A leading US aircraft manufacturer launched its first aircraft in June 1916. Today, Boeing is a huge corporation headquartered in the city of Chicago. Only the European Airbus company can be considered the only worthy competitor with the same coverage.
Echo of war
The company began its operations in the air transportation market with small seaplanes designed by brand founder William Boeing. In the 1930s, as well as during World War II, the company's profile was rejected in the direction of production of serial bombers B-17 "Flying Fortress" and B-29. The production of such machines in 1944 was 350 aircraft per month.
Passenger models
The first passenger aircraft of the company was the Boeing 367-80, in the prototype of which ten years later, in 1964, the most massive civilian turbojet model, the 737 series, was developed and put into production. However, the aircraft giant continued to break records. Two years later, the largest, roomy and heaviest aircraft of the time was designed - the Boeing 747. For almost forty years, this model held the laurels of the main air giant until the release of the Airbus A-380 in 2005.
After a little over twenty years, the concern launches the Boeing 763 model , and four years later - the 757 series. These two lines of winged machines are designed for flying at short and medium distances.
BOEING 763
Here we should explain a small feature in the encoding and notation. The 767 series was initially represented only by modification 200. According to the ICAO classification, the aircraft was assigned the abbreviated designation B762, in the 4-digit cipher usual for this standard. In 1984, the extended-range version of the B762ER (extended range) got to work on non-stop transatlantic routes. And a year and a half later, in January 1986, the previous model, elongated by six and a half meters, under its own coding Boeing 763, or B763, first flew into the air.
Airlines dream
A successful solution from the aircraft concern quickly gained popularity. The model was suitable for non-stop flights over distances of up to 18,000 kilometers, especially the B763ER version. At the same time, it could be put in directions where the number of passengers was not recruited for the 747th, and the aircraft was much more economical in terms of fuel consumption than its two-story counterpart. A serious increase in maximum take-off mass ensured the success of the Boeing 763. A photo of a heavenly handsome instantly filled the front pages of magazines and newspapers. The main customer of aircraft of this series was the national company American Airlines (American Airlines).
Specifications
The huge popularity of the model determined its commercial success in the aviation market. About 700 aircraft are still operated by airlines in the world, and model production continues to this day. Boeing 763 extended version E, known in the world as the “Bandit” due to its memorable coloring, was acquired for private use by Russian businessman Roman Abramovich.
Technical characteristics of the model prove its engineering attractiveness:
- Length: 54.94 m
- Height: 15.85 m
- Wing span: 47.57 m
- Maximum take-off weight: 158,860 kg
- Empty weight: 86,080 kg
- Fuel capacity: 4589 t
- Payload: 33.3 t
- Mass without fuel: 113.5 t
- Landing weight: 123.4 t
- Wing Area: 283.3 sq.m
- Cruising speed 860 km / h (0.80 M)
- Maximum speed: 914 km / h
- Cruising level: 10500 m
- Maximum flight height: 13,200 m
- Flight range: 8500 km (11900 km, for the ER series)
- Maximum flight range (for ER series): 17,890 km
- Takeoff run: 2600 m
- Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4 turbojet engines
- Passenger capacity: up to 350 people
- Management crew: 2 people
Gimli glider
On July 23, 1983, an exciting adventure took place with an Air Canada Boeing 767 , the next AC143 flight from Ottawa to Edmonton. At a cruising altitude of 12,000 meters, the aircraft completely ran out of fuel and both engines shut off. This happened due to the transfer of erroneous information from the engineer to the pilot: the aircraft was not refueling at the airport of departure. Together with the engines, electricity and all control devices turned off, the pressure in the hydraulic system dropped. An emergency turbine was automatically released, which powered the backup devices with the electricity generated by it from the oncoming air stream.
Pilots managed to land the plane at the former Gimli military base in the United States, using the skills of piloting gliders. The base had already changed its profile to a car club, where competitions were held that evening. The plane stopped thirty meters from the audience. None of the passengers and crew were injured. The winged car also remained intact and received the nickname "Gimli glider." Two days later, the plane flew independently from the military base after a little repair.
Deadly reverse
On May 26, 1991, the Boeing 763 of the Austrian airline Lauda Air operated a regular flight NG004 on the route Hong Kong - Bangkok - Vienna. At an altitude of about 7500 meters, the left engine reverse (turbine reverse thrust) suddenly turned on, and the aircraft turned sharply to the left. On the left wing of the airliner there was a drop in lift by 25%, it turned around and pulled down. The winged car swiftly rushed down, gaining speed. 29 seconds after turning on the reverse, the speed was Mach 0.99 and the Boeing had almost overcome the sound barrier, however, due to huge overloads, the plane crashed in the air at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level. All 223 passengers on the flight died.
9/11
In the early fall of 2001, events occurred that shocked not only the United States of America, but the whole world. On September 11, two planes flying American Airlines and two planes flying United Airlines, that is, two Boeing 757-200 and two Boeing 767-200, were seized by terrorists. In total, 19 members of terrorist organizations were on all captured planes that day. Both 767s were sent to the left and right towers of the World Trade Center with a difference of sixteen minutes between the clashes. 25 minutes later, the 757th American Airlines crashed into the Pentagon, and the last plane crashed in Pennsylvania. For the first time in the history of aviation, all planes were landed over the territory of the USA and Canada, with the exception of police aircraft and medical services. The total number of deaths amounted to 2977 people, not including 19 terrorists.
BOEING in Russia
The popular model is currently operated by various airlines. Aeroflot planes do not include this model in their fleet at the current time, however, Transaero Airlines operates 16 aircraft of this brand, as well as 2 aircraft of the B762 series. Each of them is divided into salons of several classes and various levels of passenger service.
Location locations
Each airline-owner of the winged giant is free to choose how to install passenger seats in the cabin and how many classes of service should be provided for in its Boeing 763 airliner.
Failed heir
Series 767-300 left a significant mark in the development of world aviation. Novelty aircraft concern Boeing 787 Dreamliner was supposed to become the heir to the series after its official presentation. However, today, three years after its first commercial flight, the 763rd model is still in production and Boeing is accepting applications for the manufacture of such airliners.