Brand New 747 Jet Scrapped After Just 16 Flights
This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by JudyM (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).
Source: CNN
A Boeing 747 configured as a private VIP jet is being scrapped after having spent just 30 hours in service over 16 flights. The aircraft, originally intended for a Saudi royal, sat on the ground for almost 10 years at EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, located at the border between France, Switzerland and Germany.There, it was meant to be fitted with a lavish interior, but that never happened, and after failing to find a new buyer, the plane was eventually flown to Pinal Airpark in Arizona an aircraft boneyard where retired planes get stripped for parts or stored indefinitely.
The plane is a BBJ, for Boeing Business Jet heavily modified editions of Boeings jetliners targeted to governments and corporate clients. Its range of over 10,000 miles and cabin space of about 5,000 square feet are unrivaled by any other business aircraft.
Its also the most advanced model of the Boeing 747 ever produced the 747-8 variant which first flew in 2010 but failed to find commercial success due to being expensive to operate. The final one, delivered to cargo operator Atlas Air in early 2023, marked the end of the 747s production history, though the variant still has a future in the spotlight: two 747-8s are currently being transformed into the next Air Force One planes.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/boeing-747-vip-jet-scrapped/index.html
muriel_volestrangler
(101,361 posts)Bit of a clickbait headline they chose. "Barely used" would be accurate.
NullTuples
(6,017 posts)NullTuples
(6,017 posts)Tell me that won't skyrocket repair and maintenance costs even more than usual?
jmowreader
(50,562 posts)There are a LOT of 747s in cargo service, so Boeing will continue to stock parts and have tech support for them.
Sgent
(5,857 posts)They want a 4 engine plane for security reasons since it will stand up better to attempts to shoot it down. This isn't a consideration in commercial aviation usually, and other than the A380 (which didn't even bid on the contract) the 747 was the only plane that fit. The 747 also has much better flight characteristics than something like the 777 for things like short runways or fast landings in case of contested airspace.
In 30 years a compromise may need to be made, but buying two 747's at the end of their run was a smart move for taxpayers.
NullTuples
(6,017 posts)JudyM
(29,277 posts)Sorry, the hosts voted to lock this as not meeting the importance standard for LBN, but you can repost it in the General Discussion forum if youd like.
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