT3D turbofans which powered the ex-American 707-123Bs it had originally selected to replace its Comet fleet. This meant that the ex-BOAC 707s had higher operating costs. However, BOAC was prepared to sell these aircraft to BEA Airtours at a lower price than American was asking for its planes. The £4.3m sale price included BOAC's entire spares holding (inclusive of engines) for the seven aircraft. This helped compensate for the cost differential. The first of these 174-seat aircraft entered service in 1971 while the last aircraft of this batch joined the fleet in 1973. By that time, four of the airline's nine Comet 4Bs had already been withdrawn from service and sold to rival British charter airlines.
Boeing 707
The 707-220 was designed for hot and high operations with more powerful Pratt & Whitney JT4A-3 turbojets. Five of these were produced, but only four were ultimately delivered, with one being lost during a test flight. All were for Braniff International Airways and carried the model number 707-227; the first entered service in December 1959. This version was made obsolete by the arrival of the turbofan-powered 707-120B.
Boeing 707
The initial standard model was the 707-120 with JT3C turbojet engines. Qantas ordered a shorter-bodied version called the 707-138, which was a −120 with six fuselage frames removed, three in front of the wings, and three aft. The frames in the 707 were each apart, so this resulted in a net shortening of to . Because the maximum takeoff weight remained the same as that of the −120 (), the −138 was able to fly the longer routes that Qantas needed. Braniff International Airways ordered the higher-thrust version with Pratt & Whitney JT4A engines, the 707-220. The final major derivative was the 707-320, which featured an extended-span wing and JT4A engines, while the 707-420 was the same as the −320, but with Conway turbofan engines. British certification requirements relating to go-arounds with one engine inoperative also forced Boeing to increase the height of the tail fin on all 707 variants, as well as add a ventral fin, which was retrofitted on earlier −120 and −220 aircraft. These modifications also aided in the mitigation of Dutch roll by providing more stability in yaw.
Though initially fitted with turbojet engines, the dominant engine for the Boeing 707 family was the Pratt & Whitney JT3D, a turbofan variant of the JT3C with lower fuel consumption and higher thrust. JT3D-engined 707s and 720s were denoted with a "B" suffix. While many 707-120Bs and -720Bs were conversions of existing JT3C-powered machines, 707-320Bs were available only as newly built aircraft, as they had a stronger structure to support a maximum takeoff weight increased by , along with modifications to the wing. The 707-320B series enabled nonstop westbound flights from Europe to the US West Coast and from the US to Japan.
Whiteman Air Force Base
In August 1951, SAC selected the renamed-Sedalia AFB to be home to one of its new bombardment wings with the first all-jet bomber, the Boeing B-47 Stratojet, and the Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter aerial refueling aircraft assigned to the unit. Construction of facilities was conducted by the 4224th Air Base Squadron until 20 October 1952, when the base was turned over to the 340th Bombardment Wing (340 BMW). The first B-47 arrived on 25 March 1954 and the first KC-97 arrived six months later.
Boeing 777
From the program's start, Boeing had considered building ultra-long-range variants. Early plans centered on a 777-100X proposal, a shortened variant of the -200 with reduced weight and increased range, similar to the 747SP. However, the -100X would have carried fewer passengers than the -200 while having similar operating costs, leading to a higher cost per seat. By the late 1990s, design plans shifted to longer-range versions of existing models. In March 1997, the Boeing board approved the 777-200X/300X specifications: 298 passengers in three classes over 8,600 nmi (15,900 km) for the 200X and with 355 passengers in a tri-class layout for the 300X, with design freeze planned in May 1998, 200X certification in August 2000, and introduction in September and in January 2001 for the 300X.
BOAC Flight 777
When war broke out in Europe, the British Air Ministry prohibited private flying and most domestic air services. Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd, in the process of being merged and nationalised as BOAC, were evacuated from Croydon Aerodrome and Heston Aerodrome to Whitchurch Airport, outside Bristol. After the fall of Norway, and the entry of the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Italy into the war, only neutral Sweden, Ireland, and Portugal remained as European destinations for BOAC (the US was just within range of BOAC's Empire flying boats by refuelling in Newfoundland). Over the UK, civil aircraft were restricted to between and and could fly only during daylight to ease identification. The British government also restricted flights to diplomats, military personnel, VIPs, and those with government approval.
Britannia Airways
During 1968, Britannia commenced a re-equipment effort involving the then-new Boeing 737-200 jetliner; it had the distinction of being the first European airline to operate the type. The purchase of the brand new and relatively unproved 737 was seen as a major breach of traditional practice; historically, charter airliners procured secondhand aircraft from their larger scheduled airlines. In addition, the large 'flag carriers' were comparatively wary of the value of jet-powered aircraft, normally opting for comfort and high-quality passenger conditions over speeds. This unconventional purchase was also politically controversial; Sir George Edwards, the chairman of the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), had expected Britannia to order the rival BAC One-Eleven and lobbied government officials to convince the airline to procure the British airliner instead. These pressure tactics ultimately proved to be unsuccessful; by 1975, Britannia was operating a fleet of 13 Boeing 737s.
Boeing 777
Boeing introduced a number of advanced technologies with the 777 design, including fully digital fly-by-wire controls, fully software-configurable avionics, Honeywell LCD glass cockpit flight displays, and the first use of a fiber optic avionics network on a commercial airliner. Boeing made use of work done on the cancelled Boeing 7J7 regional jet, which utilized similar versions of the chosen technologies. In 2003, Boeing began offering the option of cockpit electronic flight bag computer displays. In 2013, Boeing announced that the upgraded 777X models would incorporate airframe, systems, and interior technologies from the 787.
Boeing 767
The Northrop Grumman E-10 MC2A was to be a 767-400ER-based replacement for the USAF's 707-based E-3 Sentry AWACS, Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS, and RC-135 SIGINT aircraft. The E-10 MC2A would have included an all-new AWACS system, with a powerful active electronically scanned array (AESA) that was also capable of jamming enemy aircraft or missiles. One 767-400ER aircraft was produced as a testbed for systems integration, but the program was terminated in January 2009 and the prototype was sold to Bahrain as a VIP transport.
British Overseas Airways Corporation
In late 1942, the new hard-surface airport at Lisbon permitted the use of civil registered Liberators to North and West Africa and Egypt.
Arguably, BOAC's most famous wartime route was the 'Ball-bearing Run' from Leuchars to Stockholm (Bromma) in neutral Sweden. Initially flown with Lockheed 14s and Lockheed Hudson transports, the unsuitable Armstrong Whitworth Whitley "civilianised" bombers were also used between 9 August and 24 October 1942 ("Civilianised" meant that all the armaments and unnecessary guns and turrets had been removed, a legal requirement for operating a commercial civilian service to a neutral country). The much faster civilian registered de Havilland Mosquitoes were introduced by BOAC in 1943. The significance of the ball-bearings is debatable, but these night flights were an important diplomatic gesture of support for neutral Sweden which had two DC-3s shot down on its own service to Britain. Other types used to Sweden included Lockheed Lodestars, Consolidated Liberators, and the sole Curtiss CW-20 (C-46 prototype) which BOAC had purchased; these types had more payload, and some had the range to avoid the German-controlled Skaggerak direct route.
British Airtours
During 1971, BEA Airtours had decided to replace the entire fleet with a similar number of larger capacity, longer range and more fuel-efficient ex-American Airlines Boeing 707-123Bs to enable it to commence non-stop, long-haul charter flights, including "affinity group" charters to North America. Despite having obtained permission from the UK's Department of Trade and Industry to import second-hand 707-120Bs and the non-availability of "internally sourced" alternatives (BOAC's 707-436s) within the envisaged timeframe, both corporations opposed this decision. They insisted that any new aircraft should be exclusively sourced from the existing BEA and BOAC fleets.
Boeing 707
Boeing studied numerous wing and engine layouts for its new transport/tanker, some of which were based on the B-47 and C-97, before settling on 367−80. The "Dash 80" took less than two years from project launch in 1952 to rollout on May 14, 1954, then first flew on July 15, 1954. It was powered by the Pratt & Whitney JT3C turbojet engine, which was the civilian version of the J57 used on many military aircraft of the day, including the F-100 Super Sabre fighter and the B-52 bomber. The prototype was a proof-of-concept aircraft for both military and civilian use. The United States Air Force was the first customer, using it as the basis for the KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling platform.
Boeing 777
The type's first hull-loss occurred on January 17, 2008, when a 777-200ER with Rolls-Royce Trent 895 engines, flying from Beijing to London as British Airways Flight 38, crash-landed approximately short of Heathrow Airport's runway 27L and slid onto the runway's threshold. There were 47 injuries and no fatalities. The impact damaged the landing gear, wing roots and engines. The aircraft was written off. The accident was attributed to ice crystals suspended in the aircraft's fuel clogging the fuel-oil heat exchanger (FOHE). Two other minor momentary losses of thrust with Trent 895 engines occurred later in 2008. Investigators found these were also caused by ice in the fuel clogging the FOHE. As a result, the heat exchanger was redesigned.
Boeing 777
The wings on the 777 feature a supercritical airfoil design that is swept back at 31.6 degrees and optimized for cruising at Mach 0.83 (revised after flight tests up to Mach 0.84). The wings are designed with increased thickness and a longer span than previous airliners, resulting in greater payload and range, improved takeoff performance, and a higher cruising altitude. The wings also serve as fuel storage, with longer-range models able to carry up to of fuel. This capacity allows the 777-200LR to operate ultra-long-distance, trans-polar routes such as Toronto to Hong Kong. In 2013, a new wing made of composite materials was introduced for the upgraded 777X, with a wider span and design features based on the 787's wings.
BOAC Flight 777
Although there were still two other KLM DC-3's and one KLM DC-2 in use by BOAC on the same route, only the G-AGBB "Ibis" was attacked three times.
1954 BOAC Lockheed Constellation crash
The aircraft was operating a joint Qantas–BOAC scheduled passenger flight from Sydney, Australia, to London, England. Following a stopover at Jakarta, Indonesia, it crashed while landing at Singapore-Kallang Airport. Captain Trevor Hoyle was the pilot. 
The aircraft was a Lockheed L-749A Constellation, a low-wing monoplane airliner with four Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone radial engines. It had first flown in the United States in 1947. Originally part of an order by Eastern Air Lines it was re-allocated to the Irish airline Aerlínte Éireann and delivered on 16 September 1947. It was sold in 1948 by Aerlínte Éireann, along with five other Constellations, to British Overseas Airways Corporation. It had been registered as G-ALAM and named "Belfast".
Aviateca
Aviateca introduced jet service as a customer for the British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven medium twin jet in 1970. In 1974, the airline was operating the stretched BAC One-Eleven series 500 version of the British-manufactured jet on international flights to Miami, New Orleans, Mexico City, Mérida and San Jose, Costa Rica. It also temporarily leased a Fokker F28 Fellowship, a Boeing 720 and a Douglas DC-8 in the 1970s. Aviateca later acquired two Boeing 727-100s, which operated for the airline in the 1980s. From 1989 on Aviateca's fleet consisted of several Boeing 737-200 and Boeing 737-300 jetliners. A full cargo Boeing 737-300 was also operated for a few months.
Boeing 777
In designing the 777 as its first fly-by-wire commercial aircraft, Boeing decided to retain conventional control yokes rather than change to sidestick controllers as used in many fly-by-wire fighter aircraft and in many Airbus airliners. Along with traditional yoke and rudder controls, the cockpit features a simplified layout that retains similarities to previous Boeing models. The fly-by-wire system also incorporates flight envelope protection, a system that guides pilot inputs within a computer-calculated framework of operating parameters, acting to prevent stalls, overspeeds, and excessively stressful maneuvers. This system can be overridden by the pilot if deemed necessary. The fly-by-wire system is supplemented by mechanical backup.
Boeing C-137 Stratoliner
USAF procurement of the Boeing 707 was very limited, amounting to three Model 707-153s designated VC-137A. When delivered in 1959 these had four 13,500 lb (6123 kg) dry thrust Pratt & Whitney J57 (JT3C6) turbojets; when subsequently re-engined with 18,000 lbf (80.1 kN) dry thrust TF33-P-5 (JT3D) turbofans they were redesignated VC-137B. Only one other variant served with the USAF: this was the VC-137C "Air Force One" presidential transport, the two examples of which were Model 707-320B Intercontinentals with specialized interior furnishings and advanced communications equipment. Two further non-presidential C-137C aircraft were later added.
Boeing 777
The first Rolls-Royce Trent 877-powered aircraft was delivered to Thai Airways International on March 31, 1996, completing the introduction of the three powerplants initially developed for the airliner. Each engine-aircraft combination had secured ETOPS-180 certification from the point of entry into service. By June 1997, orders for the 777 numbered 323 from 25 airlines, including satisfied launch customers that had ordered additional aircraft. Operations performance data established the consistent capabilities of the twinjet over long-haul transoceanic routes, leading to additional sales. By 1998, the 777 fleet had approached 900,000 flight hours. Boeing states that the 777 fleet has a dispatch reliability (rate of departure from the gate with no more than 15 minutes delay due to technical issues) above 99 percent.
Boeing 777
Versions of the 777 have been acquired by government and private customers. The main purpose has been for VIP transport, including as an air transport for heads of state, although the aircraft has also been proposed for other military applications.Boeing customers that have received the most 777s are Emirates, Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, ILFC, and American Airlines. Emirates is the largest airline operator , and is the only customer to have operated all 777 variants produced, including the -200, -200ER, -200LR, -300, -300ER, and 777F. The 1,000th 777 off the production line, a -300ER set to be Emirates' 102nd 777, was unveiled at a factory ceremony in March 2012.
BOAC Flight 777
The UK–Lisbon service operated up to four times per week. From 20 September 1940, passengers were flown from Whitchurch (although Heston continued as the London terminus for KLM from 26 June till 20 September 1940), and for Lisbon, the pre-war grass airfield at Sintra was used until October 1942, when the new runway was ready at Portela Airport, on the northern edge of Lisbon. By June 1943, over 500 KLM/BOAC flights had carried 4,000 passengers.
South African Airways
On 26 December 1980, the last South African Airways Boeing 707 service was operated between Paris and Johannesburg. Its touchdown ended the 20-year career of the 707. The quadjet was replaced by the world's first wide-body twinjet, the Airbus A300, which had entered revenue service in 1976. The 727s were eliminated by 1983, replaced by the more economical Boeing 737. When countries withdrew landing rights for SAA, the airline leased its aircraft and crews to Canada, Mauritius, Brazil and Morocco.
Due to international opposition to apartheid during the 1980s, SAA's offices were attacked. In Harare, Zimbabwe, its offices were badly damaged after protesters went on a rampage.
No. 77 Squadron RAAF
The squadron operates McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet multi-role fighters, the first of which was delivered in June 1987. The twin-engined Hornet is armed with a 20 mm cannon and can carry short- and medium-range air-to-air missiles and a variety of guided and unguided air-to-surface ordnance. It can be refuelled in flight by the RAAF's Airbus KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transports. No. 77 Squadron primarily operates the single-seat F/A-18A Hornet; each Hornet squadron also operates one or two F/A-18Bs, a two-seat model used for pilot conversion. Squadron staff are responsible for day-to-day servicing and some heavy maintenance tasks. Other heavy maintenance is carried out by an industry coalition contracted through Boeing. No. 77 Squadron regularly undertakes exercises with air forces from South-East Asia, New Zealand and the United States.
Boeing C-137 Stratoliner
The Boeing C-137 Stratoliner was a VIP transport aircraft derived from the Boeing 707 jet airliner used by the United States Air Force. Other nations also bought both new and used 707s for military service, primarily as VIP or tanker transports. In addition, the 707 served as the basis for several specialized versions, such as the E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft. The designation C-18 covers several later variants based on the 707-320B/C series. The C-137 should not be confused with the superficially-similar Boeing C-135 Stratolifter; although they share a common ancestor the two aircraft have different fuselages.
British Overseas Airways Corporation
The next major order of Boeing aircraft was for 11 747-100s. On 22 April 1970 BOAC received its first 747, but the aircraft did not enter commercial service until 14 April 1971 due to BOAC's inability to settle crewing and pay rates with the British Air Line Pilots' Association. BOAC's successor British Airways later became the largest Boeing customer outside North America.
Boeing 777
On September 8, 2015, a 777-200ER caught fire during its take-off at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport as British Airways Flight 2276, after one of its General Electric GE90-85B engines suffered a serious uncontained engine failure. The take-off was aborted and all crew and passengers were evacuated with only minor injuries occurring. Investigators discovered that debris from inside the engine had punctured 'multiple' holes in the engine case.
Giles Guthrie
Guthrie's tenure at BOAC was marred by a two fatal incidents; the first, BOAC Flight 911, occurred in March 1966 when a Boeing 707 experienced clear-air turbulence whilst overflying Mount Fuji in Japan. The crash resulted in the deaths of all 124 passengers and crew, the most deadly accident involving a British airline to date. Guthrie travelled to Japan to be involved in the investigation. The second fatal accident, BOAC Flight 712, also involved a Boeing 707. The aircraft suffered an un-contained engine failure during takeoff; returning to Heathrow, the engine separated from the wing, causing the wing to catch fire. The aircraft cabin was destroyed by fire, and five people were killed.
Boeing 757
In the early 1990s, the FAA and other U.S. government agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), began studying the 757's wake turbulence characteristics. This followed several incidents, including two fatal crashes, in which small private aircraft experienced loss of control when flying close behind the twinjet. Smaller airliners had also suffered unexpected rolling movements when flying behind 757s. Investigators focused on the aircraft's aft-loaded wing design, which at certain points during takeoff or landing could produce wingtip vortices that were stronger than those emanating from larger 767s and 747s. Other tests were inconclusive, leading to debate among government agencies, and in 1994 and 1996 the FAA updated air traffic control regulations to require greater separation behind the 757 than other large-category jets. The 757 became the only sub- airliner to be classified as a "heavy" jet, alongside wide-body aircraft, under FAA separation rules.
Boeing 737
Detailed design work continued on both variants at the same time. Boeing was far behind its competitors when the 737 was launched; rival aircraft BAC-111, Douglas DC-9, and Fokker F28 were already into flight certification. To expedite development, Boeing used 60% of the structure and systems of the existing 727, the most notable being the fuselage cross-section. This fuselage permitted six-abreast seating compared to the rival BAC-111 and DC-9's five-abreast layout.
Boeing
In April 1994, Boeing introduced the most modern commercial jet aircraft at the time, the twin-engine 777, with a seating capacity of approximately 300 to 370 passengers in a typical three-class layout, in between the 767 and the 747. The longest range twin-engined aircraft in the world, the 777 was the first Boeing airliner to feature a "fly-by-wire" system and was conceived partly in response to the inroads being made by the European Airbus into Boeing's traditional market. This aircraft reached an important milestone by being the first airliner to be designed entirely by using computer-aided design (CAD) techniques. The 777 was also the first airplane to be certified for 180 minute ETOPS at entry into service by the FAA. Also in the mid-1990s, the company developed the revamped version of the 737, known as the 737 "Next-Generation", or 737NG. It has since become the fastest-selling version of the 737 in history, and on April 20, 2006 sales passed those of the "Classic 737", with a follow-up order for 79 aircraft from Southwest Airlines.
Braniff International Airways
Although Braniff had been one of the first U.S. operators of the British-built BAC One-Eleven (and the first U.S. airline to order the British Aircraft Corporation twin jet), in 1965 Lawrence ordered twelve new US-built Boeing 727-100s and cancelled most of the remaining One-Eleven orders. The 727s had been selected before Lawrence's arrival, but no orders had been placed. These planes were the "quick change" (B727-100QC) model, which had a large freight loading door located on one side of the aircraft just aft of the flight deck. This allowed Braniff to begin late-night cargo service, while the aircraft carried passengers during the day. This doubled the 727 utilization rate and allowed Braniff to open a new cargo business, AirGo. The new 727s could also be outfitted in a mixed cargo/passenger combi aircraft configuration if needed and Braniff did operate "red eye" overnight services carrying cargo in the forward section with seating for 51 passengers in the rear coach compartment of the jetliner.
In 1970 Braniff accepted delivery of the 100th Boeing 747 built – a 747–127, N601BN – and began flights from Dallas to Honolulu, Hawaii on January 15, 1971. This plane, dubbed "747 Braniff Place" and "The Most Exclusive Address In The Sky", was Braniff's flagship, and it flew an unprecedented 15 hours per day with a 99 percent dispatch reliability rate. In 1978 N601BN flew the first flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to London.
BAC One-Eleven
By 1974, BAC invested significant effort into launching the One-Eleven 700. This had a longer body with a 134-seat interior and the projected Spey 67 engine producing greater power. It was approximately the same size as the latest DC-9s and 737s and would have been available in time to prevent large-scale defections by One-Eleven clients to McDonnell-Douglas and Boeing. Rolls-Royce was still recovering from bankruptcy, however, and the uprated Spey failed to materialise. An altogether less ambitious 700 made a reappearance in 1978 as a 500 with specially "hush-kitted" Speys which would be replaced by the proposed RB432 in the mid-1980s. This was offered to British Airways in competition with Boeing 737-200s, but was ultimately rejected.
Boeing 777
When referring to different variants, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) code collapses the 777 model designator and the -200 or -300 variant designator to "772" or "773". The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aircraft type designator system adds a preceding manufacturer letter for "B772" or "B773". Designations may append a range identifier like "B77W" for the 777-300ER by the ICAO, "77W" for the IATA. Other notations include "773ER" and "773B" for the -300ER.
Boeing 747
The 747SP was granted a supplemental certificate on February 4, 1976 and entered service with launch customers Pan Am and Iran Air that same year. The aircraft was chosen by airlines wishing to serve major airports with short runways. A total of 45 747SPs were built, with the 44th 747SP delivered on August 30, 1982. In 1987, Boeing re-opened the 747SP production line after five years to build one last 747SP for an order by the United Arab Emirates government. In addition to airline use, one 747SP was modified for the NASA/German Aerospace Center SOFIA experiment. Iran Air is the last civil operator of the type; its final 747-SP (EP-IAC) was to be retired in June 2016.
Boeing 367-80
As the first of a new generation of passenger jets, Boeing wanted the aircraft's model number to emphasize the difference from its previous propeller-driven aircraft which bore 300-series numbers. The 400-, 500- and 600-series were already used by missiles and other products, so Boeing decided that the jets would bear 700-series numbers, and the first would be the 707.
Boeing had studied developments of its existing Model 367 (the KC-97 Stratofreighter) incorporating swept wings and podded engines; and chose to build the 367-80, which retained little of the KC-97 except the upper fuselage diameter (and the possibility of building some of the fuselage with existing tooling). Although the design was announced publicly as the Model 707, the prototype was referred to within Boeing simply as the Dash 80 or "-80".
Boeing Dreamlifter
Certification was initially planned for early 2007, but was pushed back to June 2007. The aircraft's winglets were removed to resolve excess vibration and other handling characteristics prior to final certification. In the meantime, as part of the flight test program, LCF delivered major sections of the 787 from partner sites around the world to the Boeing factory in Everett, Washington for final assembly. The 747 LCF was granted FAA type certification on June 2, 2007. From its first flight in 2006 until certification in 2007, the Dreamlifter completed 437 hours of flight testing along with 639 hours of ground testing.
British Airways Flight 38
British Airways Flight 38 (ICAO code "BA 38") is a scheduled passenger flight from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) in China to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) in the United Kingdom, a trip. The aircraft involved in the accident was a 150-tonne Boeing 777-236ER, registration (manufacturer's serial number 30314, line number 342), powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 895-17 engines. The aircraft first flew on 18 May 2001 and was delivered to British Airways on 31 May 2001. It had a seating capacity for 233 passengers. On board were 16 crew members and 136 passengers. The crew consisted of Captain Peter Burkill, 43, Senior First Officer John Coward, 41, First Officer Conor Magenis, 35, and 13 cabin crew members. The captain had 12,700 total flight hours, with 8,450 in Boeing 777 aircraft. The senior first officer had 9,000 total flight hours, with 7,000 in Boeing 777 aircraft. The first officer had 5,000 total flight hours, with 1,120 in Boeing 777 aircraft.
South African Airways
On 13 March 1968 SAA ordered five Boeing 747-200Bs. The first, "Lebombo" (registered as ZS-SAN), was delivered on 22 October 1971 after a 3-stop flight from Seattle. It was placed into service in December and proved very popular. SAA eventually operated 23 brand-new "Jumbo Jets", including the −200M (first delivered in 1980), −300 (1983), −400, and the long-range Boeing 747SP. The 747SP, especially, was acquired to overcome the refusal of many countries to allow SAA to use their airspace by exploiting its long-range capabilities, as well as to serve lower-density routes which were unsuited to the 747-200. Six were delivered starting 19 March 1976. To demonstrate the 747SP's performance, one was delivered from Seattle to Cape Town non-stop, an airliner distance record that stood until 1989. The first 747SP arrived in South Africa on 19 March 1976. As the 747 entered service, its smaller siblings, the 707s, were converted to combi – passenger/cargo – configurations, and high-density seating. All of SAA's Vickers Viscounts were sold by March 1972 after being replaced by Boeing 737s.
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
Flight 370 was operated with a Boeing 777-2H6ER, serial number 28420, registration 9M-MRO. It was the 404th Boeing 777 produced, first flown on 14 May 2002, and was delivered new to Malaysia Airlines on 31 May 2002. The aircraft was powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 892 engines and configured to carry 282 passengers in total capacity. It had accumulated 53,471.6 hours and 7,526 cycles (takeoffs and landings) in service and had not previously been involved in any major incidents, though a minor incident while taxiing at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in August 2012 resulted in a broken wing tip. Its last maintenance "A check" was carried out on 23 February 2014. The aircraft was in compliance with all applicable Airworthiness Directives for the airframe and engines. A replenishment of the crew oxygen system was performed on 7 March 2014, a routine maintenance task; an examination of this procedure found nothing unusual.
777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
The squadron was reactivated in 1953 as the 777th Troop Carrier Squadron, when it replaced the 72d Troop Carrier Squadron, a reserve unit that had been called to active duty for the Korean War at Lawson Air Force Base, Georgia. It moved to Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, where it successively flew Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars and Fairchild C-123 Providers. It deployed to Vietnam as part of Project Mule Train, until transferring its deployed crews and planes to the 311th Troop Carrier Squadron in 1963. Upon its return to Pope, it converted to Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. It frequently deployed to other theaters, and participated in Operation Dragon Rouge and Operation Power Pack. It was inactivated on 31 August 1971, when the 39th Tactical Airlift Squadron replaced it at Pope.
Boeing 767
The 767-400ER, the first Boeing wide-body jet resulting from two fuselage stretches, entered service with Continental Airlines in 2000. The type features a stretch over the 767-300, for a total length of . The wingspan is also increased by through the addition of raked wingtips. The exit configuration uses six main cabin doors and two smaller exit doors behind the wings, similar to certain 767-300ER's. Other differences include an updated cockpit, redesigned landing gear, and 777-style Signature Interior. Power is provided by uprated Pratt & Whitney PW4000 or General Electric CF6 engines.
No. 33 Squadron RAAF
In 1978, the Australian government decided to purchase two passenger jets for strategic transport, primarily to mitigate what it saw as the risk of terrorist attack inherent in carrying VIPs on commercial flights. Its attempts to procure one Boeing 727 each from domestic carriers Ansett and TAA were unsuccessful but, in December, Qantas agreed to sell the government two Boeing 707s for $14.5 million. Purchasing big jets for VIPs was controversial, but the 707s were also intended for general long-range transport, being capable of carrying cargo or up to 160 passengers. The first was transferred to the RAAF in March 1979, and its inaugural Air Force flight took place on 22 April. Located at RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales, the 707s were initially operated by No. 37 Squadron. They were formed into No. 33 Flight under the command of Wing Commander J.D. Grierson on 2 February 1981. The flight's first mission took place the same day, when it ferried RAAF members and their families to RAAF Base Butterworth, Malaysia, a task that had previously necessitated a Qantas charter.
On 1 July 1983, after the government procured two more 707s for $7.5 million from Worldways Canada, No. 33 Flight was reorganised as No. 33 Squadron under Grierson's command. Responsible for transporting VIPs such as members of the British Royal Family, the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, and the Pope, the 707 also became the first RAAF aircraft to land in the Soviet Union, the occasion being the funeral of Konstantin Chernenko in 1985. Along with Nos. 36 and 37 Squadrons, operating Lockheed C-130 Hercules, No. 33 Squadron came under the control of No. 86 Wing, part of the newly established Air Lift Group (later Air Mobility Group), in February 1987. Routine servicing of the 707s and Hercules was the responsibility of No. 486 Squadron, another component of No. 86 Wing. Qantas undertook heavier maintenance of the 707s at its jet base in Mascot. The RAAF acquired three more 707s on 25 February 1988, following a $25 million purchase from Boeing Military. One of the airframes was non-flying, for spares only, and was nicknamed "Hulksbury".
List of Boeing 777 orders and deliveries
The title of largest 777 operator has changed hands during the aircraft's history. Singapore Airlines' order for up to 77 aircraft on November 15, 1995 constituted the largest-ever wide-body aircraft purchase at the time. The purchase comprised 34 firm orders and 43 options for the 777-200ER, all to be powered Trent 800 series engines, and was valued at US$12.7 billion. The number of 777 customers had grown to 25 airlines by June 1997, with 323 aircraft on order. On August 26, 2004, Singapore Airlines followed up with a US$4 billion order for the 777-300ER, including 18 firm orders and 13 options. The combined orders would make the carrier's 777 fleet number 77 when deliveries were complete.
BOAC Flight 712
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 707–465 registered G-ARWE with a total of 20,870 flight hours since it first flew on 27 June 1962. On 21 November 1967 it had suffered an engine failure resulting in an aborted takeoff with no injuries. The aircraft was insured for £2,200,000 with Lloyd's of London.
Boeing Pelican
The Pelican is powered by eight turboprop engines, which produce an output of each. The engines are about five times more powerful than the engines on turboprop or propfan-powered military transport aircraft such as the Airbus A400M (using Europrop TP400 engines) and the Antonov An-22 (Kuznetsov NK-12MA) and An-70 (Progress D-27). The new engines would probably be a hybrid derived from two General Electric (GE) engines: the LM6000 marine engine, an aeroderivative gas turbine based on the CF6-80C2 turbofan (used on the Boeing 767 and other widebody aircraft) that powers fast ferries, cargo ships, and stationary electrical generation plants, combined with a core based on the GE90 turbofan, which powers the Boeing 777 twin-engine widebody aircraft. The Pelican's many engines mitigate a single-engine loss scenario, so just as the Boeing 777-300ER can lift its maximum takeoff weight with just one of its two engines working, seven operational engines out of the eight total can provide enough power for the 7.7-times greater MTOW of the Pelican. The power plant converts about 38 percent of the fuel's energy into thrust, a comparable engine efficiency to those in modern widebody aircraft.
Boeing 777
The 777 surpassed 2,000 orders by the end of 2018. , the 777 has been involved in 26 aviation accidents and incidents, including a total of seven hull-losses – one due to an aircraft that was shot down (Malaysia Airlines Flight 17) – resulting in 541 fatalities along with three hijackings. The first fatality involving the twinjet occurred in a fire while an aircraft was being refueled at Denver International Airport in the United States on September 5, 2001, during which a ground worker sustained fatal burns. The aircraft, operated by British Airways, suffered fire damage to the lower wing panels and engine housing; it was later repaired and returned to service.
TACA Flight 110
TACA Flight 110 was an international scheduled airline flight operated by TACA Airlines, traveling from Belize to New Orleans. On May 24, 1988, the Boeing 737-300 lost power in both engines, but its pilots made a successful deadstick landing on a grass levee adjacent to NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility, with no one aboard sustaining more than minor injuries, and with only minor damage to the aircraft. After engine replacement, the aircraft was able to take off from a road which had been previously been an aircraft runway at Michoud and subsequently returned to service.
Asiana Airlines Flight 733
The aircraft was a Boeing 737-5L9, which made its maiden flight June 14, 1990. The aircraft was delivered to Maersk Air on June 26 the same year (with registration OY-MAB). The aircraft was then leased to Asiana Airlines on November 26, 1992.
147th Air Refueling Squadron
On 1 July 1976, the Wing received notice that Strategic Air Command (SAC) would become its new mobilization gaining command. A year later, the Wing transitioned to the Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker, a four-engine jet aircraft. This was a significant upgrade, increasing the squadron's air refueling capacity and expanding its global mission capability. In 1982, the ANG increased its mission capability through an interim program by retrofitting commercial Boeing 707 engines to their tankers redesignating the aircraft to the KC-135E.
BAC Three-Eleven
By that time, the Airbus A300 design had been finalised and had attracted modest but sufficient orders, while the first A300 aeroplane was progressing to completion. There was also growing pressure from the Heath government for BEA and private British airlines (particularly Court Line) to buy another airliner, the American Lockheed L-1011 TriStar: since TriStars were powered by Rolls-Royce engines, this would help recovery in a sector of the British aviation industry which had recently attracted large state support. Wood speculated that, if the British government had provided financial backing for the Three-Eleven, the consequential investment by BAC in Rolls-Royce via the RB.211 engine would have been a considerable boon to the ailing firm, and may have potentially averted Rolls-Royce's bankruptcy entirely, but he also notes that this is conjecture on his own part.
TAAG Angola Airlines
In , TAAG Angola Airlines informed that it firmed up an order for three Boeing 777-200ERs and four Boeing 737-700s, it also took options on one and two more of these aircraft, respectively. The firm-ordered aircraft were initially scheduled for delivery in . The new aircraft were aimed at replacing the ageing Boeing 747-300s and Boeing 737-200s. The order was partially fulfilled in November 2006, when two Boeing 777-200ERs and three 737-700s were delivered. One of these Boeing 777-200ERs established a record-breaking distance for the delivery of the type, when it flew between Seattle and Luanda in 16 hours and 47 minutes. On 29 April 2010, it was announced that TAAG had ordered two Boeing 777-300ERs, with an option for two more. In , the Boeing 747-300 fleet was retired from service. In the same year, the airline received its first newly acquired Boeing 777-300ER, out of two ordered in October 2009; TAAG became the first African carrier in purchasing and operating this type of aircraft. Three additional 293-seater Boeing 777-300ERs were ordered in , in a deal worth  million.
Boeing 737 AEW&amp;C
The Boeing 737 AEW&C is a twin-engine airborne early warning and control aircraft. It is lighter than the 707-based Boeing E-3 Sentry, and mounts a fixed, active electronically scanned array radar antenna instead of a rotating one. It was designed for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) under "Project Wedgetail" and designated E-7A Wedgetail.
Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 312
The aircraft was a 21-year-old Boeing 737-400 with the registration TC-JET, which had two CFMI CFM56-3C1 engines. The aircraft's first flight was on the 20th of January 1993 where the aircraft was then delivered to Turkish Airlines 3 months later. On October 3rd 2006 it was involved in a hijacking of Turkish Airlines Flight 1476 where a man demanded to be taken to Rome. The aircraft was later leased to Anadolu Jet and then to Pamir Airways where the aircraft was re-registered to YA-PIB, and finally to Ariana Afghan Airlines where the aircraft met it's fate.
Boeing 777
On August 3, 2016, the sixth hull-loss of the type occurred, when a 777-300 crashed while landing and caught fire at Dubai Airport at the end of its flight as Emirates Flight 521. The preliminary investigation indicated that the aircraft was attempting a landing during active wind shear conditions. The pilots initiated a go-around procedure shortly after the main wheels touched-down onto the runway, however the aircraft settled back onto the ground apparently due to late throttle application. As the undercarriage was in the process of being retracted, the aircraft landed on its rear underbody and engine nacelles, resulting in the separation of one engine, loss of control and subsequent crash. There were no passenger casualties of the 300 people on board, however one airport fireman was killed fighting the fire. The aircraft's fuselage and right wing were badly damaged by the fire.
Avianca Flight 52
The Avianca Flight 52 aircraft was a Boeing 707-321B (registration number "HK-2016"). The aircraft was manufactured in June 1967 and was purchased by Avianca from Pan Am in 1977. By the time of the crash, the aircraft was 22 years old and had over 61,000 flight hours. The 707 was equipped with four JT3D-3B engines modified with a hush kit to reduce noise pollution. Avianca personnel reported that they factored in a five-percent fuel overburn into the performance calculations due to the hush kit along with an additional five-percent overburn due to the age of the aircraft. Additionally, maintenance crews had noted recurring issues with the aircraft's autopilot, including the altitude hold function.
Boeing 747
Boeing announced the 747 ASB ("Advanced Short Body") in 1986 as a response to the Airbus A340 and the McDonnell Douglas MD-11. This aircraft design would have combined the advanced technology used on the 747-400 with the foreshortened 747SP fuselage. The aircraft was to carry 295 passengers a range of . However, airlines were not interested in the project and it was canceled in 1988 in favor of the 777.
British Caledonian in the 1970s
To support its ambitious expansion plans, BCal acquired a number of additional, second-hand Boeing 707s from various sources through its aircraft trading and leasing subsidiaries during the early 1970s. These included a pair of 320C series aircraft procured on a long-term lease from Britannia Airways featuring a two-class, "widebody look" interior. Another three 707s received re-modelled "widebody" cabins. All five were used to inaugurate the airline's transatlantic scheduled routes to New York and Los Angeles where the established competition was operating widebodied aircraft, such as the Boeing 747 "jumbo jet". It was thought that the aircraft's widebody style interiors would leave passengers with the impression that BCal was operating widebodied aircraft when in fact it was not. During that time, BCal placed an order with the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) for two new One-Eleven 500s and acquired additional second-hand examples. At the same time, the airline disposed of some of its 707s, VC10s and One-Eleven 200s. These included the original pair of 399C series 707 aircraft that had been delivered to Caledonian Airways direct from the manufacturer in 1967/68.
Boeing 777
On November 12, 1995, Boeing delivered the first model with General Electric GE90-77B engines to British Airways, which entered service five days later. Initial service was affected by gearbox bearing wear issues, which caused British Airways to temporarily withdraw its 777 fleet from transatlantic service in 1997, returning to full service later that year. General Electric subsequently announced engine upgrades.
Boeing
On August 18, 2007, NASA selected Boeing as the manufacturing contractor for the liquid-fueled upper stage of the Ares I rocket. The stage, based on both Apollo-Saturn and Space Shuttle technologies, was to be constructed at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans; Boeing constructed the S-IC stage of the Saturn V rocket at this site in the 1960s.
Boeing launched the 777 Freighter in May 2005 with an order from Air France. The freighter variant is based on the −200LR. Other customers include FedEx and Emirates. Boeing officially announced in November 2005 that it would produce a larger variant of the 747, the 747-8, in two versions, commencing with the Freighter version with firm orders for two cargo carriers. The second version, named the Intercontinental, is for passenger airlines. Both 747-8 versions feature a lengthened fuselage, new, advanced engines and wings, and the incorporation of other technologies developed for the 787.
Boeing 777
The B-market 777-200ER ("ER" for Extended Range), originally known as the 777-200IGW (increased gross weight), has additional fuel capacity and an increased MTOW for transatlantic routes. With a 658,000 lb (298.46 t) MTOW and engines, it has a range. It was delivered first to British Airways on February 6, 1997. Thirty-three customers received 422 deliveries, with no unfilled orders .
, 338 examples of the -200ER are in airline service. It competed with the A340-300. Boeing proposes the 787-10 to replace it. The value of a new -200ER rose from $110 million at service entry to $130 million in 2007; a 2007 model 777 was selling for $30 million ten years later, while the oldest ones had a value around $5–6 million, depending on the remaining engine time.
It could be delivered de-rated with reduced engine thrust for shorter routes to lower the MTOW, reduce purchase price and landing fees (as 777-200 specifications) but can be re-rated to full standard. Singapore Airlines ordered over half of its -200ERs de-rated.
A British Airways 777-200ER flew the fastest New York to London subsonic flight at 5 hours and 16 minutes in January 2015 due to strong tail winds.
BOAC Flight 777
Originally, five Douglas DC-3s and one Douglas DC-2 airliner were available, but with the loss of a DC-3 on 20 September 1940 in a landing accident at Heston, and the destruction of another DC-3 in November 1940 by Luftwaffe bombing at Whitchurch, only four aircraft remained: DC-2 G-AGBH "Edelvalk" (ex-PH-ALE), DC-3 G-AGBD "Buizerd" (ex-PH-ARB), DC-3 G-AGBE "Zilverreiger" (ex-PH-ARZ), and DC-3 G-AGBB "Ibis" (ex-PH-ALI). In 1939, with war tensions in Europe increasing, KLM had painted their DC-2s and DC-3s bright orange to mark them clearly as civilian aircraft. BOAC repainted the aircraft in camouflage, with British civil markings and red/white/blue stripes like all BOAC aircraft, but without the Union Flag. They were later marked with their Dutch bird names under the cockpit windows. The interiors remained in KLM colours and markings.
Boeing 707
The 707 was developed from the Boeing 367-80, a prototype jet first flown in 1954. A larger fuselage cross-section and other modifications resulted in the initial-production 707-120, powered by Pratt & Whitney JT3C turbojet engines, which first flew on December 20, 1957. Pan American World Airways began regular 707 service on October 26, 1958. Later derivatives included the shortened long-range 707-138 and the stretched 707-320, both of which entered service in 1959. A smaller short-range variant, the 720, was introduced in 1960. The 707-420, a version of the stretched 707 with Rolls-Royce Conway turbofans, debuted in 1960, while Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbofans debuted on the 707-120B and 707-320B models in 1961 and 1962, respectively.
American Airlines Flight 77
The American Airlines Flight 77 aircraft was a Boeing 757-223 (registration The aircraft was built and had its first flight in 1991. The flight crew included pilot Charles Burlingame (a Naval Academy graduate and former fighter pilot), First Officer David Charlebois, and flight attendants Michele Heidenberger, Jennifer Lewis, Kenneth Lewis, and Renee May. The capacity of the aircraft was 188 passengers, but with 58 passengers on September 11, the load factor was 33 percent. American Airlines said that Tuesdays were the least-traveled day of the week, with the same load factor seen on Tuesdays in the previous three months for Flight 77.
Future Air Navigation System
In the early 1990s, the Boeing Company announced a first generation FANS product known as FANS-1. This was based on the early ICAO technical work for automatic dependent surveillance (ADS) and controller–pilot data link communications (CPDLC), and implemented as a software package on the flight management computer of the Boeing 747-400. It used existing satellite based ACARS communications (Inmarsat Data-2 service) and was targeted at operations in the South Pacific Oceanic region. The deployment of FANS-1 was originally justified by improving route choice and thereby reducing fuel burn.
A similar product (FANS-A) was later developed by Airbus for the A340 and A330. Boeing also extended the range of aircraft supported to include the Boeing 777 and 767. Together, the two products are collectively known as FANS-1/A. The main industry standards describing the operation of the FANS-1/A products are ARINC 622 and EUROCAE ED-100/RTCA DO-258. Both the new Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 have FANS-1/A capability.
Boeing 777
The smaller Boeing 787 was the first stage of a replacement aircraft initiative called the Boeing Yellowstone Project. Reportedly, the 777 could eventually be replaced by a new aircraft family, Yellowstone 3, which would draw upon technologies from the 787.
By the late 2000s, the 777 was facing increased potential competition from Airbus' planned A350 XWB and internally from proposed 787 variants, both airliners that promise fuel efficiency improvements. As a consequence, the 777-300ER received an engine and aerodynamics improvement package for reduced drag and weight. In 2010, the variant further received a maximum zero-fuel weight increase, equivalent to a higher payload of 20–25 passengers; its GE90-115B1 engines received a 1–2.5 percent thrust enhancement for increased takeoff weights at higher-altitude airports. More changes were targeted for late 2012, including possible extension of the wingspan, along with other major changes, including a composite wing, new powerplant, and different fuselage lengths. Emirates was reportedly working closely with Boeing on the project, possibly being the launch customer for new 777 versions. China Airlines ordered ten 777-300ER aircraft to replace 747-400s on routes between Taipei and Los Angeles and New York City, telling "Aviation Week and Space Technology" that the 777-300ER's per seat cost is about 20% lower than the 747's costs (varying due to fuel prices). Four of the 777 aircraft were already flying as of February 2015.
Basil Smallpeice
d'Erlanger and Smallpeice, who developed a particularly strong working relationship, were supporters of the British aviation industry, pursuing British built aircraft for BOAC. Smallpeice in particular had been a strong supporter of de Havilland throughout the period of the Comet crashes and re-introduction to service, but concerns about the reintroduction of the Comet, delays with the Bristol Britannia and a lack of any other suitable British aircraft nearing production would force BOAC into purchasing the Boeing 707 aircraft. Smallpeice was instrumental in their purchase, discreetly arranging for BOAC staff to visit America and examine the Boeing 367-80 prototype before persuading the government to authorise the purchase, as was necessary at the time.
The purchase of the Boeing 707 aircraft would be followed by several orders for Vickers competing design, the VC10, with BOAC having ordered 35 VC10 aircraft by 1959 and an additional ten (bringing the total on order to 45) by 1961. Payments for these aircraft together with a downturn in transatlantic traffic, increased competition on the transatlantic route by additional carriers equipped with jet aircraft, and a whole host of additional costs associated with the Vickers VC10 and Bristol Britannia purchase would result in BOAC becoming extremely unprofitable from late 1961 onwards.
American Airlines Flight 587
The accident aircraft, registration was an Airbus A300B4-605R delivered to American Airlines new in 1988. On the day of the accident, the aircraft was in a two-class seating configuration with space for 251 passengers, with 16 business-class seats and 235 coach-class seats. The aircraft was powered by two General Electric CF6-80C2A5 engines. On-board were two flight crew members, 42 year-old Captain Ed States and 34 year-old First Officer Sten Molin; seven cabin crew members; and 251 passengers. The aircraft taxied to Runway 31L behind a Japan Airlines Boeing 747-400 preparing for takeoff. The JAL flight was cleared for takeoff at at 9:11:08. Around 9:11:36, the tower controller cautioned the Flight 587 pilots about potential wake turbulence from the 747 JAL flight.
List of Boeing 777 operators
The Boeing 777 is a long-range wide-body twin-engine jet airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, the commercial business unit of Boeing. Commonly referred to as "Triple Seven", it is the largest twinjet and the world's longest-range airliner. The 777 can accommodate between 301 and 458(Air Canada High Density) passengers in a three-class layout, and has a range of , depending on the model. Developed in consultation with eight major airlines, the 777 was designed to replace older wide-body airliners and bridge the capacity difference between the 767 and 747.
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a large, wide-body (two-aisle) airliner with four wing-mounted engines. Its wings have a high sweep angle of 37.5 degrees for a fast, efficient cruise of Mach 0.84 to 0.88, depending on the variant. The sweep also reduces the wingspan, allowing the 747 to use existing hangars. Its seating capacity is over 366 with a 3–4–3 seat arrangement (a cross section of 3 seats, an aisle, 4 seats, another aisle, and 3 seats) in economy class and a 2–3–2 layout in first class on the main deck. The upper deck has a 3–3 seat arrangement in economy class and a 2–2 layout in first class.
Raised above the main deck, the cockpit creates a hump. This raised cockpit allows front loading of cargo on freight variants. The upper deck behind the cockpit provides space for a lounge and/or extra seating. The "stretched upper deck" became available as an alternative on the 747-100B variant and later as standard beginning on the 747-300. The upper deck was stretched more on the 747-8. The 747 cockpit roof section also has an escape hatch from which crew can exit during the events of an emergency if they cannot do so through the cabin.
Líneas Aéreas Privadas Argentinas
Prior to its bankruptcy in April 2003, the most modern aircraft in the fleet, such as the brand-new Boeing 737-700s, Boeing 757-200s, as well as a single Boeing 767-300ER the company flew the Buenos Aires–Atlanta route with, were gradually returned to their lessors throughout 2001 and 2002, as their leases proved too expensive. When LAPA ceased operations in April 2003, only three of its remaining five Boeing 737-200 Advanced were operational.
LAPA Flight 3142
The aircraft was a Boeing 737-204C, registered in Argentina as LV-WRZ, production number 20389, line 251, with JT8D-9A engines. It first flew on 14 April 1970, and it was delivered by Boeing to Britannia Airways on 17 April of that year. It was listed in the United Kingdom's registry as G-AXNB.
Braniff International Airways
Beard led Braniff into the jet age. The first jets were four Boeing 707-227s; a fifth crashed on a test flight when still owned by Boeing. Braniff was the only airline to order the 707-227; in 1971 it sold them to British West Indies Airways (BWIA), an airline based in the Caribbean. Boeing 720s were added in the early 1960s. In 1965 Braniff's fleet was about half jet, comprising 707s, 720s and British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven jetliners. The long range Boeing 707-320C intercontinental model was then introduced. However, the 707, 720 and One-Eleven would all subsequently be removed from the fleet. Braniff's last piston schedule was operated with a Convair aircraft in September 1967 and the last Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop service was flown about May 1969.
United Airlines Flight 553
United Airlines Flight 553 was a scheduled service from Washington National Airport to Omaha, Nebraska, via Chicago Midway International Airport. used for the flight was a four-year-old Boeing 737-222 "City of Lincoln", registration (built in 1968).
Asiana Airlines Flight 214
The Boeing 777 has a good reputation for safety. This was its first fatal accident, second crash (after British Airways Flight 38), and third hull loss since the 777 began operating commercially in 1995.
Western Airlines
In 1960, Western Airlines introduced Boeing 707 jetliners (B707-139 models) with flights between Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, OR and Seattle. In 1967, WAL acquired Pacific Northern Airlines, which served the state of Alaska, with their primary route being Anchorage-Seattle, which was served nonstop with Boeing 720 jetliners. In the late 1960s, Western aimed for an all-jet fleet, adding Boeing 707-320s, 727-200s and 737-200s to their fleet of 720Bs. The two leased B707-139s had previously been removed from the fleet in favor of the turbofan powered Boeing 720B. Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprops were then replaced with new Boeing 737-200s.
SAM-A-1 GAPA
Although GAPA was based on similar principles as earlier German designs, it evolved into an entirely different concept; GAPA designs were long and thin and looked like missiles, not aircraft. Aerojet was selected to build solid-fuel boosters, while Boeing tried a wide variety of engine designs for the upper stage. The first test shot of an unguided GAPA airframe design took place on 13 June 1946 from a launch pad at the World War II Wendover Bombing and Gunnery Range on the western edge of the Bonneville Salt Flats. These early "Model 600" designs were for aerodynamic testing only, and used solid fuel in both stages. Over the following two week period, a total of 38 launches were conducted, ending on 1 July.
Boeing 757
In 1986, the FAA approved RB211-powered 757s for extended-range twin-engine operational performance standards (ETOPS) operations over the North Atlantic, following precedents set by the 767. Under ETOPS regulations, a set of safety standards governing twinjet flights over oceans and other areas without nearby suitable landing sites, airlines began using the aircraft for mid-range intercontinental routes. Although the 757 was not originally intended for transoceanic flights, regulators based their decision on its reliable performance record on extended transcontinental U.S. services. ETOPS certification for 757s equipped with PW2000 series engines was granted in 1992.
British Overseas Airways Corporation
BOAC was also permitted to spend dollars on six new Boeing 377 Stratocruisers for its key transatlantic routes from October 1949, offering a double-deck non-stop eastbound service from New York City to London Airport (later Heathrow). However, because of the prevailing westerly winds, the westbound flights needed re-fuelling at Shannon and Gander before reaching New York. Another four Stratocruisers were taken over from a frustrated SAS order and seven were bought secondhand in the mid-1950s. The Handley Page Hermes and Canadair DC-4M "Argonaut" joined the BOAC fleet between 1949 and 1950, replacing the last of the non-pressurised types on passenger services. When service entry of the Bristol Britannia was delayed in late 1956, BOAC was permitted to purchase ten new Douglas DC-7Cs. These long-range aircraft enabled BOAC to operate non-stop westbound flights from London and Manchester to New York and other US East Coast destinations, in competition with DC-7Cs of Pan American World Airways and Lockheed Super Constellations of Trans World Airlines (TWA). This was the first purchase of aircraft direct from the Douglas Aircraft Company in BOAC's history.
BOAC Flight 777
There were four Dutch crew on the flight. First in command: Captain Quirinus Tepas OBE, second in command: Captain Dirk de Koning (also aboard the second attack on the "Ibis"), wireless operator: Cornelis van Brugge (also known from the 1934 London-Melbourne MacRobertson Air Race), flight engineer: Engbertus Rosevink. Most crew members diverted to England in their aircraft after the German invasion in the Netherlands, and some of them settled in the Bristol area.
Boeing New Large Airplane
The Boeing NLA, or New Large Airplane, was a 1990s concept for an all-new airliner in the 500+ seat market, with four engines. Somewhat larger than the 747, this aircraft was similar in concept to the McDonnell Douglas MD-12 and later Airbus A380. In 1993, Boeing chose not to pursue development of this concept, later focusing instead on the Boeing 747-500X and -600X, then 747X and 747X Stretch, and after that, the Boeing 747-8. The project names for this aircraft were NLA and Boeing 763-246C.
Invicta International Airlines
Boeing 720-023, c/n 18014
First flight on 24 June 1960. Delivered on 24 July 1960 to American Airlines as N7528A "Flagship Connecticut". Returned to Boeing on 31 July 1961 for conversion to Boeing 720-023B. On 1 July 1964 substantially damaged by an undercarriage collapse landing at John F Kennedy International Airport, New York. Withdrawn from service in August 1971. Stored at Tulsa and then Beirut waiting to be sold to Middle Eastern Airlines. Leased on 3 November 1971 to European Ferries, re-registered G-BCBA. Operated by Invicta. Purchased on 10 May 1974 by European Ferries. Leased in October 1975 to Tempair and stored at Luton. Sub-leased on 6 February 1976 to Air Niugini, re-registered P2-ANG. Off lease on 2 February 1977 and stored at Luton. Leased on 26 March 1977 to Monarch Airlines and sold to them on 1 September. Leased from 31 January 1978 until May to Cyprus Airways. Leased from 21 September 1979 until January 1980 to Royal Air Maroc. Leased on 20 June 1980 to Air Malta. Sold on 23 October 1981 to Maof Airlines, re-registered 4X-BMA. Operated by Maof for El Al between September 1982 and October 1984, then stored at Tel Aviv. Maof ceased operations on 2 November 1984. Sold in November 1985 to Israel Aerospace Industries. Sold on 26 January 1986 to Omega Air and then sold two days later to Boeing MAC for use as a spares source for United States Air Force KC-135Es, re-registered N341A. Scrapped at Tucson, Arizona in June 1991.
Boeing 777
Boeing uses two characteristics – fuselage length and range – to define its 777 models. Passengers and cargo capacity varies by fuselage length: the 777-300 stretched the base 777-200 in 1998. Three range categories were defined: the A-market would cover domestic and regional operations, the B-market would cover routes from Europe to the US West coast and the C-market the longest transpacific routes. The A-market would be covered by a range, MTOW aircraft for 353 to 374 passengers powered by engines, followed by a B-market range for 286 passengers in three-class, with unit thrust and of MTOW, an A340 competitor, basis of an A-market 409 to 434 passengers stretch, and eventually a C-market with engines.
Boeing 777
In the early 1970s, the Boeing 747, McDonnell Douglas DC-10, and the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar became the first generation of wide-body passenger airliners to enter service. In 1978, Boeing unveiled three new models: the twin-engine Boeing 757 to replace its 727, the twin-engine 767 to challenge the Airbus A300, and a trijet 777 concept to compete with the DC-10 and L-1011. The mid-size 757 and 767 launched to market success, due in part to 1980s' extended-range twin-engine operational performance standards (ETOPS) regulations governing transoceanic twinjet operations. These regulations allowed twin-engine airliners to make ocean crossings at up to three hours' distance from emergency diversionary airports. Under ETOPS rules, airlines began operating the 767 on long-distance overseas routes that did not require the capacity of larger airliners. The trijet 777 was later dropped, following marketing studies that favored the 757 and 767 variants. Boeing was left with a size and range gap in its product line between the 767-300ER and the 747-400.