At launch, the was restricted to operating no more than 90 minutes from a diversion airport. This prevented twins from operating commercial routes over the Atlantic and, of course, elsewhere too.
ETOPS regulations changed this from the mids. ETOPS allowed aircraft to fly up to two hours from a suitable diversion airport. This opened up transatlantic routes to the and marked the start of new possibilities for twins. The became the first aircraft to be certified for this in After moving through several variants, the remains in production today — in both passenger and cargo configurations. The original was first upgraded within its first year, with the extended range variant ER.
This kept the same fuselage design but offered increased payload and additional fuel capacity. Its range was increased to 6, nautical miles 11, kilometers , from the s 3, nautical miles 7, kilometers. The ER was popular with US airlines, but also more internationally. Ethiopian Airlines placed the first order in , and the type entered service with El Al in In , Japan Airlines became the first customer for the stretched This lengthened the fuselage by just over six meters and took capacity up to a maximum of , from typical two-class capacity though was versus Boeing also offered the ER, entering service with American Airlines in Extended ETOPS was now in place, and the stretched was popular with both US and international airlines, going on to be the most sold variant.
The F added a cargo access door and strengthened landing gear and wing structure. Many aircraft have also been converted to cargo use after passenger service. The final variant was a further stretch to the ER. Continental Airlines was also interested as a replacement for its DCs, and it became the launch customer in September With the ER, passenger capacity was increased to as a typical two-class capacity, with possible as a maximum exit limit. The range though was slightly lower than both the ER and ER, but expected for higher capacity.
In total, Boeing has delivered 1, aircraft based on data from Boeing. It remains in production, with 93 outstanding orders for freighter F and tanker aircraft C. As of July , of these remain in active use.
There is continued interest in cargo aircraft — both with these new orders and second-hand purchases and conversions. Amazon , for example, has taken on several s from Delta and WestJet. American Airlines retired its fleet in amidst a pandemic-induced move to simplification. Outside the US, Japanese airlines are the largest remaining operators. Japan Airlines operates 31 aircraft, and ANA 29 aircraft based on data from ch-aviation. After the launch of the ER in , there were plans to take the further.
Boeing had earlier discussed a larger X aircraft with a wider fuselage and had plans for an even longer-range ERX. The early s was not a good time for the airline industry, though, and plans for this were dropped in Instead, Boeing concentrated on a new, more efficient replacement aircraft, dubbed the 7E7. This soon became the Boeing And any plans for a higher capacity X were absorbed into the program. With more efficient engines and composite fuselage construction, the offered a much lower-cost operation.
While the and the took over as passenger options, the has remained a popular aircraft for cargo use. It also remains popular as an air-to-air refueling tanker. Boeing still has 93 orders to deliver — all of them in freighter or tanker configuration. There is one change could keep the in production longer — upgrading with new technology and engines.
This is not an impossible undertaking. The , of course, has moved through several versions since the s. It remains well in production with the MAX. The remains alive, with the much-anticipated X on its way. There has been a lot of discussion about a new mid-sized offering from Boeing. This was understood to be a clean-sheet proposal, as a replacement for the but a widebody like the It would have a higher capacity of , with a possible stretched version taking it to The is a wide-body, double-aisle jet, but, like the smaller standard-body , it was designed for fuel efficiency.
The was first ordered in , and the last was delivered in Its extended-range model, the ER, entered service in The was first ordered in and was followed by its extended-range model, first delivered in Overhauls in the passenger realm would remain largely quiet until the dawn of the new millennium. In the summer of Continental Airlines received the first ER aircraft.
This aircraft could seat passengers in economy, 70 in economy plus, and 39 in business. This jet also came with an MTOW of , kg , lb. Notably, Continental merged with United in , allowing for the Chicago-based carrier that introduced the first variant to operate the final passenger edition. The deployment of the had been declining steadily before the pandemic. Round-trip seat bookings on US-operated units have been decreasing yearly since Moreover, the global health crisis caused a rapid drop in utilization of the type.
Airlines are even retiring the aircraft in the new climate. Overall, Boeing and its customers are opting to concentrate on more modern jets when it comes to passenger operations. Thus, the Boeing and X will be the prime focus this decade in the widebody field. Nonetheless, the has adapted to the changing conditions, working well in industries such as cargo. This model has a high-capacity cargo setup on both the main deck and lower hold.
Additionally, the plane can transport 59 tons 53 tonnes of cargo across the continents. This is a customized passenger-to-freighter aircraft. The plane received a main deck cargo door along with a fortified main deck floor, and extra safety and freight monitoring appliances. The also delivers well when it comes to military duties.
Even now, 56 of the 95 unfilled orders are for the C tankers. Meanwhile, the rest of the orders are for freighters. Regardless, despite finding a lease of life in other fields, the Boeing is finding it hard to keep up in the commercial realm , especially since production of passenger units has ended.
What are your thoughts about the journey of the Boeing ? Which variant has been your favorite over the years?
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