Airplanes 1980-1989

British Airways Boeing 747-400 takes off from London Heathrow Airport, England

Origin: Following its introduction in 1969, the Boeing 747 became a major success with airlines and the flying public. In the Boeing 747-400, its major influences were its family members (shown on the left). After the announcement, Northwest Airlines placed the first 10 orders of the aircraft.

Purpose: The purpose of the Boeing 747-400 was to provide an even bigger aircraft for public use with more technological advances. It is capable of holding almost 600 people based on its layout. This four-engined aircraft uses the double deck for part of its lengths and to serve as the first class lounge. Not only that but Boeing designed the aircraft so that it can be easily converted into a cargo carrier, if it is called upon. 

Value: As the world's first wide-body jetliner, the 747 had revolutionized air travel, and cemented its manufacturer's dominance in the passenger aircraft market. The Boeing 747-400 is a major development and the best-selling model of the Boeing 747 family of jet airliners. For the first time there was an upper deck in an aircraft, and in the 747-400, it was bigger than any others. Also for the first time ever, the airliner offered in-cabin entertainment. The 747-400 is the most common passenger version in service, and amongst the fastest airline in service with high-subsonic cruise speeds, and even used by current Presidents as their means to travel.


Limitations: Even though at the time, companies wanted BIG aircrafts in their fleet, the demand has really died down. Most airliners simply don’t want big, four-engine planes anymore. 4 engine means more fuel, which means more money which means less efficient. The amount of passengers needing to go long distances have also decreased, meaning there are plenty of open seats available.

Sources:
1. http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/classic/boeing-747.htm
2.http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Latest-News-Wires/2013/1025/Boeing-747-future-in-doubt-as-production-and-demand-fall

Airplanes 1970-1979

British Airways Concorde (1976)

Interior of Air France Concorde (1976)

Origin: Concorde was jointly developed and produced by Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) under an Anglo-French treaty. The origins of the of the Concorde project date back to 1950s, when Morien Morgan developed a committee to study supersonic transport (SST). First flown in 1969, Concorde entered service in 1976 and continued commercial flights for 27 years. A total of 20 aircrafts were built; seven each delivered to Air France and British Airways, and 6 prototypes. 

Purpose: The purpose of the Concorde was to provide fast transportation from place to place. For the people during that period, time was a major concern. Concorde was invented because, at the time, the jet engine airliners were still relatively new. The general feeling was that since we'd already shrunk the world by a factor of two with the advent of the jet airliner, it only stood to reason that we should do it again with an SST. At the time, it seemed like the next logical step.


Value: Concorde is by far the most symbolic aircraft in the world; her shape is one of gracefulness and pure beauty. The Concorde was a huge step in aviation because for the first time, there were airliners that carried passengers that could go faster than the speed of sound. Flight durations were now cut into half and made air travel faster than ever. Many people were attracted to it for its fast speeds and revolutionary technology.

Limitations: The Concorde got discontinued in 2003 for many reason such as the general downturn in aviation, the 9/11 attacks, a major crash, mechanical problems, the high maintenance cost, and low economic gains. Both British Airways and Air France cited that after the 9/11 attacks, there was slump in air travel and not enough money to maintain the aircrafts. Another factor that played a part in its retirement was the crash (video above), which was caused by mechanical problems. After the investigation on this crash, it was revealed that most all of the Concordes had the same problem, and were bound to have similar crash.  

Sources: 
1. http://www.concordelegacy.org.uk/en/concorde/?legacy=rtf
2.http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/131246/Concorde

Airplanes 1960-1969

Antonov An-22 (1965) by the Antonov Design Bureau

Origin: The Antonov An-22 is an aircraft designed by Antonov Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. In the early 1960s’ the Antonov Design Bureau produced many mockup; however none of them ever went further. Then came the prototype Antheus which was then further developed and produced, renaming it the Antonov An-22 in 1965. 


Purpose: In the late 1950s’, the Soviet Union required a large military transport aircraft which inspired the building of this aircraft. The aircraft was designed as a strategic airlift,  specifically to expand the Soviet Airborne Troops’ capability to land with their new vehicles. This model saw extensive use in major military and humanitarian airlifts of the Soviet Union.  



Value: The design of the Antonov An-22 was the first Soviet wide-body aircraft and remains the world's largest turboprop-powered aircraft to date. For the first time in history, such a large aircraft was developed solely for cargo. It helped the Soviet Union transport resources, cargo, and goods from place to place faster during the war. After the war, it was able to help transport goods to countries who had just been struck by a national disasters. 

Limitation- Even though this aircraft was made for cargo, it was not capable of taking people anywhere. It was solely for cargo, meaning if it was required to transport people, it would be completely useless. The aircraft took much more fuel than normal aircraft which made it less efficient. Since the aircraft was so big, the crosswinds while taking off and landing greatly affect it safety.


Sources:
1. http://www.airliners.net/aircraft-data/stats.main?id=36
2. http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=508

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