Aircraft Type Codes

[joS3ph]

Does anyone know of a web site that lists or deciphers aircraft model designations such as Boeing 737-338, Boeing 747-441?

The IATA aircraft type codes list does not show these particular models, or others that I am seeking.

Any help appreciated.

joS3ph

[Conan The Barber]

Try searching for "Boeing customer codes".

[Check Airman]

The 38 and 41 are customer codes, so all BA Boeings will be 747-4xx 767-3xx and 757-2xx etc. All AA Boeings will be 727-2yy 737-8yy 777-2yy etc.

[joS3ph]

Thanks for the information. Boeing Customer Codes is exactly what I was searching for. I just did not know that the codes were sometimes used to describe certain aircraft models, e.g., Boeing 737-338.

Now it all makes sense (737-338 = Boeing 737-300, Qantas).

joS3ph

[CargoOne]

Thanks for the information. Boeing Customer Codes is exactly what I was searching for. I just did not know that the codes were sometimes used to describe certain aircraft models, e.g., Boeing 737-338.

Now it all makes sense (737-338 = Boeing 737-300, Qantas).


It is not really describing "certain aircraft models", it only tells you who was the customer who ordered this aircraft new from the factory. When aircraft changes airline and/or ownership, customers code remains the same, so 25 y.o. airframe which has changed 10 hands since new would still have "Qantas" customer code.

And also this has nothing to do with technical aspects. For example Luthansa's 737-330 from mid-80s delivery batch would have some technical differences from early-90s delivery batch, both still -330.

[BelArgUSA]

Ex PanAm pilot here (1969-1991) finishing his career as management pilot with a South American airline... I flew the 707, 727 and 747s with PA, and after the 1991 PA bankruptcy, continued to fly the 747s... Often assigned to airplanes for which I had no detailed briefing about their "differences" - this particularly as a free lance pilot during long PA layoffs - the Boeing Customer Code helped a lot to find-out how an "unknown" airplane was equipped, or configured...
xxx
For the 707s and the 720s...
PanAm had been the first 707 customer, and was assigned 21 as customer number, since Boeing then started at "20"... The generic 707 types were called 707-120 or 707-320 in their "sales catalog". PanAm's planes were designated as 707-321s as an example. But there were exceptions.
xxx
The engines were often a reason for change in designation. A transcontinental 707-120 was a smaller size 707, with JT3C engines... but an improved version with more powerful JT4A engines were called 707-220... I remember the Braniff's 707-227s. Then there were the 707-320 intercontinental versions, the 320s delivered with JT4A engines, and the 707-420s with RR Conways...
xxx
The they added letters too... at times because of improved engines (or cargo doors) - The turbofan versions of the 707-120/320s got to be designated as 707-120B or 707-320B, these airplanes build as cargos, were designated as 707-320C... There were even sub-designations, such as 707-321BA - which meant B-Advanced (different leading edge devices), or even even 707-321BAH - which meant B-Adv-Heavy, for a slight increase in weights.
xxx
Some airlines (I remember AA) even called their cargos 707-323CC if these were cargo airplanes with passenger cabin windows (CC meant cargo-convertible-passenger), or 707-323CF (CF meant cargo-freight) which were devoid of cabin windows, and never could be configured for passenger use. There were some 707-320Cs with a pair of extra floor level exits, just aft of the wing, bringing the cabin passenger maximum from 189 to 219 in sardines class, or permitting some different mixed cargo/passenger layouts.
xxx
And then there were last minute changes, like with PanAm, we ended taking delivery of 707-331s which were meant for TWA, but having ordered too many, Boeing offered these 707-331s for delivery to PanAm, without changing the designation to PanAm's. And they were quite different planes, as far as switches were concerned. Back then, I was a flight engineer, and a 707-321 meant that I had an airplane with air-cycle air conditioning packs, and the 707-331 were freon air conditioning packs with different turbo compressors and bleed configurations... Different procedures to study... Lots of differences in flight instruments as well. Even the direction of the overhead panel switches ON/OFF position was different. Frustrated flight crews... I recall also having flown a pilot crew contract on 707-338C... on these, the first officers had a nose wheel steering tiller and could taxi from the RH seat. I could fill an entire book of 707 differences. Just recalling the 720s that PanAm got from LH, they also kept the 720-030B designation. Real rocketships, these Lufty 720 machines, probably designed to be driven at autobahns speeds...
xxx
For the 727 designations and differences -
Of course there was the short 100, and the stretched 200s...
The majority of these airplanes had "engine fire handles" on the glareshield.
But Boeing started to offer "engine fire handles" option aft of the overhead panel. I even recall a few of the late 707s had that option too. Then there were 100C and QC (quick change) with cargo doors... And finally, it took FedEx to order 200F to have 200 cargo airplanes... so far there was none, until 200s got retired from passenger service and converted with cargo doors.
xxx
For the 747 customer numbers...
Again, same story as the 707s when it comes to the 747s. Lots of differences and a lot of designations... and even Mr. Boeing did not keep with the way he designated the different 707 models. Back to the drawing board for the whales.
xxx
The "C" for 747-200C stopped to designate "cargo", but became "convertible".
The "F" started to be used to designate "freighters"...
The "SF" meant "special freighter" - actually a converted passenger airplane.
The "SR" meant "special requirement" (ANA-JAL) - NOT "short range"...
Yet "SR" short range fits well for the purpose of these airplanes...
Now, in the 400s, a "D" (domestic) is used for the original SR idea...
And in the 400s, combis are now called "M" for "mixed" passenger/freighters.
But the designation "200M" would not be correct, Boeing called their 200 combis "200SCDs" side cargo door. Then there were the 200SUDs... stretched upper decks, with KLM and UTA.
xxxx
In the 747s, the choice of 3 different engine manufacturers did not change the designation as was done on the 707... so, you have got to know which airline had that airplane originally, to know which engines to expect. I recall to be flying a 747-300 for the first time. Flying a 300, is not any different from a 747-100/200, but the engines were RR, which I had never handled before, so it forced me to spend a couple of hours in books to study the "numbers" and differences.
xxx
Many differences in the 747 Classics, and again the "customer number" helps a lot as to what to expect. As an example, the 747-123s (ex AA) that PanAm got, had "lower lobe galleys" in the belly... A Boeing number does not tell you much about some aircraft weight limitations. There are 747-200B which are certificated only to 775,000 lbs (351,500 kg) T/O weight, while some other 747-200B are good for up to 833,000 lbs (377.800 kg)...
xxx
Then there are differences in flight instruments equipment and wiring specific to each airlines. Some airline "groups" got smarter than Boeing when they agreed for common design so to make maintenances, parts, and lease among themselves easier to handle. There was the ATLAS group, and the KUSS group which had a lot of equipment common design. ATLAS was for Air France, Lufthansa, Alitalia and Sabena group, while KUSS was KLM, UTA, SAS and Swissair. A 747-206 cockpit is almost identical to a 747-283... Flight crew AOMs were common publications within each group, as much of their "switchology"...
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I recall having to do recurrent training and 6 month proficiency check in a KUSS simulator, where switches (and flight directors) were completely different from the planes I was accustomed to. The examiner gave me a "passing grade" - but recommended that our airline should pay for a few extra hours of classroom or CPT, so as to learn "where the switches were". It is ridiculous, in short final, to push landing light switches forward to get lights when out-of-clouds - when you should pull the switches "up" to get them ON... How about the F/Es that get a "ground start" for a switch meant to be moved to "air start"... Some of these little details could be a factor in incidents and accidents.
xxx
Leading differences with 747 Classics to recall -
The CF-6 powered 747s do not have fuel heat switches...
The RR powered airplanes have N1/N2 up front, N3 on the F/E panel...
There are 747s with 7 fuel tanks, 9 tanks, and even 10 tanks...
There are 747s with 2 or 3 A/C packs...
APUs that can be used ground only, or also in flight...
APUs with 1 or 2 generators...
PanAm 747s did not have nose wheel steering on rudder pedals - tiller only.
If PanAm acquired say a AA 747, they disconnected the rudder pedal nose-wheel steering.
Japanese airplanes (ANA or JAL) no fuel shut-off switches on F/E panel in case F/E wishes to commit hara-kiri.
Essential and standby bus differences (list of items, etc)...
On some 747s, compass 1 powers HSI/RMI compass card, captain's side...
Some other 747s, compass 2 powers RMI compass card, on captain's side...
Upper decks of 200s can have 1 or option for 2 emergency exit doors...
Do I need to mention fuel gages in kilos or pounds...
And are there 32 ply TIRES or TYRES...? Are they white wall radials...?
xxx
I remember a PanAm buddy going to work for Kalitta Air...
He told me there was only 1 "standard plane" (their first), the other dozen were "all different".
I recall another buddy working for LTU as L-1011 captain.
He mentioned that the LBA (German CAA) required ALL planes to be standardized.
LTU seasonal leasing of EAL/TWA L-1011 required major changes in wiring or switch location/position.
The Germans got their act together...
xxx
Well, honest, I don't care about the above nitty-gritty anymore...
Retiring in 3 months - I shall say "how do you spell airplane?"
Ready for a new qualification - called SLF rating for my licence - and glad.
Training completed - was easy -
"Sit-down, buckle-up and shut-up" are the only memory items for SLF.
"Emergency procedures" = Jerk the O2 mask to your face and pretend to feel good.
Ignore the fact that such masks are worthless at high levels anyway, even with O2 flowing.
And remember (if in USA) that the only decent airline is SWA and... Greyhound.
And cabin staff call button is the only one to know - Wait 45+ minutes for your wine.
And currency is easier too, in my tired 1991 Peugeot 205-XL. Three times around the block each year.
Battery bus powers headlights, inside light and stereo. Easy to remember to avoid dead batteries.
Better gas mileage than a 747 guzzler.
xxx
Happy contrails...

[Check Airman]

Very informative, as usual BelArgUSA

[james ozzie]

Off topic I know, but BelArgUSA you surely have a book to be written about your flying career? I always enjoy your postings

[barit1]

I recall an exchange of "letters to the editor" in AW&ST about 1984 - One writer pointed out (I am not making this up!) that you could always tell how many engines a Boeing jet had by the model - a 747 had 4 engines, a 737 had three, and a 727 had two. :D :} :ugh:

But the next week a wag asked "OK, smarty, how many engines does a 707 have?" :ok:

[ExSp33db1rd]

But the next week a wag asked "OK, smarty, how many engines does a 707 have?"


and the 777 ?

Boeing just move up the numbers, 707, 727,737,747 etc.

There is a reason for no 717 that I forget, but it was restored when Boeing took over Douglas - a D.C.- 9 variant.

I don't know why they picked on a 700 series of numbers, or why the Stratocruiser was a B-377.

BelArgUSA has more or less described it all, BOAC got 707-436's - the early Long-Haul Intercontinental model with Rolls-Royce engines, and later some 707-336's with Pratt & Witney engines, and their first 747 was a747-136 - 36 being the customer number, the Rolls-Royce engined ones became 747-236's and so on.

[BelArgUSA]

The original 717 designation was the civilian type designation of the C-135... then abandoned... until reused again for the MD-90s under Boeing marketing...
xxx
:)
Happy contrails

[chornedsnorkack]

The last Boeing civil plane before 707 had been Boeing 377.

When Boeing skipped from 377 to 707, the other ranges were assigned. Boeing 4xx is bombers, like Boeing 464 with its 8 engines. 5xx and 6xx are assigned.

Is Boeing 8xx range assigned, or not?

[el #]

BelArgUSA, great great post as usual.

Thank you much for the SLF checklist, these are fun & easy to remember.

I'm importing a nicer car to BsAs, you can use when I'm not around... it's a gas guzzler but with the gas price down there, that's not a concern :)