747SP numbers vs operators

[AnotherFSO]

Hi all.

Just some idle musing...

If I'm reading Wikipedia correctly, its SP operator numbers seem a tiny bit muddled -- it lists 45 former operators, but one of those is also listed as being one of two current operators. And while it mentions the NASA/DLR Sofia observatory, it's not included in the list of former operators.

Putting all that together there seem to have been 47 former and current operators, yet only 45 SPs were built. Obviously, some of those airframes went through multiple owners/lessees.

Wikipedia also says that 17 airframes are currently "stored or otherwise preserved". That's 38% of the 45 built. Somewhat amazing.

Anyway, I just thought it interesting that such a low-number aircraft has had so many operators. Are there any other similar examples?

[Gne]

Any idea how many are still in service?
Gne

[AnotherFSO]

Wikipedia lists one airframe with the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, and two with Pratt & Whitney Canada as engine testbed aircraft.

[Rebus]

Worked on a couple owned by middle eastern Royal families, lets just say they were opulent. One even had anti missile systems built into the engine pylons.

[Rebus]

Originally Posted by Rebus

Worked on a couple owned by middle eastern Royal families, lets just say they were opulent. One even had anti missile systems built into the engine pylons.

Also worked on Iranian SP, a bit of a **** heap.

[Asturias56]

Good product in a very niche market

[Jhieminga]

I don't know how regularly this site is being updated these days, but it could be a good starting point for some reading: https://www.747sp.com/
I guess the fact that it was/is an offshoot of a more succesfull product has influenced its career. I can think of a couple of other low-numbers types, but none with this many operators. As Asturias56 said: within its niche market it did very well.
Edit: there are 58 different operators listed on that website.

[rog747]

Both Pan Am and Iran Air worked together with Boeing to push for the 747SP design, and Boeing had sought an attempt to compete with the DC-10 30 (up to a point).
The idea for The 747SP came from a joint request between Pan American World Airways and Iran Air who were looking for a high capacity airliner with enough range to cover Pan Am's New York-Middle Eastern routes and Iran Air's planned Tehran-New York route.
The Tehran-New York route when launched was the longest nonstop commercial flight in the world.
Iran Air had plans (before the 1979 Revolution) to launch 747SP services to SYD and LAX.
Both airlines took simultaneous deliveries and entered SP service in 1976.
The SP's were still being delivered with Upper Deck First Class lounges.

The 747SP had a much simpler single piece flap system, and these did not require the "canoe" fairings, rather than the immense and complex triple slotted Fowler flaps of the larger 747.

SAA SP's were soon to follow in service also in 1976, enabling them to now fly non-stop around the bulk of Africa, and Syrian Arab Airlines took a pair.

Braniff ordered a total of 4 747SP airframes but only actually took delivery of 3 of those.
Braniff suffered from high oil fuel prices, the economic recession, traffic downgrowth and withdrew from its Pacific routes.
As a result Braniff would withdraw the 747SP and the fleet was soon offered for sale.
One was quickly sold back to Boeing, one to Pan Am, and another sold on to Aerolineas Argentinas.
The 4th Braniff 747SP was NTU and eventually Boeing sold it to CAAC as N1301E.

Taiwan's China Airlines took 4.
CAAC would order 3.
Korean Air 2 (The last SP's delivered)

TWA and Qantas came a while later to the SP game in 1980/1981, and both airlines did not end up using their SP's on the dedicated routes as was originally envisaged.

[SpringHeeledJack]

I flew from Tokyo to Dallas once on an American Airlines 747SP, or was it United ? The take-off was pretty sporty if I recall, but as I had the mother of all hangovers who knows! I suppose the only comparable aircraft built for very niche markets were the British wonders from Hawker-Siddeley and Vickers back in the 60's.

[treadigraph]

Always partial to the SP, still remember the first time I saw one, Pan Am inbound Heathrow via Ockham which passed over my school as I strolled to breakfast - May or June '76... Whenever I see an A380 heading my way, I'm reminded of the SP, a relatively short body wearing grown-ups' wings...

Good safety record, looks like three write offs, no fatalities and only one (ZS-SPF) came close to being a serious accident - plus the China Airlines loss of control.

[Mooncrest]

The UAE government flew at least one SP. I saw it once or twice at Leeds Bradford doing circuits and bumps some years ago. The training captain on board was Mike Webster who worked for British Airways so I assume Captain Webster was either freelancing or BA had an arrangement for training and probably maintenance with UAE. Likewise, Captain Webster did training jollies on the UAE 707 and Air Hong Kong 747. I guess he knew his stuff!

[l.garey]

Not so niche maybe. Could be useful on long, thin routes. For example I flew in Air China 747SP B-2452 Beijing-Sharjah-Frankfurt-Gatwick in 1991. It looked like most other 747s from inside!
Laurence

[Groundloop]

I was scheduled to take my one and only flight on an QF SP back in early 1980 as SYD-LAX-SFO. However it was substituded with a brand new -400 at the last minute so I missed out on the chance. However as the 400 had only an SP load on board it was VERY comfortable - lots of room to stretch out!

[Asturias56]

We took a PanAm SFO-HK flight on a hot summers day and possibly the longest takeoff run I've ever experienced - a calendar rather than a clock was needed . But the flight was fine if very very very long

[Self loading bear]

Aircraft type with relatively much operators:
Short Brothers Belfast C1 10 built 4 operators.

Super Guppy 5 built 5 operators

CL-44 39 built, 46 operators!

Bristol Freighter/Wayfarer 214 built, 86 operators.

Boeing B777-200LR 61 built 22 operators and growing when Mammoth starts to redeliver.

[megan]

TWA and Qantas came a while later to the SP game in 1980/1981, and both airlines did not end up using their SP's on the dedicated routes as was originally envisaged

What routes did Qantas envisage using the SP on rog? Did fly on their SP Sydney to Los Angeles, also flew on the Pan Am SP in the early days Los Angeles to Sydney, had to make an unexpected stop in Nandi for a splash of fuel as the winds were against us, stayed on board for the half hour it took to accomplish, told the early engines were not quite there with fuel efficiency.

[AnotherFSO]

Two Sydney Morning Herald advertisements -- one from Pan Am on 16 Feb 1984, and one from Qantas less than a week later on 21 Feb 1984.

[rog747]

Originally Posted by megan

What routes did Qantas envisage using the SP on rog? Did fly on their SP Sydney to Los Angeles, also flew on the Pan Am SP in the early days Los Angeles to Sydney, had to make an unexpected stop in Nandi for a splash of fuel as the winds were against us, stayed on board for the half hour it took to accomplish, told the early engines were not quite there with fuel efficiency.

Contrary to some popular belief, QANTAS did not acquire the Boeing 747SP for the SYD-LAX route but originally to serve Sydney-Wellington profitably as the weather in Wellington was erratic and the runway too short for 747-238B's.
The airline's original plan was to use them to connect Sydney to New Zealand's capital, Wellington - located on the southern tip of the North Island of the New Zealand.
Wellington had a short runway that made operations by the existing 747s impossible.
In addition, the airport was frequently affected by erratic winds and poor weather. QANTAS's original intent was to use the 747SP's ability to operate on shorter runways to serve Wellington with more profitable payloads despite the operational limits placed by the airport authorities for safety reasons.
With a shorter fuselage but essentially the same power as the regular 747-200, they were known for their brisk performance.
The SP's were ordered in 1980 and had Rolls Royce RB211 524 B2, then D2/D4 engines.
These aircraft were originally ordered by Iran Air but their export was banned following the Iranian Revolution and were purchased by Qantas while still on the Boeing production line.
VH-EAA "City of Gold Coast Tweed" and VH-EAB which was first named Winton, then renamed "City of Traralgon" were both delivered in 1981.

The first QANTAS 747SP (VH-EAA) flew QANTAS Flight 55 Sydney to Wellington, but had to divert to Auckland due to poor weather at Wellington.
Only QANTAS captains were allowed to land the 747SP at Wellington as the first officer monitored the approach which was conducted at 125 knots to insure that the landing could be made using the markers painted on the runway. Landing too fast, too high, or too long, was a mandatory go-around.

It wasn't until 1984 that the airline's 747SPs were used on the Sydney to Los Angeles route.
They did expand to other Pacific destinations prior to then, such as to HNL.
They were occasionally seen at LHR.
Both aircraft were used by the airline's Australia Asia subsidiary for politically-sensitive service to Taipei.
Both were listed for sale in 1990, and again in 1997.
The SPs were withdrawn in late 2001 and sent to Marana, Arizona, and were scrapped there.

Trans World Airlines operated three Boeing 747SPs between 1980 and 1986.
TWA's 747SP's were intended for the Persian Gulf and Asia, I don't remember if it was for Iran or Saudi Arabia, and they ordered three 747SPs for 1980 in anticipation of being awarded the new long range routes which did not materialize, so they ended up flying the SPs on Transatlantic routes mainly out of LAX, JFK or BOS.....primarily the LHR, Rome, Tel Aviv, and Cairo flights, and they flew some other Transatlantic services such as to Paris and Athens, depending upon the season...

They were ordered in anticipation of increased non stop service to the Middle East which never materialised.
TWA had to keep them for a few years so they just filled in where they could be most useful - often on 747 routes that were difficult to fill up.
That said they made ideal aircraft substitutions because they were underutilised and had flight deck commonality with TWA's large fleet of B747-131's, and could therefore be seen pretty much anywhere the TWA B747's went...
TWA did not need the extra range of the 747SP and disposed of the airplanes as quickly as practical: two went to AA (for use on their newly awarded DFW-Tokyo route....the SPs flew this route for years until AA took delivery of MD11s) and one was sold to an individual in the Gulf for use as a private aircraft.


When Pan Am completed the sale of its Pacific Division to United Airlines in 1986, its 11 747SPs formed part of the deal and were not seen in Pan Am’s colours again.

[mustafagander]

Hey rog,
The QF SPs had C2 engines. The D4s were over the thrust limit certified. It actually gave QF a place to hang D4s which were getting a bit tired and could no longer make the D4 spec.
Originally the WLG operation forbade any derate or assumed temp operation so all T/O was full thrust. Imagine keeping the beast under control when your initial altitude limit was 3,000ft and you had a light SP??? Exciting!!! Flap limit speeds were a challenge.
One very frisky aircraft even at high TOW. The fuel feed configs at max TOW were simply a nightmare for the FEO.

[AnotherFSO]

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