• 

  Boeing

  Stock Code:

  BA

  Date Founded:

  1916-07-15

  CEO:

  Dave Calhoun

  Headquarters Location:

  Chicago, USA

  Key Product Lines:

  Boeing 737, Boeing 747, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, Boeing 787

  Business Type:

  Planemaker

Today marks four decades since the Boeing 747-300 first took to the skies on October 5th, 1982. The aircraft was the fourth main variant of the US manufacturer's famous 'jumbo jet' to hit the skies, following the 747-100, the 747SP (Special Performance), and the 747-200. Let's look back at the life and times of this quadjet.

Visually different

Clocking in at 70.7 meters (232 feet) long, the Boeing 747-300 was the same length as its preceding variants (save for the short-fuselage 747SP). However, it differed in terms of the size of its upper deck, the feature for which the 747 family is arguably the most recognizable. Indeed, this area was 7.1 meters (23.3 feet) longer than on the 747-200. This brought about a key visual difference.

Specifically, the increased capacity of the larger upper deck meant that this area needed to feature a pair of emergency exit doors. This was not the case on older 747s, and thus the 747-300 was initially rendered instantly distinguishable in this regard. However, the stretched upper deck (and the corresponding extra pair of emergency exits) were later made available for retrofitting on older models.

It wasn't just the size of the upper deck that increased its capacity, but also how passengers accessed it. This was done via a straight staircase, which freed up more space above and below than the spiral stairs on previous models.

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To the sky

As pictured above, Swissair, the former national flag carrier airline of Switzerland, was the first operator to place an order for the Boeing 747-300. Data from ATDB.aero shows that Swissair operated four standard 747-300s over the years, as well as three with side cargo doors. The airline placed its order in June 1980.

Just over two years later, the first Boeing 747-300 was ready to take to the sky. According to Boeing, it was rolled out of the factory on September 21st, 1982, with its first flight taking place two weeks later, on October 5th that year.

Having been the first airline to order the Boeing 747-300, Swissair also had the honor of introducing the type when it came to revenue-earning commercial service. It did so just under six months after its first flight, on March 23rd, 1983.

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A rare sight today

Unfortunately, the 747-300 wasn't a particularly popular aircraft from a commercial point of view. Indeed, as Simple Flying explored last year, Boeing sold just 81 units of the type. This made it the second worst performing 747 variant in terms of sales, behind the short-fuselage Boeing 747SP (which sold just 45 examples).

A key reason for the 747-300's lack of popularity was the fact that it was quickly overshadowed by the later 747-400 variant. This was launched in 1985, and offered various improvements, including, crucially, a modern glass cockpit. As detailed in an article earlier this year, this eliminated the need for flight engineers.

As a result, the 747-300 has become an incredibly rare aircraft type in recent years, with ATDB.aero listing just three examples as being active today. The busiest of these in terms of recent flights is EW-465TQ, which makes a living by flying cargo for Belarussian carrier TAE Avia. Built in September 1990, it is now over 32 years old.

Sources: ATDB.aero, Boeing