AerLingus From China, joined Mar 2000, 2371 posts, RR: 0 Posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 1473 times:
In my opinion, the B743 is one of the nicest looking jets there are. It doesn't seem like sales were that good, though. Is the A/C still in production by Boeing?
CVG777 From United States of America, joined May 2000, 1251 posts, RR: 6 Reply 1, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 1383 times:
No. It was switched over to the 747-400 after a few years of producing the B743. Sales weren't that good because of the very short period of time it was on the production line before the 744 took it's place.
Trintocan From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2000, 3191 posts, RR: 4 Reply 2, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 1364 times:
The 747-300 was launched by Boeing as an extended upper deck version of the -200B. The type was offered as new-build planes and as a rebuild for older 747s; only KLM took up the latter offer and 2 of its 747-300s are now freighters (called Special Freighters). Those are the only 747 freighters with stretched upper decks.
In all 81 were built. Boeing was at the time greatly updating the 747 and so when the improved 747-400 came out in 1989 (with stretched upper deck, 2-crew cockpit and new wings) the 747-300 was dropped. As such the -300 was an interloper on the line, merely filling the void until the improved product came along. Sales of the -300 would also have been hurt by the global economic slowdown of the 1980s.
KMIA From United States of America, joined Nov 2010, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 1282 times:
I was on a Varig one, nice a/c, Trintocan, thanks for the detailed info
Tg 747-300 From Norway, joined Nov 1999, 1318 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 1257 times:
AerLingus: I also think that the 743 is one of the nicest a/c , and it's my favourite a/c (therfore my nick)
I think it's sad that the 744 cam and "killed" the 743 because it's much nicer than the -400
It's also sad that many 743 (together with 742) are meeting the same destiny as the MD11: FREIGHTERS!
Why shall such lovli birds became frighters?
Aviasian From Singapore, joined Jan 2001, 1453 posts, RR: 16 Reply 6, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 1227 times:
Greetings from Singapore!!
I share the positive sentiments about the good looks of the Boeing 747-300. From the photographer's point of view, it is very photogenic, especially from 3/4 front.
Just wanted to share a little trivia.
Two Boeing 747-300s were painted in the liveries of two very different airlines . . . but neither flew (not even for a test flight)!
The two airlines are African Star Airlines and Trans International Express. Both B743s are ex-Singapore Airlines machines, 9V-SKK and 9V-SKH respectively.
Skyhooked From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 1218 times:
Hello all
I can't really see how one would find the 743 nicer than the 744 as they look so much alike I challenge anyone to tell them apart if one disregards the winglets and the engines-which are btw more streamlined on the '4-.
As a pilot who flew all series of the 747,I can say that the '3 was the "least nice" to handle as it was heavier on the controls with some rather strange yawing reactions,possibly owing to the increased fuselage area forward of the wing.
In any case I agree with you : it's a hell of a good looking airplane!
Cheers.
DeltAirlines From United States of America, joined May 1999, 8771 posts, RR: 13 Reply 8, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 1202 times:
Ansett and QANTAS operate the 743 still Down Under. I've only seen on, a Swissair 743 at Boston, parked next to 737s, MD-88s, and 757s. Man, did it dwarf those planes.
Mr.BA From Singapore, joined Sep 2000, 3423 posts, RR: 23 Reply 9, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1189 times:
The B747-300s do sure look excellent. But unfortunately, we seldom get to see them here anymore except for some ocasonal visits by Qantas's. Ansett does not operate the B747-300 anymore, Ansett retired them
Early Air From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 611 posts, RR: 1 Reply 10, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 1169 times:
I like the looks of the 747-400 better. The 747-300 is no longer being produced by boeing. Boeing is currently only producing the 747-400, 747-400D and the 747-400F
RayChuang From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 7696 posts, RR: 5 Reply 11, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 1161 times:
You know, one thing kind of bugs me.
Given the carrying capacity of the 747-300, I wonder why UA didn't buy the ex-SQ 743's, give them a heavy maintainance overhaul, and install a three-class 350-365 pax configuration? UA could have used them quite effectively on two very busy domestic routes, SFO-JFK and LAX-JFK.
Was it because the seat-mile costs were more than the 767-200/300 planes UA had? Or was it that the plane took too long to turn around at the gate?
ZK-NBT From New Zealand, joined Oct 2000, 5020 posts, RR: 12 Reply 12, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 1136 times:
I like the look of all 747's there, were only 81 743's built
as production was pretty much killed by the 744.
At AKL the only current 743 operator is QF.
In the past we have had several others mainly from Asian carriers.
Flight152 From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 3292 posts, RR: 7 Reply 13, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 1109 times:
Does anyone know how to tell the 747-300 and the -400D apart the only way I know is the 2 extra windows on the upper deck is there any other way?
-Jason
Mr.BA From Singapore, joined Sep 2000, 3423 posts, RR: 23 Reply 15, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 1078 times:
Hello,
If you pay attention to the end of the wings of the -200s and -300s, you will notice there is an antenna at the tip the wings. I belive the B747-400D doesn't have it. Anyway, not much airlines operate the B747-400D, probably only Japenese carriers?
Kindalazy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 1058 times:
Somewhat off topic, but related to a -300.....On Friday, while on vacation in Bonaire, I experienced the thrill of standing at the end of the runway as a KLM 747-300 passed about 100 ft overhead. The runway starts just beyond the fence where we were standing, and is quite short(for a 747 landing,anyway), so the plane touched down very near the end. The experience was awesome - getting hit with wake turbulance, smelling the jet fuel, burning rubber from tires and hot brakes!! I suppose there may be other places where you can get that close, but I had never experienced anything like it before. There was a crowd of about 50 there, as many island locals come out for the twice weekly 747 arrival.....
Ganymed From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 17, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 1051 times:
Jal's 744D's and 743's are quite easy to tell apart because of the engine cowlings ;
The -300's have the old 'classic-style' Jt-9D's with the cone at the rear while the -400D's have the more recent redesigned nacelles just like the standart-744's.
Cedarjet From United Kingdom, joined May 1999, 7713 posts, RR: 55 Reply 18, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 1039 times:
I think the -300 is ugly, it looks unbalanced with the stretched upper deck. Somehow the winglets on the -400 balance things out again.
I've flown on a few Qantas -300s, I remember they were the first Qantas jets that could fly from London to Sydney without stopping in the MIddle East for fuel; the -200s were always routed via Bahrein and Singapore. The -300 was just LHR-BKK-SYD, straight home. Oh yeah, and it was in my first -300 flight that I did the longest hold before landing, about 45 minutes circling over Sydney. The Cabin Service Director spent the whole time talking over the PA about car hire deals, connecting gates, blah blah. He was lucky someone didn't whack him over the head, just for a bit of silence. Ughhhhh, so boring...
fly Saha Air 707s daily from Tehran's downtown Mehrabad to Mashhad, Kish Island and Ahwaz
Trintocan From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2000, 3191 posts, RR: 4 Reply 19, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 1015 times:
The engine cowlings are the main way of distinguishing 747-300 from 747-400D. The 744D actually uses the wing of the 747-200 (and 747-300) but without the VHF antennae at the tips. The reason for this is that the fuel saving obtained by winglets was irrelevant considering the short sectors flown by the D's and did not justify the extra weight of the winglets seen on other 744s.
Megatop747-412 From New Zealand, joined Sep 2000, 244 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 20 hours ago) and read 1010 times:
Another way of distinguishing between a B743 and B744 is by way of those tiny vertical antennaes on thee top of the fuselage. On a B743 (and B742), there are 2 of them - one near the front on the upper deck hump, the other towards the center. The B744 has only one that is at the hump near the front. The one towards the middle on the B744 has been "replaced" by two tiny "humps" instead. You could really only differentiate them when they are parked at the agte and up close as the features Are tiny.
However, nowadays with in-flight phone and internet etc getting more popular, some a/c had those devices installed and an "extra antennae" appeared on the fuselage so you'll see some B744s with 2 antennaes instead on one.... I know it's quite confusing but if you do have a chance to look cafefully you'll understand what I mean...
Sponsor Message: 
From China, joined Mar 2000, 2371 posts, 
From United States of America, joined May 2000, 1251 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2000, 3191 posts, 
From Switzerland, joined Dec 2000, 1426 posts, 
From Norway, joined Nov 1999, 1318 posts, 
From Singapore, joined Jan 2001, 1453 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From New Zealand, joined Oct 2000, 5020 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
