747SP numbers vs operators
Putting its range to good use it seems. San Fran to Hong Kong (Kai Tak I’d imagine) seems the longest when I looked at great circle distance.
Was the return via Bangkok or Singapore?
United did the JFK-NRT route using the -200 with the -7R4G2 motors. I’m guessing that pushed the limits.
Wonder how the numbers compared between using that and the SP on a similar leg?
The good old days as they say. I bet they served cocktails as well. Gotta make 14+ hours flights worthwhile..
Last edited by BigBoreFour; 16th Apr 2024 at 03:36. Reason: Drinking a G&T. Reason enough
Wasn't the wasp waist designs of some military jets from the 50's and 60's to do with area rule
Even the swept wing contributes to area rule, but as we all know the swept wing was introduced for all together other reasons. Another serendipitous occurence.
your points about area ruling are good, but remember the aircraft you referenced were designed to fly much faster than (subsonic) commercial aircraft
Whitcomb began exploring applications of his area rule to subsonic commercial transports during the late 1950s. He quickly discovered that making relatively minor changes to the external shape could significantly reduce the drag these aircraft experience. Compared to the radical "waisted fuselage" shaping required for supersonic flight, subsonic aircraft could be made far more efficient simply by placing elongated pods along the wing trailing edge. Whitcomb referred to these pods as "antishock bodies" like those shown in the wind tunnel model pictured below. Also note the large bulge above the forward fuselage that Whitcomb found further improves transonic aerodynamics. This concept was later adopted for the Boeing 747.
"San Fran to Hong Kong (Kai Tak I’d imagine) seems the longest when I looked at great circle distance."
yes Kai Tak - I have it taking 14:30 in 1978 - I think they showed 5 movies on the pull-down screen - it was a very long flight - even in First!
yes Kai Tak - I have it taking 14:30 in 1978 - I think they showed 5 movies on the pull-down screen - it was a very long flight - even in First!
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The Qantas SP was indeed originally said to be for serving Wellington. Qantas (international only then) was moving to an all-747 fleet, their last 707 ran Wellington, after which they chartered an Air New Zealand DC8 to cover their rigorously controlled 50% of flights on the route.
Boeing 707s never operated into or out of Wellington. Air New Zealand did operate the DC8 on Wellington services from the retirement of the Lockheed Electras until QANTAS introduced the 747SP to trans-Tasman flights into and out of Wellington. The introduction to service by both QANTAS and Air New Zealand of the Boing 767 saw the end of 747SPs on the Wellington route as the two airlines went their own separate ways and ended code-sharing on Wellington services.
We haven't learned much from your post. You have described more or less the "exact same" information that was made in Post 29, dated the 13 April 2023 at 05.23.
