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vagabond 08-24-2013 08:43 AM

Boeing Continues To Push 747
 
Boeing continues to push 747 sales as others worry about its future | KING5.com Seattle

SEATTLE - A sign of the worry came in the form of a tweet linking to the on-line aviation blog L.A. Airspace: "United removes last 747 flight from Los Angeles."

While just a piece of a broader picture, the story captures the anxiety some feel about the future of the venerable Jumbo jet, as fewer airlines fly it in favor of smaller Boeing 777s or larger Airbus 380s.

In response United Airlines spokeswoman Mary Ryan said, "We have not announced any plans to retire our 747s. The up and down gauging is just a matter of optimizing our fleet by using the right aircraft for the right routes."

While United is moving away from the 747-400 between LAX and Sydney, Australia, it's adding more 747 service at its main hub in Chicago, replacing some 777s there with 747-400s. United operates 23 Jumbo jets.

Leeham & Co. airline analyst Scott Hamilton expects United to eventually replace its 747-400 fleet with other Airbus and Boeing jets.

"If United were to also become a 777X customer, you know that's going to replace the 747-400," Hamilton said.

The new 777X-9 is expected to hold 400 seats, about 10 to 15 percent fewer seats that the new 747-8 Intercontinental with a typical seating configuration of 460.

The business of flying has changed a lot since the 747's introduction in 1970, when Jumbos flew major trunk routes between big cities such as New York to London.

Over four decades the world has seen a shift to more direct routes connecting smaller cities like Seattle and larger markets with increasing frequencies This has lead to strong orders for smaller two-engine airliners with longer ranges including the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the new Airbus 350.

Boeing isn't ready to put the 747 out to pasture because there's nothing else like it, especially as a freighter. The new 747-8 comes as a freighter and a passenger version called the Intercontinental.

But so far only Lufthansa, Korean and Air China have ordered the passenger version of the plane. Two-thirds of the orders are for freighters where the 747-F faces little direct competition. The Airbus 380 doesn't come in a freighter configuration.

Boeing says it's still in direct talks with interested airlines for the new 747-8 in both freighter and passenger configurations, and believes the next 20 years will see sales of more than 700 very large airplanes by all manufacturers.

But so far in 2013, Boeing has seen a net gain of zero new sales with an order for five new jets offset by cancellations of five others.

Bucking Bar 08-24-2013 09:03 AM

IMHO, the 747 is much more comfortable than it's competition. Having 4 smaller engines creates a lot less drone and vibration than massive fans out there turning at low RPM. Upper deck in the 747-400 is probably the nicest ride in the industry right now.

AZFlyer 08-24-2013 11:00 AM

Being an admirer of the aircraft, I would love to see a US carrier flying the 747-8i. Great looking airplane. Definitely still the queen of the skies.

John Carr 08-24-2013 11:25 AM


Originally Posted by AZFlyer (Post 1469329)
Being an admirer of the aircraft, I would love to see a US carrier flying the 747-8i. Great looking airplane. Definitely still the queen of the skies.

Do you mean a U.S. passenger carrier flying the -800 in a pax configuration?

Twin Wasp 08-24-2013 11:42 AM

Boeing doesn't call it the "800" just "dash 8". And the "i" is the passenger version so it would be logical that a US operator of a "-8i" would be a passenger carrier.

Mythbuster 08-24-2013 12:33 PM


Originally Posted by Twin Wasp (Post 1469353)
Boeing doesn't call it the "800" just "dash 8". And the "i" is the passenger version so it would be logical that a US operator of a "-8i" would be a passenger carrier.

Oh, snap!!

727gm 08-24-2013 01:33 PM


Originally Posted by Bucking Bar (Post 1469229)
Upper deck in the 747-400 is probably the nicest ride in the industry right now.

Yes, Queen of the Skies!

finis72 08-24-2013 02:21 PM


Originally Posted by 727gm (Post 1469434)
Yes, Queen of the Skies!

More like Grandmother of the skies

AZFlyer 08-24-2013 03:46 PM


Originally Posted by John Carr (Post 1469338)
Do you mean a U.S. passenger carrier flying the -800 in a pax configuration?

Yes, hence my use of 747-8i.

labbats 08-24-2013 05:00 PM


Originally Posted by AZFlyer (Post 1469501)
Yes, hence my use of 747-8i.

Oh snap! He henced you!


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