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Launch customer Northwest Orient will have the first of ten 747-400s in service by late 1988. One disturbing aspect of the -400 is that in every photo and technical drawing issued so far of the aircraft, there is no provision for overwing emergency exits!
Update – Boeing 747-400
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Boeing’s programme launch of the new 747-400 last September ushered in the fourth stage of major 747 development in addition to an eventual flood of orders for what is the flagship of almost all the world’s major carriers.
For the first time Boeing now offer their largest capacity airframe with the long haul capabilities previously only the domain of the shortened-fuselage SP. With a maximum payload, the 747-400 will have a range of 7,000nm enabling it to fly such sectors as Singapore/London, Chicago/Seoul and Los Angeles/ Sydney. Northwest Orient, the launch customer for the -400 claim that their -400s will be able to fly a 7,000nm sector with a full 80,000lb payload as against the -200 carrying 40,000lb and the -300 EUD carrying a mere 20,000lb payload over and above its fuel commitment. Figures like this speak for themselves and are brought about by the introduction of a combination of airframe weight reduction, improved aerodynamics and advanced engine technology which has reduced fuel burn by nearly a quarter when compared with early-build 747s.
The new -400 will have the same fuselage dimensions as the present -300 EUD though Boeing have increased span by just over 18ft and have fitted 6ft high winglets to reduce wingtip vortex drag which occurs when the high and low-pressure boundary layers meet at the wingtip to roll into a powerful drag inducing vortex. Boeing had wanted to increase span even further to increase aspect ratio yet were limited somewhat by the dimensions of most present-day engineering hangars. Their next best alternative was to introduce winglets which along with the actual increase in span result in a wing that is 3% more efficient than the standard unit.
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