Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter
| 747 Large Cargo Freighter (Dreamlifter) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Boeing 747 LCF Dreamlifter | |
| Type | Outsize cargo freight aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Boeing Commercial Airplanes Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corporation |
| Designed by | Boeing Design Center Moscow"#wp-_note-bca_20060222_engineering_shares">[1] |
| Maiden flight | September 9, 2006 |
| Status | In production |
| Primary user | Boeing Commercial Airplanes |
| Number built | 2 as of July 2007 |
| Developed from | Boeing 747-400 |
The Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF), known as the Dreamlifter, is a modified Boeing 747-400 used exclusively for transporting aircraft parts to Boeing from suppliers around the world.
History
Boeing Commercial Airplanes announced on October 13, 2003 that due to the length of time of marine shipping, air transport will be the primary method of transporting parts for the 787 (then known as the 7E7).[2] Three used passenger 747-400 aircraft were to be converted into an outsize configuration in order to ferry sub-assemblies from Japan and Italy to Charleston, South Carolina and then to Everett, Washington for final assembly.[3] The Large Cargo Freighter has a bulging fuselage similar in concept to the Super Guppy and Airbus A300-600ST Beluga outsize cargo aircraft, which are also used for transporting wings and fuselage sections. It can hold three times the volume of a 747-400F freighter.[4]
The LCF conversion, partially designed by Boeing's Moscow bureau,[1] with the swing tail designed in partnership with Gamesa Aeronautica of Spain, is carried out in Taiwan by Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corporation,[4] a joint venture of Evergreen Group's EVA Air and General Electric.[5] Boeing has already acquired the three second-hand 747-400s, the first a former Air China and the latter two former China Airlines aircraft, registrations N747BC (serial 25879), N780BA (serial 24310) and N249BA (serial 24309). It is much more economical for Boeing to buy used 747s and convert them than to construct these planes from scratch. The LCF is not a Boeing production model and will not be sold to any customers or see any airliner operation, and will be for Boeing's exclusive use. Another reason for modifying existing planes is the minimum regulation and flight testing required by authorities such as the Federal Aviation Administration. If the 747 LCF were produced entirely within Boeing, it would face years of development and testing in the same manner as the upcoming Boeing 747-8. Rules on airworthiness allow for the faster approval of modifications to existing aircraft that are already approved than would be the case for the approval of brand new aircraft designs.
In June 2006, the completion of the first DBL-100 cargo loader used for loading 787 parts into the 747 LCF was announced by Boeing. These loaders are built by Canadian firm, TLD and are the longest in the world.[6]
In December 2006, Boeing announced the LCF would also be known as the Dreamlifter, a reference to the 787's name, the Dreamliner. It unveiled a standard livery for the aircraft that included a Dreamlifter logo reminiscent of the 787's Dreamliner logo.[7]
The certification was to be in early 2007 however it was pushed back to June 2007. The plane had its winglets removed after excess vibration and other handling characteristics need to be dealt with prior to final certification. In the meantime as part of the flight test program, LCF delivered major sections of the 787 Dreamliner from partner sites around the world to the Boeing factory in Everett, WA for final assembly.[8] 747 LCF was granted type certification on June 2, 2007 from FAA. The Dreamlifter completed 437 flight-test hours and 639 hours of ground testing since its first flight on Sept. 9, 2006.[9]
The 747 LCF's unusual appearance has drawn comparisons to the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile and the Hughes H-4 Hercules ("Spruce Goose").[3] Due to its ungainly form, and exacerbated by the fact that the need for immediate testing resulted in the first model remaining unpainted for some time, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president Scott Carson jokingly apologized to Joe Sutter, designer of the 747 that he was "sorry for what we did to your plane."[3]
As of July 2007, two LCFs are complete and operational, a third is near completion, and a fourth to begin construction in September 2007.
In operation
The first 747 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF) was rolled out of the hangar at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on August 17, 2006.[10] It successfully completed its first test flight on September 9, 2006 from this airport.[11] On 2006-09-16 N747BC arrived at Boeing Field, Seattle to complete the flight test program.[4] Swing-tail testing was done at the Boeing factory in Everett.[12] The second airplane, N780BA, made its inaugural test flight on February 16, 2007. The third has begun modification in 2007.[13] The first two LCFs entered service in 2007 to support the final assembly of the first Dreamliners.[13]
Delivery times for the 787's wings — built in Japan — will be reduced from around 30 days to just over 8 hours with the 747 LCF.[14] Evergreen International Airlines (unrelated to EVA Air or EGAT), a U.S. air freight operator based in McMinnville, Oregon, operates the LCF fleet.[3][15]
During flight testing in November, 2006, a Cessna 172 being used for a training flight encountered the 747 LCF's wake turbulence. The small aircraft was accidentally inverted and lost 1,000 feet of altitude before the instructor pilot was able to regain control at just 150 feet.[3]
Specifications
The 747 LCF main cargo compartment has a volume of 65,000 cubic feet (1,840 cubic meters).[16]
| Model | 747 LCF | 747-400 |
|---|---|---|
| Cockpit Crew | Two | |
| Length | 235 ft 2 in (71.68 m) | 231 ft 10 in (70.6 m) |
| Wingspan | 211 ft 5 in (64.4 m) | |
| Height | 70 ft 8 in (21.54 m) | 63 ft 8 in (19.4 m) |
| Spec Operating Empty Weight | 180,530 kg (398,000 lb) |
179,015 kg (394,660 lb) |
| Maximum take-off weight | 364,235 kg (803,000 lb) |
396,890 kg (875,000 lb) |
| Cruising speed | Mach 0.82 (474 kt, 878 km/h) |
Mach 0.85 (491 kt, 910 km/h) |
| Takeoff run at MTOW | 2,804 m | 3,018 m |
| Range fully loaded | 4,200 nm (7,778 km) |
7,260 nm (13,450 km) |
| Max. fuel capacity | 52,609 US gal (203,523 L) | 57.285 US gal (216,840 L) |
| Engine models (x 4) | PW 4056 | PW 4062 GE CF6-80C2B5F RR RB211-524H |
| Engine thrust (x 4) | 57,100 lbf PW | 63,300 lbf PW 62,100 lbf GE 59,500 lbf RR |
References
- ^ "Boeing 7E7 Will Use Air Transport for Component Delivery." Boeing Commercial Airplanes press release. October 13, 2003.
- ^ a b c d e "Ugly in the Air: Boeing's New Plane Gets Gawks, Stares." Lunsford, J. L. The Wall Street Journal. January 8, 2007.
- ^ a b c "Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter Arrives in Seattle." Boeing Commercial Airplanes press release. September 16, 2006.
- ^ "Boeing Selects EGAT for 747 Large Cargo Freighter Modifications." Boeing Commercial Airplanes press release. February 18, 2005.
- ^ "First Cargo Loader Completed for Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter." Boeing Commercial Airplanes press release. June 12, 2006.
- ^ "Boeing Reveals Livery, Name for 747 Large Cargo Freighters." Boeing Commercial Airplanes press release. December 6, 2006.
- ^ "Boeing can't soothe jitters." James Wallace Seattle PI.
- ^ Boeing press release Boeing 747 Dreamlifter Achieves FAA Certification
- ^ "Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter Rolls Out; Prepares for First Flight." Boeing Commercial Airplanes press release. August 17, 2006.
- ^ "Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter Completes First Flight." Boeing Commercial Airplanes press release. September 9, 2006.
- ^ "Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter Successfully Tests Swing Tail." Boeing Commercial Airplanes press release. October 23, 2006.
- ^ a b "Boeing 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter Taking Shape." Boeing Commercial Airplanes press release. April 17, 2006.
- ^ a b 747 Dreamlifter fact sheet on Boeing.com
- ^ "Evergreen International Airlines, Inc. to Operate Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighters." Boeing Commercial Airplanes press release. December 15, 2005.
- ^ Flight Test Program is under way for 747 Large Cargo Freighter Nov. 2006, Boeing.
- ^ Boeing Commercial Airplanes - 747 - Technical Information
- ^ Boeing 747 Airplane Characteristics for Airport Planning
External links
- 747 Dreamlifter fact sheet on Boeing.com
- The Pickle (LCF) lands at Moses Lake
- Boeing and EGAT Unveil World’s First Large Cargo Freighter
- Photos of the Boeing 747 LCF
Related content
Related development
Comparable aircraft
See also
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