Hi everyone!
I'm curious about this, what roles can only be filled by a factory-built 747F that requires the nose-loading capability?
Is this feature something that was used more often in the past but less now, has its need remained constant over the years or is its need growing?
I know the 747 production line is being closed and no airline is able to order more. I'm just curious about this feature and its practical significance and prevalence in day-to-day cargo operations around the World.
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Re: Roles that can only be filled by a nose-loading 747F?
Telling jokes?
Fred
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Fred
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Re: Roles that can only be filled by a nose-loading 747F?
Hahaha! Thanks for that one Fred!
Re: Roles that can only be filled by a nose-loading 747F?
30’ish years ago, we were contracted to fly Paul McCartney’s (I think) stage set from city to city. No way the set could be loaded from the side door. Some of the individual bits were too long.
So, any load that can not be loaded through the side door would be a candidate, though going through the nose door does present a height restriction that the side door does not.
So, any load that can not be loaded through the side door would be a candidate, though going through the nose door does present a height restriction that the side door does not.
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- PatrickZ80
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Re: Roles that can only be filled by a nose-loading 747F?
MoKa777 wrote:I know the 747 production line is being closed and no airline is able to order more. I'm just curious about this feature and its practical significance and prevalence in day-to-day cargo operations around the World.
That's not entirely true. The 747-8i (passenger) line has closed, however the 747-8F (cargo) can still be ordered. And they do come with the front cargo door.
Anyway, objects that requite the front cargo door would be odd-sized objects. Some very long things that require the full length of the plane. I recall an AN-124 loading/unloading trains through it's front door, I guess the 747 could do the same.
Re: Roles that can only be filled by a nose-loading 747F?
stuff like generator turbines, sail boats...
Re: Roles that can only be filled by a nose-loading 747F?
PatrickZ80 wrote:Not anymore.That's not entirely true. The 747-8i (passenger) line has closed, however the 747-8F (cargo) can still be ordered. And they do come with the front cargo door.
https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/13/ ... n%20ceases.
Re: Roles that can only be filled by a nose-loading 747F?
I can think of past loads I have flown with which had to be loaded by the nose only. A propeller shaft for an LPG tanker (ocean going) flown from AMS to SIN. The packing and length made it impossible to load through the side door. As already mentioned, turbine generator units, military kitchens which are shipped as all one unit. There is quite a bit that falls into a nose only load. IIRC the Formula 1 teams with their trailers were loaded via the nose.
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- TheFlyingDisk
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Re: Roles that can only be filled by a nose-loading 747F?
VMCA787 wrote:IIRC the Formula 1 teams with their trailers were loaded via the nose.
Interesting. I wonder why though, since from what I can see none of the F1 cargo is so bulky that they can't fit through the side cargo door.
Re: Roles that can only be filled by a nose-loading 747F?
Trailers with all the equipment packed in, sort of a traveling machine shop.
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- Boeing757100
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Re: Roles that can only be filled by a nose-loading 747F?
PatrickZ80 wrote:MoKa777 wrote:I know the 747 production line is being closed and no airline is able to order more. I'm just curious about this feature and its practical significance and prevalence in day-to-day cargo operations around the World.
That's not entirely true. The 747-8i (passenger) line has closed, however the 747-8F (cargo) can still be ordered. And they do come with the front cargo door.
Anyway, objects that requite the front cargo door would be odd-sized objects. Some very long things that require the full length of the plane. I recall an AN-124 loading/unloading trains through it's front door, I guess the 747 could do the same.
Sadly don't even think the freight queens can be ordered anymore. I think that the Triumph group who supplied main fuselage parts is pulled out. At a stretch, a miracle could happen and an order large enough for them to get back in could happen, but that is probably never going to happen
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- DarkSnowyNight
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Re: Roles that can only be filled by a nose-loading 747F?
Boeing757100 wrote:
Sadly don't even think the freight queens can be ordered anymore. I think that the Triumph group who supplied main fuselage parts is pulled out. At a stretch, a miracle could happen and an order large enough for them to get back in could happen, but that is probably never going to happen
They are out and they are not the only subcontractor to be so. No amount of orders can restart the line as that would require enough re-sourcing that the parts would need to be redesigned and approved by new vendors. This would prevent FAA certifications in a few places as grandfathering does not carry over for these exceptions. The 747 would need at least 500 orders and to be altered enough to be brought up to code. It is not quite to impossible, but you can see it from there...
TheFlyingDisk wrote:VMCA787 wrote:IIRC the Formula 1 teams with their trailers were loaded via the nose.
Interesting. I wonder why though, since from what I can see none of the F1 cargo is so bulky that they can't fit through the side cargo door.
Purely convenience. There is, in fact, zero need for the nose loader for those teams.