Boeing 747-200 General |
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| Long range widebody aircraft |
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Boeing 747-200 Program Milestones |
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| KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines |
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Boeing 747-200 Dimensions |
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| 195 feet 8 inch (59,64 m) |
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| 225 feet 2 inch (68,63 m) |
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Boeing 747-200 Powerplants |
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Boeing 747-200 Unit Costs |
| Model out of production - No price current |
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| Boeing 747-200 |
Although the Boeing 747-200 has been developed after the 747-100 was introduced, it was practically built during the same time frame as the latter. The first Boeing 747-200 was delivered in 1971 while the last left the production factory in 1991. Compared to the Boeing 747-100, the -200 is almost identical and was primarily designed to carry more payload. The 747-200 was offered both as passenger and freighter aircraft and was actually the first 747 that could be configured as a freighter, combo and convertible. The first Boeing 747 freighter was able to carry 100 tons of payload across the Atlantic Ocean or across the United States. Compared to other older generation aircraft, its operating cost was 35 percent less than for example the Boeing 707 freighter. It is both capable of loading cargo through its hinged nose or through a large side-cargo door.
The Boeing 747-200 convertible was configured in a way that it could serve as a passenger airplane, freighter airplane or a combination of this. It carries a wide range of different payloads and can be adjusted to different times of the year, such as high density passenger capacity during peak summer months or full freighter during the winter. The 747-200 combi is similar to the convertible and was designed to serve as a passenger-only or passenger-freighter airplane. It has a large side-cargo door installed on the main deck, and is used by airline s on several routes enabling operators to make better use of their capacity.
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| Boeing 747-200 Design |
| Compared to the Boeing 747-100, the -200 has more powerful engines and higher maximum take-off weight, allowing the aircraft to fly farther than its predeccesor. In the beginning, optional engine models like the CF6 and RB211 were available for the model. Earlier models of the 747-200 retained the three window upperdeck configuration, like the 747-100, but were later redesigned with ten windows on each side. As with the -100, a SUD (Stretched Upper Deck) modification became available much later. KLM was the first operator of the 747-200 and was actually the only airline to retrofit its aircraft with the SUD option. In total, KLM converted ten aircraft both by in-house engineering and Boeing. Other airlines that performed such modifications were French airline UTA and Japan Airlines (JAL). Boeing 747-200SUD configured aircraft in fact looks like the Boeing 747-300 as both have a stretched upper deck.
At the time the Boeing 747 was designed, it was widely thought that eventually the aircraft would be superseded by Supersonic Transport (SST). Boeing therefore designed the Boeing 747 in such a way that it could easily be adapted to serve as a freigther aircraft and it would remain in operation after sales for the passenger version would decrease. The aircraft's cockpit was therefore placed on the upper deck in order to allow for a nose loading door, thus creating the characteristic 747 bulge. Although SST seemed to be the way of travel in the future, supersonic transports were not widely adopted. Compared to subsonic travel, SSTs were less fuel-efficient, incredibly noisy during landing and take-off and were limited in their ability to operate at supersonic speed over land.
| Since the 747 had dimensions which exceeded those of many large passenger jets at that time, safety and flyability concerns were appeased by designing the 747 with multiple structural redundancy, four redundant hydraulic systems, and quadruple main landing gears consisting of four gears with each containing four wheels which would provide a good spread of support on the ground. Furthermore, the 747 is equipped with triple-slotted flaps, minimising landing speeds, and split control surfaces. It large wings are swept back at an angle of 37.5 degrees, which is unusually large for aircraft at that time, allowing the aircraft to make use of current maintenance and servicing facilities. |
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| Boeing 747-200 Versions |
| Boeing 747-200 |
The Boeing 747-200 is practically the same as the -100 when looked at from the outside. It was designed in way that it would carry more payload across greater distances than its older brother. With new, more powerful engines installed, the -200 is capable to do so. |
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| Boeing 747-200B |
The Boeing 747-200B is an improved version of the Boeing 747-200 as it features an increase in fuel capacity and more powerful engines. The first aircraft was delivered in 1971 to Qantas and is available in a combi version as well. At maximumt take-off weight, the 747-200B is capable of flying a distance of 6,700 miles which is approximately 10,700 km. |
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| Boeing 747-200C |
The Boeing 747-200C (Convertable) is primarily a passenger aircraft that can be converted to a freighter aircraft and vice versa if market demand requires this. Cabin seats can be moved and a large side-door cargo entrance allows for cargo to be loaded on the main deck. With the -200C, a nose door is optional. |
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| Boeing 747-200M |
The Boeing 747-200M also has the capability to fly both freight or passengers but, unlike the 747-200C, it is able to do this at the same time. A wall separates the passengers in front of the aircraft from the cargo at the aft end of the cabin. By doing so, the aircraft is able to carry cargo throughout the lower deck and on half the main deck, along with approximately 200 passengers in the forward part of the cabin. |
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| Boeing 747-200F |
The Boeing 747-200F is a freigther version of the -200 series. A nose door loading capability is optional and it has a 105 ton payload capacity with a maximum take-off weight of 833.000 lb. It first entered service with Lufthansa in 1972. |
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Photo related material - Click to enlarge... |
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