bizflyer
16th Mar 2004, 23:07
I'd like to find out more about the background/manufacture process relating to conversion of 747 200 to SUD model, I believe KLM just retired theirs, but did/do any other airlines fly this derivative? Is there anywhere I can find out more about when and why they converted the aircraft (vs buying 300 models). Actually I may be mistaken but I am assuming they were originally normal 100/200 series models and converted post manufacture...quite a major re-manufacture job I would think.
Atlanta-Driver
17th Mar 2004, 13:31
KLM had both the 206B SUD's and 306's that came from Boeing with the big top.
JAL was was another company that had SUD's They had some of their 100 SR's converted to the SUD standard, but also operate straight -300's.
AD
MD11FAN
17th Mar 2004, 18:59
KLM had 10 B747-200s(3 passenger & 7 combis) modified at Boeing. These were done between late 1984 and March 1986. Two a/c were also modified for UTA(a/c now with Air France).
OK, lets be Anoraks
10 for KLM (BUH,I,K,L,M,N,O,P,R,T)
2 for UTA (now Air France) BTDG,H
2 for JAL (8170,8176)
Old Fogey here can remember a photograph in Flight magazine at the time this work was being done, taken from above, of a (I think KLM) aircraft with a large oblong hole cut in the upper fuselage and the removed section laying alongside. And I seem to recall Boeing were doing the work themselves, but can't remember which plant was doing it.
Boeing presented this as a formal "program" (nowadays they would PR it as a new aircraft model); the fact that they only did 14 shows it didn't really work out. If I recall correctly the cost of the rebuilding just wasn't justified by the additional revenue over the remaining service life of the aircraft (the oldest KLM one was already 10 years old when done).
The shipbuilding world, in contrast, are past masters at sawing through existing vessels, either horizontally or vertically, and inserting either whole new decks or lengthening the ship with a complete new section. Some ferries have had both done ! Aircraft seem to be a different matter.