Boeing 747SP
Syrian Boeing 747SP landing at Heathrow.
Type	Airliner
Manufacturer	Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Designed by	Joe Sutter
Introduced	1976
Status	Discontinued, limited service
Primary users	Pan Am (10) United Airlines (10, from Pan Am) South African Airways (6)
Produced	1976-1989
Number built	45
Developed from	Boeing 747

The Boeing 747SP is a highly modified version of Boeing's Boeing 747-100 offering 'special performance'. Known during development as the 'short body' 747SB, the shortened fuselage permitted longer range flights to be made. Syrian Boeing 747SP (YK-AHB) landing at London (Heathrow) Airport in August 2004. ... An Airbus A340 airliner operated by Air Jamaica An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft with the primary function of transporting paying passengers. ... An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, and/or spacecraft. ... Boeing Commercial Airplanes, based in Renton, Washington, is a unit of The Boeing Company, consisting of the Seattle-based former Boeing Airplane Company (the civil airliner division), as well as the Long Beach-based Douglas Aircraft division of the former McDonnell Douglas Corporation. ... Joe Sutter was an engineer for the Boeing Airplane Company and lead designer for the 747. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1976: Events March March 17 - a Japan Air Lines Boeing 747 makes the first non-stop flight from Tokyo to New York, taking 11. ... Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal international airline of the United States from the 1930s until its collapse in 1991. ... United Airlines, also known as United Air Lines, Inc. ... South African Airways (SAA) is South Africas largest domestic and international airline company. ... The Boeing 747, commonly nicknamed the Jumbo Jet, is a long-haul, widebody commercial airliner manufactured by Boeing. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661 ) is an aerospace and defense corporation headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. ... The Boeing 747, commonly nicknamed the Jumbo Jet, is a long-haul, widebody commercial airliner manufactured by Boeing. ...

Background

The 747SP was first offered to customers in 1974, and the first airframe was delivered in 1976. A shorter derivative of the 747-100, the SP was developed to target two market requirements. The first addressed a need to compete with the DC-10 and L-1011 while maintaining commonality with larger 747s. The 747 was simply too big for many routes, and Boeing did not have a mid-sized widebody to compete in the segment of the market that the DC-10 and L-1011 had created. The second market requirement was the ultra long-range routes which were emerging in the mid-1970s. These routes needed not only longer range, but also higher cruising speeds. Boeing could not afford to develop an all-new design, instead shortening the 747 and re-optimized it for speed and range at the expense of capacity. The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine medium- to long-range widebody airliner, with two engines mounted on underwing pylons and a third engine at the base of the vertical stabilizer. ... The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as just L-1011 (pronounced ell-ten-eleven), was the third widebody passenger jet airliner to enter operation, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. ...

Development

747SP refitted as the SOFIA astronomical observatory

An Iran Air 747SP Sitting on the Tarmac at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport

Apart from having a significantly shorter fuselage and one fewer cabin door per side, the 747SP differs from other 747 variants in having simplified flaps and in having a taller vertical tail to counteract the decrease in yaw moment-arm from the shortened fuselage. The 747SP uses larger single-piece flaps on the trailing edges rather than the triple-slotted flaps found on standard 747s. The SP was also the first Boeing widebody to have a wingspan measuring longer than the length of the plane; its wingspan measures 196 feet across while its length is 184 feet. The other aircraft with a wider wingspan than body is the Boeing 777-200LR. This is not standard design with airliners as it can make the aircraft center heavy if the wingspan is significantly longer. Taken from set of official pictures in the Spanish Royal Houses official web site: http://www. ... Taken from set of official pictures in the Spanish Royal Houses official web site: http://www. ... Position of Sofia in Bulgaria Coordinates: Country Bulgaria Province Sofia-City Government  - Mayor Boyko Borisov Area  - City 1,349 km²  (520. ... Image File history File links My_Iran_Trip. ... Image File history File links My_Iran_Trip. ... List of airlines Iran Air is Irans flag carrier airline. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Mehrabad International Airport (IATA: THR, ICAO: OIII) is an airport that serves Tehran, Iran. ... Flaps are hinged surfaces on the trailing edge of an airplane wing which, when deployed, increase the lift (and drag) of a wing by changing the camber of the airfoil. ... The vertical stabilizer of an aircraft is found on its tail, generally pointing straight upward. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...

The SP could accommodate 230 passengers in a comfortable 3-class cabin or 331 in a (303 economy, 28 business) 2-class cabin, and a maximum of 440 passengers in one class. Originally designated 747SB for "short body", it later was nicknamed "Sutter's balloon" by employees after 747 chief engineer Joe Sutter.^[1] Boeing later changed the production designation to 747SP for "special performance", reflecting the aircraft's longer range and faster cruise speed. Pan Am was the launch customer for the 747SP, taking the first delivery, Clipper Freedom, on March 5, 1976.^[2] Joe Sutter was an engineer for the Boeing Airplane Company and lead designer for the 747. ... Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal international airline of the United States from the 1930s until its collapse in 1991. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (65th in leap years). ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the 1976 Gregorian calendar. ...

The 747SP was the longest-range airliner available until the 747-400 entered service in 1989. For all its technical achievements, the SP never sold as well as Boeing hoped. Increased fuel prices in the mid 70's to early 80's, its heavy wingspan, reduced capacity, and increased range of forthcoming new planes were some of the many factors that contributed to its low sales. Only 45 were ever built and most that are still in service are used by operators in the Middle East. Production of the 747SP ran from 1976 to 1983, however a VIP order for Amiri Flight of UAE forced Boeing to open production of the SP one last time in 1989. This plane is meticulously kept and has been photographed numerous times around the world. Another special 747SP is the SOFIA infrared astronomical observatory, where the airframe was modified to carry a 2.5-meter-diameter infrared reflecting telescope to high altitude, above most of the infrared-absorbing water vapor in the atmosphere. Originally delivered to Pan Am and titled "Clipper Lindbergh", NASA has the name displayed in Pan Am script on the plane. A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... Position of Sofia in Bulgaria Coordinates: Country Bulgaria Province Sofia-City Government  - Mayor Boyko Borisov Area  - City 1,349 km²  (520. ... Image of two girls in mid-infrared (thermal) light (false-color) Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than that of visible light, but shorter than that of radio waves. ... A reflecting telescope (reflector) is an optical telescope which uses a combination of curved and plane (flat) mirrors to reflect light and form an image (catoptric), rather than lenses to refract or bend light to form an image (dioptric). ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States federal government, responsible for the nations public space program. ...

Operators

Forty-five 747SP aircraft were built between 1974 and 1989. As of August, 2006, 14 are still flying, 15 have been scrapped, and the remainder are in storage or awaiting salvage.^[3]

Active service

• VIP Amiri Flight of UAE
• VIP Government of Yemen
• VIP Government of Qatar
• VIP Government of Iran
• VIP Government of Saudi Arabia
• SOFIA Astronomical Observatory
• Iran Air (in passenger operation)
• Syrian Arab Airlines (in passenger operation)

 VIP Government of Bahrain 

UAE redirects here; for other uses of that term, see UAE (disambiguation) The United Arab Emirates is an oil-rich country situated in the south-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia, comprising seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. ... Position of Sofia in Bulgaria Coordinates: Country Bulgaria Province Sofia-City Government  - Mayor Boyko Borisov Area  - City 1,349 km²  (520. ... List of airlines Iran Air is Irans flag carrier airline. ... Syrian Boeing 747SP Syrian Boeing 727 Syrian Arab Airlines (Arabic: مؤسسة الطيران العربية السورية), alternative name Syrianair (السورية) is the national flag-carrier airline of Syria, based in Damascus. ...

Former customers

• Pan Am took delivery of ten 747-SP21 aircraft between 1976 and 1979, operating them on trans-Pacific routes to Asia and Oceania as well as to the Middle East. The aircraft and routes were sold to United Airlines in 1986, and remained in operation until 1994.
• South African Airways operated six 747-SP44 aircraft on flights from Johannesburg to London, during the apartheid years, when that airline's aircraft were not allowed to fly over African countries and had to fly around the Bulge of Africa. The extra range allowed the aircraft to cover the additional distance. The sole remaining South African Airways 747SP - the "Maluti" - was decommissioned on 30 September 2006 with a final flight to Rand Airport where it will remain on show as a static display/museum aircraft. (This final transport flight was the aircraft's first flight in three years.)
• TWA operated three 747-SP31 aircraft from 1979 to 1986. Two of these were purchased by American Airlines and used on London and Tokyo routes until 1992.
• Iran Air took delivery of four 747-SP86 aircraft between 1976 and 1978. Prior to the 1979 Islamic revolution, the aircraft were used on the daily Tehran-New York flight, at the time the longest non-stop airline route in the world. Two of those four are still in service at 2006.

The first ever 747 (a QANTAS 747SP) to land at Wellington Airport, touches down in 1981

• Qantas operated two 747-SP38 aircraft from 1980 to 2004. In particular, these aircraft were originally used for flights between Sydney and Wellington, due to the latter's short runway but still able to meet passenger number requirements^[4]
• Braniff took delivery of 3 747-SP on their ultra longhaul routes in the Pacific. Fitted with 300 seats in a luxurious cabin and an all orange exterior, it was easily recognized by onlookers and plane enthusiasts^[5]. Of the three planes, as of August 2006, one has been scrapped, one is in VIP service with Yemen government, and the other is in VIP service with the Oman government.
• The type was popular with airlines in East Asia as it was the only type which has the range to fly between East Asia and North America non-stop both ways until the 747-400 was introduced. Asian users included:
  • China Airlines used the type on its non-stop routes from Taipei to San Francisco and Los Angeles
  • CAAC (now Air China) used the type to open its first route to USA: Beijing - Seattle. Later, the type was also used for service to Vancouver and New York from Beijing.
  • Korean Air operated the type on routes from Seoul to various destinations in USA.
• Aerolineas Argentinas operated one SP (from Braniff) on flights to Miami, Los Angeles, Toronto, Zürich and Frankfurt.

Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal international airline of the United States from the 1930s until its collapse in 1991. ... United Airlines, also known as United Air Lines, Inc. ... South African Airways (SAA) is South Africas largest domestic and international airline company. ... OR Tambo International Airport (IATA: JNB, ICAO: FAJS) is a large airport near the city of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. ... “LHR” redirects here. ... A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ... The Bulge of Africa is composed of West Africa and the Maghreb. ... Trans World Airlines (IATA: TW, ICAO: TWA, and Callsign: TWA), commonly known as TWA, was an American airline company that was acquired by American Airlines in April 2001. ... American Airlines (AA) is the largest airline in the world in terms of total passengers-miles transported[1] and fleet size, and the second-largest airline in the world (behind Air France-KLM) in terms of total operating revenues. ... List of airlines Iran Air is Irans flag carrier airline. ... Protestors take to the street in support of Ayatollah Khomeini. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 471 pixelsFull resolution (2019 × 1188 pixel, file size: 901 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Wellington International Airport Boeing 747SP Metadata... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 471 pixelsFull resolution (2019 × 1188 pixel, file size: 901 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Wellington International Airport Boeing 747SP Metadata... Qantas (pronounced ) is the name and callsign of the national airline of Australia and the worlds third oldest continuously running independent airline behind KLM and Avianca. ... Sydney Airport Control Tower International Terminal forecourt Sydney International Terminal International Terminal, Qantas check-in lounge International Terminal car park Memorial to Charles Kingsford Smith, International Terminal Qantas AVRO 504K replica, first plane flown by Qantas, Domestic Terminal Sydney Domestic Terminal entrance Terminal Control Unit including the old Control Tower... Wellington International Airport (IATA: WLG, ICAO: NZWN) is an international airport located on the Rongotai isthmus, 7 km southeast of central Wellington, New Zealands capital city. ... One of many different airplane livery designs of Braniff International Airlines. ... East Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Not to be confused with Air China. ... For other uses, see Taipei (disambiguation). ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (中国民用航空总局, Pinyin: Zhōngguó Mínyòng Hángkōng ZÇ’ngjú), most widely recognized by the initials CAAC, is an administrative body under the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China that oversees civil aviation in mainland China. ... Not to be confused with China Airlines, the national airline of the Republic of China. ... Beijing (Chinese: 北京; pinyin: BÄ›ijÄ«ng; IPA: ;  ), a metropolis in northern China, is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... City nickname Emerald City City bird Great Blue Heron City flower Dahlia City mottos The City of Flowers The City of Goodwill City song Seattle, the Peerless City Mayor Greg Nickels County King County Area   - Total   - Land   - Water   - % water 369. ... Vancouver (pronounced: ) is a city in south-western British Columbia, Canada. ... NY redirects here. ... Korean Air (KSE: 003490) (Korean Air Daehan Hanggong) is the largest airline based in South Korea. ... Seoul   is the capital of South Korea and is located on the Han River in the countrys northwest. ... Aerol neas Argentinas is Argentinas largest domestic and international airline. ...

Records

The SP made an ideal aircraft for record-setting flights. There were 3 significant commercial record-setting flights flown by 747SP, two operated by Pan Am and the other operated by United Airlines with the aircraft being 'loaned' to Friendship Foundation, in order to raise money for the foundation. Those flights are: Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal international airline of the United States from the 1930s until its collapse in 1991. ... United Airlines, also known as United Air Lines, Inc. ...

• Liberty Bell Express—From May 1 to May 3, 1976. 2 stopovers at Indira Gandhi International Airport of New Delhi and Tokyo-Haneda Airport.
• Pan Am Flight 50—to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pan Am. Flown during late-October, 1977, with the time duration of 54 hours, 7 minutes, 12 seconds. 3 stopover at London-Heathrow Airport, Cape Town International Airport and Auckland Airport.
• Friendship One—Flown in early 1988, to raise funds for Friendship Foundation. 2 stopovers at Athens Airport and Taipei-Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, (formerly the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport). Record lasted less than a month.

Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal international airline of the United States from the 1930s until its collapse in 1991. ... Check-in area of domestic departure terminal 1A Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport (IATA: DEL, ICAO: VIDP), located in the city of Delhi, India is one of Indias main domestic and international gateways. ... , This article is about the urban region that is the capital of India. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Tokyo International Airport (Japanese: 東京国際空港 Tōkyō Kokusai Kūkō) is an international airport in Ota, Tokyo, Japan. ... Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal international airline of the United States from the 1930s until its collapse in 1991. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... London Heathrow Airport (IATA airport code: LHR, ICAO airport code: EGLL, and often simply Heathrow) is the United Kingdoms busiest and best-connected airport. ... Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) (IATA: CPT, ICAO: FACT) is an airport in Cape Town, South Africa. ... Auckland International Airport is the largest and busiest international New Zealand. ... United Airlines, also known as United Air Lines, Inc. ... Athens International Airport, Eleftherios Venizelos (Greek: Διεθνής Αερολιμένας Αθηνών, Ελευθέριος Βενιζέλος) or Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (IATA: ATH, ICAO: LGAV) began operation in March 2001, serves the city of Athens in Greece. ... For other uses, see Taipei (disambiguation). ... Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (IATA: TPE, ICAO: RCTP) (Traditional Chinese: ; Tongyong Pinyin: Táiwan Táoyuán Gúoji JichÇŽng), formerly Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Zhōngzhèng Gúoji JÄ«chÇŽng), also known simply as C.K.S. Airport or Taoyuan Airport, is...

Incidents and accidents

• On February 19, 1985 a China Airlines Boeing 747SP-09 (registration N4522V) with 274 passengers and crew onboard on a flight from Chiang Kai-shek Airport to Los Angeles International Airport suffered an inflight failure on the number four engine. While the flight crew attempted to restore power the aircraft rolled to the right and started a steep descent from the cruising altitude of 41,000 feet, accelerating to 4.8 G and 5.1 G on two occasions. The captain managed to stabilize the aircraft at 9,500 feet and the aircraft diverted to San Francisco International Airport which was 550 km (343.8 mls) away. Two passengers were seriously injured and the aircraft suffered major structural damage.^[6]
• On October 5, 1998 a Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique Boeing 747SP-44 (registration ZS-SPF) with 66 passengers and crew onboard on a flight from Maputo International Airport to Lisboa Airport suffered a uncontained failure of the number three engine during initial climb. The failing engine sent debris into the number four engine and to the wing of the aircraft, causing a fire. The aircraft was able to return to the airport and no passengers were killed, but the aircraft was written off.^[7]
• On January 15, 2004 an Iran Air Boeing 747SP-86 (registration EP-IAC) with 180 passengers and crew onboard suffered hydraulic problems after departure from Beijing Capital International Airport, China. The aircraft returned to the airport, but the nosegear collapsed upon landing. The aircraft was ferried back to Tehran where it was withdrawn from service.^[8]

February 19 is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Not to be confused with Air China. ... Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (IATA: TPE, ICAO: RCTP) (Traditional Chinese: ; Tongyong Pinyin: Táiwan Táoyuán Gúoji JichÇŽng), formerly Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Zhōngzhèng Gúoji JÄ«chÇŽng), also known simply as C.K.S. Airport or Taoyuan Airport, is... Runway layout at LAX “LAX” redirects here. ... FAA diagram of SFO “SFO” redirects here. ... October 5 is the 278th day of the year (279th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... LAM (Linhas Aereas de Mocambique) is the national airline of Mozambique. ... Maputo International Airport (IATA: MPM, ICAO: FQMA) is an airport located three km (1. ... Portela Airport (Portuguese: Aeroporto da Portela or Aeroporto da Portela de Sacavém) (IATA: LIS, ICAO: LPPT) is located inside the city of Lisbon, capital of Portugal, although it takes its name from the neighbouring parish (freguesia) of Portela, also known as Portela de Sacavém). ... January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... List of airlines Iran Air is Irans flag carrier airline. ... Beijing Capital International Airport (Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) (IATA: PEK, ICAO: ZBAA) is the main international airport that serves the capital city of Beijing, Peoples Republic of China. ...

Specifications (747SP)

Data from Boeing Commercial Airplanes^[9] and Airliners.net^[10]

General characteristics

• Crew: 3 (2 pilots, flight engineer)
• Capacity: 331 (28 first, 303 economy)
• Length: 184 ft 9 in (56.31 m)
• Wingspan: 195 ft 8 in (59.64 m)
• Height: 65 ft 10 in (20.06 m)
• Wing area: 5,500 ft² (511 m²)
• Empty weight: 336,870 lb (152,780 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 670,000 lb (304,000 kg)
• Powerplant: 4× Rolls-Royce RB211-524C2 turbofan engines, 46,500 lbf (206.8 kN) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: .92 Mach (591 knots, 1,095 km/h)
• Cruise speed: .88 Mach (535 knots, 990 km/h)
• Range: 6,650 nm (7,650 mi, 12,325 km) with 276 passengers

The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft is allowed to try to achieve flight. ... RB211 powered Lockheed L-1011 The Rolls Royce RB.211 family is a family of high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines made by Rolls-Royce capable of generating 37,400 to 60,600 pounds-force (166 to 270 kilonewtons) thrust. ... CFM56-3 turbofan, lower half, side view. ... VNO of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of normal operation. ... Airspeed Indicator in a light aircraft The VC of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of cruising. ... The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing as limited by its fuel capacity. ...

References

For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 9 is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 9 is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• The Boeing 747 family at Boeing.com
• Boeing 747SP Website - Production Lists and Photo Gallery

Related content

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Boeing 747

Related development

• Boeing 747

Comparable aircraft

• Airbus A330-300
• Airbus A340-300/-500/-600
• Airbus A350-900/1000
• Ilyushin Il-96

Designation sequence

Related lists

• List of airliners
• List of Boeing 747 operators

See also