Boeing 747-300

The 747-300 features a 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) longer upper deck than the −200. The stretched upper deck has two emergency exit doors and is the most visible difference between the −300 and previous models. Before being made standard on the 747-300, the stretched upper deck was previously offered as a retrofit, and first appeared on two Japanese 747-100SR aircraft. The −300 introduced a new straight stairway to the upper deck, instead of a spiral staircase on earlier variants, which creates room above and below for more seats.[ Minor aerodynamic changes allowed the −300's cruise speed to reach Mach 0.85 compared with Mach 0.84 on the −200 and −100 models, while retaining the same takeoff weight. The −300 could be equipped with the same Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce powerplants as on the −200, as well as updated General Electric CF6-80C2B1 engines. Swissair placed the first order for the 747-300 on June 11, 1980. The variant revived the 747-300 designation, which had been previously used on a design study that did not reach production. The 747-300 first flew on October 5, 1982, and the type's first delivery went to Swissair on March 23, 1983. Besides the passenger model, two other versions (−300M, −300SR) were produced. The 747-300M features cargo capacity on the rear portion of the main deck, similar to the −200M, but with the stretched upper deck it can carry more passengers. The 747-300SR, a short range, high-capacity domestic model, was produced for Japanese markets; Japan Airlines operated the type with more than 600 seats on the Okinawa–Tokyo route and elsewhere. No production freighter version of the 747-300 was built, but Boeing began modifications of used passenger −300 models into freighters in 2000. A total of 81 aircraft of the 747-300 series were delivered, 56 for passenger use, 21 −300M and 4 −300SR versions. In 1985, just two years after the −300 entered service, the type was superseded by the announcement of the more advanced 747-400. The last 747-300 was delivered in September 1990 to Sabena. While some −300 customers continued operating the type, several large carriers replaced their 747-300s with 747-400s. Air France, Air India, Pakistan International Airlines, and Qantas were some of the last major carriers to operate the 747-300. On December 29, 2008, Qantas flew its last scheduled 747-300 service, operating from Melbourne to Los Angeles via Auckland.

Powerplants

Four 243.5kN (54,750lb) Pratt & Whitney JT9D7R4G2 turbofans, or 236.3kN (53,110lb) RollsRoyce RB211524D4s, or 233.5kN (52,500lb) General Electric CF650E2s, or 252.2kN (56,700lb) CF6-80C2B1s.

Performance

Max speed (with CF6-80s) 996km/h (538kt), max cruising speed 939km/h (507kt), economical cruising speed 907km/h (490kt), long range cruising speed 898km/h (485kt). Range with 400 passengers and reserves with JT9Ds 11,675km (6300nm), with CF650s 11,297km (6100nm), with CF6-80s 12,408km (6700nm), with RB211s 11,575km (6250nm).

Weights

Operating empty 174,134kg (383,900lb) with JT9Ds, 175,721kg (387,400lb) with CF6-50s, 176,901kg (390,000lb) with CF6-80s or 178,171kg (392,800lb) with RB211s. Max takeoff 351,535kg (775,000lb), or 356,070kg (785,000lb), or 362,875kg (800,000lb), or 371,945kg (820,000lb), or 377,840kg (833,000lb).

Dimensions

Wing span 59.64m (195ft 8in), length 70.66m (231ft 10in), height 19.33m (63ft 5in). Wing area 511m2 (5500sq ft).

Capacity

747-300 - Flightcrew of three, with two pilots and one flight engineer. Typical two class seating arrangement for 470 (50 business class including 28 on the upper deck and 370 economy class).

Production

81 delivered 1983-90 with 78 in service in late 1998.

ype

Long range high capacity widebody airliner

History

Boeing's 747-300 model introduced the distinctive stretched upper deck which can seat up to 69 economy class passengers.
The 747-300 was the end result of a number of Boeing studies which looked at increasing the aircraft's seating capacity. Ideas studied included fuselage plugs fore and aft of the wing increasing seating to around 600, or running the upper deck down the entire length of the fuselage. In the end Boeing launched the more modest 747SUD (Stretched Upper Deck) with greater upper deck seating on June 12 1980.
The 747SUD designation was soon changed to 747EUD (for Extended Upper Deck), and then 747-300. The new model first flew on October 5 1982 and was first delivered to Swissair on March 28 1983. Other customers included UTA, Saudia, SIA, Qantas and Cathay.
Compared to the -200, the -300's upper deck is stretched aft by 7.11m (23ft 4in), increasing economy class seating from 32 to a maximum of 69. The lengthened upper deck introduced two new emergency exit doors and allows an optional flightcrew rest area immediately aft of the flightdeck to be fitted. Access is via a conventional rather than spiral staircase as on the earlier models.
Otherwise the 747-300 is essentially little changed from the 747-200 and features the same takeoff weight and engine options. 747-300 variants include the 747-300M Combi and the short range 747-300SR built for Japan Air Lines for domestic Japanese services.
The extended upper deck was also offered as a retrofit to existing 747-100/-200s, although the only airlines to take up this option were KLM and UTA. KLM has since converted two to freighters, resulting in the first 747 freighters with the stretched upper deck. Also, two JAL 747-100s were delivered new with the extended upper deck.