Quoting DL767captain (Reply 7): But does anyone know the range (or any other improvements) needed to allow the 748 to make it from Dubai to the US west coast. |
None, zero, zip, zilch. I think the 748 is just fine the way it is.
Whereas:
(a) at spec OEW of 212 metric tons, the 748 can fly 467 passengers (and no cargo) for 8000 nm, with appropriate fuel reserves
(b)
DXB -
LAX is 7250 nm by great circle
(c)
DXB -
LAX is a polar route, not particularly vulnerable to winds (compared to transpac routes out of
LAX, for example)
Therefore, the 748 can easily do
DXB -
LAX. If you allow 5% over the still air range, you can still toss in six metric tons of belly freight.
If
EK has any problem with the 748, it isn't range, strictly speaking. It may be overall performance, since payload and range can be traded against each other. For example, the 772LR can carry more payload on that route, although more of it is freight and less of it passengers (albeit with a higher fuel burn).
In short, "range" is probably
EK's buzzword for "payload", kind of like "thrust" is their buzzword for "range" on the 787-10
