747-400m

[G&T ice n slice]

Ummm sorry but not quite right - Check Alska Airlines seating

Combis - love them - very profitable as you don’t need (a) the bucket & spade brigade to fill up the back end and (b) you don’t need “X” tonnes at one go (where “X” is 15, 25, 55, 75, 100 or 120 tonnes depending on aircraft type).

With combis you have to think along the lines of the CEO of ((memory failure here )) Think it was MEA when asked why MEA only operated B707 types and did’t get lots of widebodies “A daily DC3 is 6 days quicker than a a weekly 747”

A daily 35 tonne B747 combi is 3 or 4 days quicker than a twice weekly 747-freighter (think about it)

Regarding opearing on the “N” register - yes it is possible : Alaska Airlines have operated combi’s for year
I think originally they had B727-100 combis and maybe B737-200 combis - they now operate B737-400 combis

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Alaska_Airlines/Alaska_Airlines_Boeing_737-400_combi.php

All these aircraft had (have) the cargo load on pallets in the front of the cabin with the pax at the back

The DC8-50 series operated in combi version with a variety of layouts anywhere from 4 to 12 pallets with pax at the back. loaded 108x88n pallets crosswise (in a cabin 128n wide ??? [memory loss].

I think the B707, B727 & B737 combis operated similar loading, since had pretty much same floor width.

Believe the DC9 10/20/30 series could also operate in combi config. but was 125x88n pallet lengthwise loaded in front, again pax at the back. Not sure “N” reg approved, but was done a few time with special charters in Europe.

AFAIK the DC10 & MD11 were also operated in combi config, DC10 with (i think) 1 version cargo in front, pax at the back, whilst the MD11 combi in 2 versions (a) cargo in front & pax at the back and (b) pax at the front & cargo at the back (Believe only Alitalia have (had) this one with big freight door at rear port side.

With the front cargo loaders the main trick is to maintain an access way between pointy end and blunt end so flight & cabin crew could communicate.

As regards the B747 combi; as far as I know only pax at the front freight at the back in “scheduled” service. I am happy for someone with nose-loader knowledge to flame me, but I believe the nose loaders were never loaded in ‘scheduled’ service with cargo thru the nose dor & pax in the back.

The original & best 747-combi were the -200 (later SUD “300”) which had 12 maindeck positions (later 13). could be operated as 12 maindeck or 6 maindeck ((later 13 maindeck or 7 maideck)).

Usual config would be “19” pallet (“20” pallet) with 7 lowerdeck pallets or “13” pallet (“13” pallet”) also with 7 ldps. ((rest lowerdeck put aside for pax baggage [spit]))

After the SAA 747-combi disaster over the Indian Ocean mostly combis restricted to the 6(7) rearmost pallet positions & all sorts of other restrictions about loading.

Going back to the “N” register thing; have a vague idea that many combis were kept on the “N” register for tax reasons, whilst simultaneously having a ‘shadow’ on the ‘national’ register. Don’t think you would be allowed to keep an “unauthorised” aircraft on the N-reg.

Also, of course, with Boeing & Douglas aircraft who would be the certifying authority ???


Gosh I’ve bored you all to tears again