The advance on the 747

  • Bryan Corliss / Herald Writer
  • Saturday, April 24, 2004 9:00pm
  • Business

EVERETT — The Boeing Co. is moving ahead with another plan to develop a 21st-century jumbo jet.

The 747 Advanced would incorporate the engines and cockpit technology from the 7E7, said Brad Till, Boeing’s regional director of product marketing. It also would take advantage of something the 7E7 team studied but rejected — ultralight aluminum alloys.

Stretched out longer to allow more seats and with redesigned overhead space that could create new premium sections, the 747 Advanced would be the only jet filling the gap in size between the 555-seat Airbus A380 superjumbo and 350-seat jets such as the 777 or A340, Till said.

Whether the Advanced is launched or quietly fades away like previously planned 747 upgrades depends on the interest shown by airlines.

Boeing has proposed, then dropped, half a dozen 747 derivatives in the past decade. Only one proposal, the extended-range 747-400ER, got into the air.

But Boeing is talking seriously about this latest proposal. Commercial Airplanes chief Alan Mulally told European journalists earlier this month that the 747 Advanced could be ready "by the end of this decade."

While noting there have "been a couple of false starts with the 747," analyst Peter Jacobs said the latest proposal "is something that should not be completely dismissed."

"The main difference," he continued, "is using the 7E7 engines."

One of the major stumbling blocks to previously proposed 747 upgrades was the cost of developing new engines capable of improving the plane’s performance, said Jacobs, who is with Ragan McKenzie in Seattle.

But with Boeing already spending the money to develop the 7E7 engines, it would be far less costly to adapt those engines to the 747 Advanced. Given that, it makes a lot of sense for Boeing to take a look at another 747 upgrade, he said.

One of the concepts under study for the 747 Advanced is borrowed from Boeing’s new line of longer-range 777s — overhead seating areas.

At Boeing’s interiors center in Everett, designers have built mock-ups of what they’re calling the "Sky Suite" — clusters of private bunks or lounge seating in the space above the main passenger cabin that’s behind the 747’s distinctive upper-deck hump.

"The airlines are pushing us to look at, more and more, innovative ways to free up space to generate revenue," Till said. "In the 747, behind the hump, there’s a lot of space."

Aviation regulations mean passengers couldn’t sit in the Sky Suites during takeoff and landing, Till said. But they could move up a staircase into the plane’s "attic" once the jet reaches cruising altitude.

Once up there, there would be room to stretch out and relax — as long as you’re sitting down. The ceiling is too low for 6-footers to stand up comfortably.

To compensate, Boeing is proposing that airlines install semiprivate bunks where the same 6-foot-tall person could stretch out for a nap. There also would be room for either a lounge, where perhaps a dozen people could sit at tables, or computer workstations where business people could connect to their offices using Boeing’s Connexion aerial Internet service.

Either option would be an attractive alternative to the lie-flat beds many airlines are installing for their first-class passengers, Till said. Depending on what configurations the airlines end up choosing, pairing an economy class seat with a pass to the Sky Suite could create 12 to 28 new premium seats for airlines to sell on transoceanic flights.

"You’ve essentially added up to 28 first-class seats," Till said.

There’s also room for a rest area for flight attendants next to the Sky Suite. And if airlines don’t like the overhead seating option, Boeing has worked up an overhead storage area for the bulky galley carts that would free up room for a half-dozen economy class seats on the main deck, said Dick Johnson, a design engineer who is working on the proposed interiors.

Airbus also offers those kinds of features, but it puts them in the belly of the plane, which takes up space that could be used for cargo, Till said. "The bottom line is just making space for revenue."

The idea behind the 747 Advanced makes some sense, said analyst Richard Aboulafia with the Teal Group in Virginia.

But so far, "customers aren’t showing a whole lot of interest," Aboulafia said.

An updated 747 would have to compete against the new A380, he noted. While Boeing should be able to sell a 747 Advanced for less than the A380, that’s not a given, considering the dramatic price cuts Airbus has offered on the new superjumbo — reportedly as much as 40 percent off the $250 million list price.

"That large aircraft market is getting smaller and smaller, and to call Airbus aggressive is an understatement," Aboulafia said.

The big question with the 747 Advanced, he said, is whether Boeing’s really going to spend the money to develop and build it. "Will they keep the line going for 18 (planes) a year?"

One or two planes a month is "about all you could ask for or want at this stage," Jacobs said. If Boeing’s able to significantly improve the 747’s range or cargo-carrying capacity, that could be enough to keep the assembly line moving for another 10 years, he said.

Reporter Bryan Corliss: 425-339-3454 or corliss@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

A closing sign hangs above the entrance of the Big Lots at Evergreen and Madison on Monday, July 22, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Big Lots announces it will shutter Everett and Lynnwood stores

The Marysville store will remain open for now. The retailer reported declining sales in the first quarter of the year.

George Montemor poses for a photo in front of his office in Lynnwood, Washington on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.  (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Despite high mortgage rates, Snohomish County home market still competitive

Snohomish County homes priced from $550K to $850K are pulling in multiple offers and selling quickly.

Henry M. Jackson High School’s robotic team, Jack in the Bot, shake hands at the 2024 Indiana Robotics Invitational.(Henry M. Jackson High School)
Mill Creek robotics team — Jack in the Bot — wins big

Henry M. Jackson High School students took first place at the Indiana Robotic Invitational for the second year in a row.

The computer science and robotics and artificial intelligence department faculty includes (left to right) faculty department head Allison Obourn; Dean Carey Schroyer; Ishaani Priyadarshini; ROBAI department head Sirine Maalej and Charlene Lugli. PHOTO: Arutyun Sargsyan / Edmonds College.
Edmonds College to offer 2 new four-year degree programs

The college is accepting applications for bachelor programs in computer science as well as robotics and artificial intelligence.

FILE — Boeing 737 MAX8 airplanes on the assembly line at the Boeing plant in Renton, Wash., on March 27, 2019. Boeing said on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, that it was shaking up the leadership in its commercial airplanes unit after a harrowing incident last month during which a piece fell off a 737 Max 9 jet in flight. (Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)
Federal judge rejects Boeing’s guilty plea related to 737 Max crashes

The plea agreement included a fine of up to $487 million and three years of probation.

Neetha Hsu practices a command with Marley, left, and Andie Holsten practices with Oshie, right, during a puppy training class at The Everett Zoom Room in Everett, Washington on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Tricks of the trade: New Everett dog training gym is a people-pleaser

Everett Zoom Room offers training for puppies, dogs and their owners: “We don’t train dogs, we train the people who love them.”

Andy Bronson/ The Herald 

Everett mayor Ray Stephenson looks over the city on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2015 in Everett, Wa. Stephanson sees  Utah’s “housing first” model – dealing with homelessness first before tackling related issues – is one Everett and Snohomish County should adopt.

Local:issuesStephanson

Shot on: 1/5/16
Economic Alliance taps former Everett mayor as CEO

Ray Stephanson will serve as the interim leader of the Snohomish County group.

Molbak's Garden + Home in Woodinville, Washington will close on Jan. 28. (Photo courtesy of Molbak's)
After tumultuous year, Molbak’s is being demolished in Woodinville

The beloved garden store closed in January. And a fundraising initiative to revitalize the space fell short.

Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin, Advanced Manufacturing Skills Center executive director Larry Cluphf, Boeing Director of manufacturing and safety Cameron Myers, Edmonds College President Amit Singh, U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, and Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, July 2 celebrating the opening of a new fuselage training lab at Paine Field. Credit: Arutyun Sargsyan / Edmonds College
‘Magic happens’: Paine Field aerospace center dedicates new hands-on lab

Last month, Edmonds College officials cut the ribbon on a new training lab — a section of a 12-ton Boeing 767 tanker.

Gov. Jay Inslee presents CEO Fredrik Hellstrom with the Swedish flag during a grand opening ceremony for Sweden-based Echandia on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Swedish battery maker opens first U.S. facility in Marysville

Echandia’s marine battery systems power everything from tug boats to passenger and car ferries.

Helion Energy CEO and co-founder David Kirtley talks to Governor Jay Inslee about Trenta, Helion’s 6th fusion prototype, during a tour of their facility on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
State grants Everett-based Helion a fusion energy license

The permit allows Helion to use radioactive materials to operate the company’s fusion generator.

People walk past the new J.sweets storefront in Alderwood Mall on Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Japanese-style sweets shop to open in Lynnwood

J. Sweets, offering traditional Japanese and western style treats opens, could open by early August at the Alderwood mall.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.