The end of the line for the Boeing 747 is about to be upon us. The last of these magnificent planes are scheduled to be delivered to Atlas Air in October of this year.
Boeing 747 was introduced to the skies in 1968. It was called a “jumbo jet” by many people. It was the largest of its kind, and it has been flying all over the world for more than fifty years now. It will be sad to see this icon go.
Most people have seen a Boeing 747, or at the very least heard of them. However, most people have very little knowledge about this aircraft.
Let’s see if we can find out more about these planes, and maybe discover a few fun facts that we can use to wow our friends during trivia games.
How Much Does A Boeing 747 Weigh?
The Boeing 747 – 400 weighs about 404,600 pounds when it is not loaded. That is a pretty hefty plane.
This plane has two decks and inside there are stairs to take you from the lower deck to the upper deck. There are fourteen of those stair steps leading to the upper deck.
The upper deck is spacious and has about as much square footage as a common 737 has in it.
Boeing 747s
There is not just one Boeing 747. There are several different versions of this aircraft.
747 – 400 – weighs about 404,600 pounds.
747 – 400ER – weighs about 412,770 pounds.
747 -8F – weighs about 447,700 pounds
747 – 8 – weighs about 443,613 pounds.
Passenger Capacity
The 400 is designed to carry between 350 to 400 passengers and crew. That is a lot of bodies on one plane, along with luggage and all of the other packages the plane would be moving.
However: During the Operation Solomon evacuation, a Boeing 747 – 400 was loaded with 1,087 people at one time.
The plane that Israel used to perform this feat was modified, and there was not a lot of luggage and other parcels on the plane.
Did You Know?
- The landing gear tires on these jumbo jets are filled with nitrogen? The nitrogen in the tires prevents explosive tire blowouts when the aircraft lands on the tarmac.
- There are four engines propelling the massive weight of these planes.
- In the cockpit, there are 365 switches, dials, and lights to keep track of. This number sounds incredible, but in the early days, there were about twice that many, and upgrades in technology have reduced them through the years.
- Painting one of these giants requires 90 gallons of paint.
- More than 3.5 billion people have taken to the skies in Boeing 747 planes.
- Originally these giant planes were designed to be converted to cargo planes, not passenger planes. But, they were so popular that they retained their passenger plane abilities.
- The 747 was re-designed and custom outfitted to create several specific needs planes through the years. Air Force One is built on the Boeing 747 design with a few modifications. They were also customized for refueling tanker planes, space shuttle carriers, E-5 military command centers, and more.
- Through the years the engine noise has been cut in half.
- A 747 can travel fast enough to cover 100 meters in 0.36 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Weight Can A Boeing 747 Carry?
The Boeing 747 can carry a total of 248,000 pounds (103,419 kg).
When Was The First Boeing 747 Flown?
The first flight of the 747 occurred in 1968.
Are They Still Making The Boeing 747?
Sadly the last Boeing is scheduled to be delivered in October of 2022.