Boeing 747



The Boeing 747-400 is a major development and best-selling model of the successful Boeing 747 jet airliner family. While retaining the four-engine widebodylayout of earlier 747s, the -400 embodies numerous technological and structural changes to produce a more efficient airframe. Its most distinguishing feature from the other 747 models are its winglets, although the -400D does not feature any. With seatings for a maximum of 624 people, the 747-400 can fly non-stop for 7,670nautical miles (14,200 km), depending on model.

The 747-400 is the second-most recent version of the Boeing 747 aircraft, to be superseded by the more economical and advanced Boeing 747-8. The last -400 model was delivered in December 2009.

The 747-400 was announced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in October 1985. Compared to the 747-300 the 747-400 has 6 feet (1.8 m) wing tip extensions, 6 feet (1.8 m) winglets, and a glass cockpit, which dispensed with the need for a flight engineer. The 747-400 also improved on the 300 version with the addition of a fuel tank in the horizontal stabilizer, engines with improved fuel efficiency and higher thrust, an all-new interior, revised fuselage/wing fairings and newer in-flight entertainment. Like the 747-300, the passenger version of the 747-400 has the stretched upper deck (SUD) as a standard feature. The SUD is almost twice as long as the original 747 upper deck. The SUD was previously offered as a retrofit and first appeared on two Japanese 747-100 SR models. While the wingspan was increased, the overall weight of the wings was decreased due to the use of composites and aluminum alloys.