Clipper From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 464 times:
Airlines are given unique numerical or letter codes. The first letter in the extension -357 indidicates a 747-300 model and the 57 identifies the airline as Swissair (I think).
MIKEYYZ From Canada, joined Aug 2011, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 454 times:
I was once told that a specific number is unique to an airline as they have their plane fitted with different options, most importantly the engines.
Try this page: http://www.decollage.org/airliners/ai_ty_a.htm
Unfortunatelly it's for Airbuse's, he didn't have the Boeing page done yet but it should be similar.
Kaitak From Ireland, joined Aug 1999, 11953 posts, RR: 37 Reply 3, posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 445 times:
Clipper is quite correct; each airline is given its own identifier. Pan Am was -21 and it ran through all the numbers, then letters and numbers (e.g. Thai, -D7), then numbers and letters (e.g. -8E, Asiana) and more recently, two letters. This is actually very useful in identifying the first operator of an aircraft, as it will carry this code through its life; e.g. a few of the Olympic 747s were -212s, which identifies them as being ex-Singapore Airlines.
As to options and engines, this doesn't actually have a bearing on the number. For example, JAL was always a PW user until it got its -400s, but still kept its -46 identifier.
DC-10 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 438 times:
It's boeings customer code....Like a 747-212B means it's a 747-200B 12 is for Singapore airlines. This number will follow the aircraft no matter what airline ends up with it. Pan Am bought several of SIA's -200s and they remained 212's in Pan Am's fleet record.
TP343 From Brazil, joined exactly 14 years ago today! , 312 posts, RR: 5 Reply 5, posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 430 times:
Just to add, these 2-numbers/letters code are not applied just in 747, but in all Boeing line.
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