Boeing 747-400

Background s|alt=Three-view diagram of the Boeing 747-400 Following its introduction in 1969, the Boeing 747 became a major success with airlines and the flying public. As the world's first wide-body jetliner, the 747 enabled significantly higher passenger capacities on long-range routes. Boeing sold over 1,500 747s across all variants, making it the most-produced wide-body jetliner of its era. In 1980, Boeing announced the 747-300, its latest 747 variant featuring greater passenger capacity. This was made possible by making a stretched upper deck (SUD), previously an option on the 747-200, a standard feature. The SUD was almost twice as long as the original 747 upper deck. Besides increased capacity, the 747-300 did not offer any increase in range, nor did it include improvements in flight deck technology or construction materials. At the same time, 747s were becoming more costly to operate due to several factors, notably conventional flight control systems, three-person flight crews, and fuel costs. The introduction of the 747-300 did little to stem the decline, and itself faced potential competition from more modern designs. As a result, Boeing began considering a more significant upgrade for its largest passenger jet. Design effort of the Boeing 747-400ER|alt=Cockpit of modern jet airliner, showcasing digital displays and instruments. Light enters through the windshield. Seven early customers, namely British Airways, Cathay Pacific, KLM, Lufthansa, Northwest, Qantas and Singapore Airlines, formed a consultative group to advise Boeing on the 747-400's design process. While the aircraft was planned as a new-technology upgrade, Boeing originally proposed minimal design changes to reduce development cost and retain commonality with existing models. of South African Airways 747-400 The 747-400's wingspan was stretched by over the Classic 747 through wingtip extensions. For reduced aerodynamic drag, the wings were fitted with tall winglets. Despite the added length, the wings were lighter as a result of new aluminum alloys. New engines offered on the 747-400 included the Pratt & Whitney PW4056, the General Electric CF6-80C2B1F, and the Rolls-Royce RB211-524G/H. All components were integrated during the final assembly process at the Everett factory. The first aircraft, equipped with PW4056 engines, was completed over the winter months of late 1987. The first flight was six weeks behind schedule, owing to subcontractor delays in supplying components, and extra troubleshooting on the aircraft's electronics systems. The maiden flight took off from Paine Field, site of the Everett factory, and landed at Boeing Field, south of Seattle, after an uneventful 2 hours and 26 minutes. The 747-400's flight test program used the first four aircraft built, one more than the minimum number necessary to certify the aircraft's three engine options. One test aircraft each was fitted with the CF6-80C2B1F and RB211-524G/H engines, while the other two featured PW4056 engines, with the fourth aircraft serving as a backup. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification was received on January 9, 1989, with Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines, May 18, 1989, with General Electric CF6-80C2s and June 8, 1989, with Rolls-Royce RB211-524Gs. As the flight test program proceeded, Boeing encountered problems in the 747-400's production process, leading it to disclose delivery delays of up to one month for the first 20 aircraft built. A primary reason for the delays was the unprecedented complexity of interior configurations offered to airlines, which ranged from lavatory and galley locations to the color shades of cabin warning labels. Coupled with new, relatively inexperienced workers, a lack of veteran technicians, interior configurations needing costly re-work, and integration challenges with the advanced flight deck systems, 747-400 production fell behind schedule. The company managed to resolve early production issues by mid-1989, with the first example airframes of all three engine variants delivered within four months of each other, and overall delays not exceeding several weeks. ==Service entry and operations==

placed the 747-400 into service in February 1989. This aircraft is the prototype of the 747-400|alt=Side view of four-engine jet climbing in the sky. introduced the Boeing 747-400 into its fleet in 1990. began operating the 747-400 in 1993. The first 747-400 (N661US) was delivered to launch customer Northwest Airlines. This jet became known for an incident in 2002 when, as Northwest Airlines Flight 85, the jet suffered a rudder hardover. N661US was later sold to Delta Air Lines when Northwest merged with it. N661US later became preserved at the Delta Flight Museum. This was the 20th anniversary of the 747-100's first flight. On May 31, 1989, Singapore Airlines operated the first international service using a 747-400, on a flight from Singapore to London. In May 1989, one week before the initial delivery to the 747-400's first European customer, KLM, the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) shocked Boeing by refusing to grant regulatory certification for the aircraft, citing the upper deck cabin floor's resistance to collapse in the event of a sudden decompression. In the days leading up to the first delivery to KLM, negotiations between Boeing, the FAA, and the JAA resulted in a compromise: a temporary operating certificate would be issued for the 747-400, provided that the manufacturer develop a structural retrofit for the aircraft within two years. In the 2000s, several 747-400 operators tested alternative fuels. Air New Zealand conducted the first commercial flight using jatropha-derived fuel in 2008, with one engine burning a 50/50 blend of jatropha and jet fuel. Continental Airlines tested jatropha oil in one of its airliners on January 7, 2009. Jatropha is easy to grow, needs little fertilizer or water, and produces an oil-rich plant. Production of the 747-400 passenger version officially ceased on March 15, 2007. The last four -400s on order were cancelled by Philippine Airlines (which switched to the 777-300ER). The last to order the -400 was China Airlines in November 2002, with the last passenger 747-400 constructed in 2005 and delivered in April of that year. The last 747-400 was a -400ERF delivered on December 22, 2009, to Kalitta Air. Retirement and economic value The 747-400's leasing, resale and salvage value have dropped steeply since the 2010s. By that time many 747-400s were also more than 20 years old, so airlines have accelerated their retirement. The 747, alongside the smaller Airbus A340 and MD-11, each have more than two engines making them relatively expensive to operate, although their main appeal during the early 1990s was their long range as well as high capacity, before the development of wide-body twin-engine aircraft that could achieve similar range and payload while also providing better fuel economy. Such medium/large twinjets like the Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and Airbus A350 XWB have entered service since the late 1990s onward, and these have taken over routes previously flown by 747-400s, as reducing capacity improved load factors. The change in emphasis from hub and spoke operations to point-to-point flights has also reduced the need for jumbo jets (very large aircraft (VLA) with more than 400 seats) like the 747 and Airbus A380. Airlines such as British Airways and Qantas that plan to maintain the same capacity on routes currently served by 747-400s did not order the updated 747-8 but instead opted for the Airbus A380. A contributing factor for the drop in resale value and retirement of the 747-400 has been the 2008 financial crisis, which spiked an increase in fuel prices, that caused a drop in air travel demand. For example, Delta Air Lines reduced the number of flights it operated from the United States to Narita International Airport that were intended to transfer passengers to other destinations in Asia, switching to twin-engine widebody aircraft operating from an expanded hub at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Total capacity was cut, but load factors improved. In April 2015, Delta announced it would accelerate the retirement of its 747-400s and replace them either with Airbus A330 or Airbus A350 aircraft (both of which are twinjets). Delta could not keep the 747s full without deeply discounting ticket prices; the discounts and increased maintenance required of a four-engine aircraft led to a drag on profits. Since the cost of replacing a 747-400 is high (an airline must purchase or lease another wide-body), some operators choose to fly the 747-400 to the conclusion of its accepted useful life and then scrap it. The current parts resale value for this aircraft has been reduced to its engines. When a 26-year-old 747-400 owned by Delta flew through a violent hailstorm, the company indicated it was likely the aircraft would be scrapped. George Dimitroff, head of valuations for FlightGlobal, estimated the aircraft's value before the incident at about $8 million. He noted that this was not the same as its insured value. As discussed in the section on 747-400 converted freighters, there is no longer a viable economic model for converting retired passenger 747-400 aircraft into dedicated freighters, so most retired passenger aircraft will likely be scrapped. Several airlines have retired their 747-400s from the trans-Pacific market since the early 2010s. Remaining operators in 2014 included EVA Air, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, and United Airlines. United's deployment of them also reflected a change in emphasis from Asian hubs to domestic hubs. On January 11, 2017, United announced it would begin phasing out its 747-400s and made its last 747 flight on November 7 that year. Delta Air Lines was the last US airline to operate the Boeing 747, retiring the last of the 747-400 fleet it inherited from Northwest Airlines in December 2017. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic Before COVID-19, British Airways, the largest passenger 747-400 operator at the time, announced in February 2019 that its 747-400 fleet would retire by February 2024, replacing it with the Airbus A350-1000. Lufthansa was to retire its 747-400 fleet in 2025 as it was to be replaced by the Boeing 777X and the Boeing 747-8I. KLM planned to retire their 747-400 Combi and Passenger fleet in 2020 as they were being replaced by the Boeing 777-300ER, the Boeing 787-10, and the Airbus A350-900. However, KLM retired the 747 from passenger service on October 25, 2020. The global COVID-19 pandemic hastened the retirement of many remaining passenger Boeing 747-400s due to a sharp decline in passenger traffic. For instance, KLM retired its Boeing 747-400 Combi and Passenger fleets in March 2020. Qantas announced the retirement of its 747-400 and 747-400ER fleet by the end of 2020, with the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner taking its place. China Airlines also announced that it would be retiring its remaining four passenger Boeing 747-400s by the end of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (which were delivered between 2004 and 2005, operating on flights within Asia), with the Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 777-300ER taking over all high-volume routes and all Asian International routes. However, China Airlines didn't retire its last passenger Boeing 747-400 until February 2021. British Airways retired its remaining 31 Boeing 747-400s 4 years ahead of the original February 2024 deadline. Virgin Atlantic also retired their remaining leisure fleet 747-400s in May 2020 citing the COVID-19 pandemic - the fleet was due to retire in 2021. As of September, 2021, there were just 42 passenger 747-400 in operation (10 actively flying, 32 in storage) across 10 carriers worldwide. On 29 April 2022, Air India retired its remaining 4 747-400 planes in its fleet after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation deregistered them, and sold them to Aersale in April 2024 to convert 2 to freighters and scrap the rest. In March 2024, Asiana Airlines announced it would retire its sole remaining 747-400, leaving Air China as the last scheduled passenger operator in Asia. ==Design==

The 747-400's airframe features extended and lighter wings than the previous 747s, capped by winglets. The winglets result in a 3 percent increase in long-range cruise, improved takeoff performance, and higher cruise altitudes. The landing gear uses the same configuration as the previous 747s, but with carbon brakes replacing the previous steel ones, and overall weight savings of . An eight-bunk overhead crew rest is installed above the aft cabin, while a second crew rest area is located on the upper deck behind the cockpit for flight crew use. Qantas Boeing 747-400 economy class.jpg|alt=Aircraft main cabin with two aisle and multiple seat rows.|Qantas 747-400 main deck economy class cabin Boeing 747-467, Cathay Pacific Airways AN2279143.jpg|alt=A forward-looking view in the stretched upper deck cabin of later 747s|Cathay Pacific 747-400 upper deck business class N673USBizelitecabin.jpg|alt=Aircraft cabin with first class seats.|Delta Air Lines 747-400 main deck BusinessElite cabin ==Variants==

747-400 Boeing 747-400 named Bangkok (2006). The original variant of the redesigned 747, the 747-400 debuted an increased wingspan, winglets, revised engines, and a glass cockpit which removed the need for a flight engineer. The type also featured the stretched upper deck (SUD) introduced with the 747-300. The passenger model formed the bulk of 747-400s sold, and 442 were built. In 1989, the Qantas 747-400 VH-OJA flew non-stop from London Heathrow to Sydney, a distance of , in 20 hours and 9 minutes to set a commercial aircraft world distance record. , this is the fastest heavyweight flight between London and Sydney. This was a delivery flight with no commercial passengers or freight on board. During testing, the first 747-400 built also set a world record for the heaviest airliner takeoff on June 27, 1988, on a flight to simulate heavy-weight stalls. 747-400F Boeing 747-400F The 747-400F (Freighter) is an all freight version of the 747-400. While using the updated systems and wing design of the passenger versions, it features the original short upper deck found on the classic 747s to reduce weight. The 747-400F has a maximum takeoff weight of and a maximum payload of . The -400F can be easily distinguished from the passenger -400 by its shorter upper-deck hump and lack of windows along the main deck. The model's first flight was on May 4, 1993, and it entered service with Cargolux on November 17, 1993. Other major customers included Atlas Air, China Airlines, Korean Air, Nippon Cargo Airlines and Singapore Airlines. carrying an airborne laser. It was formerly a Boeing 747-400F. The 747-400F has a main deck nose door and a mechanized cargo handling system. The nose door swings up so that pallets or containers up to can be loaded straight in on motor-driven rollers. An optional main deck side cargo door (like the 747-400M Combi) allows loading of dimensionally taller cargo modules. A lower deck ("belly") side door allows loading of unit load devices (ULD) up to in height. Boeing delivered 126 Boeing 747-400F aircraft with no unfilled orders . The last -400F was delivered to Nippon Cargo Airlines on August 2, 2008. 747-400M 747-400M "Combi" in 2011 with aft cargo door The 747-400M (a passenger/freight or "Combi" variant originally designated as 747-400BC) first flew on June 30, 1989, and entered service with KLM on September 12, 1989. Based on the successful Combi versions of the Classic 747s, the 747-400M has a large cargo door fitted to the rear of the fuselage for freight loading to the aft main deck cargo hold. A locked partition separates the cargo area from the forward passenger cabin, and the -400M also features additional fire protection, a strengthened main deck floor, a roller-conveyor system, and passenger-to-cargo conversion equipment. The last 747-400M was delivered to KLM on April 10, 2002. Boeing sold 61 747-400M aircraft, which was similar to earlier 747 "Combi" versions (78 747-200M, 21 747-300M). KLM was the last commercial 747-400M operator. KLM initially planned to retire their 747-400M by January 1, 2021, however the Boeing 747-400M was instead retired by March 27, 2020, as Air France-KLM announced in early March 2020 to retire all remaining passenger Boeing 747-400s of KLM (including all KLM Boeing 747-400M aircraft) immediately due to reduced air travel demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, although, due to a global shortage in air cargo capacity, three KLM 747-400Ms were temporarily reactivated after just a week to operate cargo-only flights to Asia. As of 2024, Air Atlanta Icelandic, an Icelandic cargo and charter passenger airline, operates one Boeing 747-400M. 747-400D Boeing 747-400D (Domestic) without winglets in the Pokémon Jet livery The 747-400D (Domestic) is a high-density seating model developed for short-haul, high-volume domestic Japanese flights, serving the same role as the prior Boeing 747SR domestic model. This model is capable of seating a maximum of 568 passengers in a two-class configuration or 660 passengers in a single-class configuration. The -400D lacks the wingtip extensions and winglets included on other variants. Winglets would provide minimal benefits on short-haul routes while adding extra weight and cost. The -400D may be converted to the long-range version if needed. The 747-400D can be distinguished from the otherwise similar-looking 747-300 by the extra windows on the upper deck. These allow for extra seating at the rear of the upper deck, where a galley would normally be situated on longer flights. In total, 19 of the type were built, with the last example delivered to All Nippon Airways on February 11, 1996. 747-400ER Boeing 747-400ER The 747-400ER (Extended Range) was launched on November 28, 2000, following an order by Qantas for six aircraft. Manufactured by Marshall Aerospace, the tanks used metal-to-metal honeycomb-bonded technology to achieve a high fuel volume-to-dry weight ratio. The tanks featured a double wall and an integrated venting system, and achieved fuel control via a modified Fuel System Management Card (FSMC) which optimized fuel transfer into the Center Wing Tank (CWT) in flight, along with fuel transfer from the Horizontal Stabiliser Tank (HST). The tank was removable using tooling that interfaced with the cargo loading system. Similar technology had been used by Marshall in the development of body fuel tanks for the Boeing 777-200LR and Boeing P-8A Poseidon. Other changes to the 747-400ER included the relocation of oxygen system components and the potable water system tanks and pumps, because the body fuel tanks prevent access to the standard locations. The first 747-400ER was used as a test flight airplane and painted in Boeing colors, with registration N747ER. Qantas received the first delivery of a 747-400ER registration VH-OEF on October 31, 2002, although it was the second airplane built. The flight test airplane was later refurbished, repainted in standard Qantas livery, and registered as VH-OEE. Qantas was the only customer for the passenger version of the 747-400ER, chosen by the airline to allow for full loads between Melbourne and Los Angeles, particularly in the western direction. The 747-400ER could fly farther, or carry more payload, than the -400. The last 747-400ER was retired in July 2020. 747-400ERF Boeing 747-400ERF Extended Range Freighter The 747-400ERF (Extended Range Freighter) is the freight version of the -400ER, launched on April 30, 2001. The -400ERF has a range of with maximum payload, about farther than the standard 747-400 freighter, and has a strengthened fuselage, landing gear, and parts of its wing, along with new, larger tires. The first -400ERF was delivered to Air France (via ILFC) on October 17, 2002. Boeing has delivered 40 Boeing 747-400ERFs with no outstanding orders. Freighter conversions The 747-400BCF (Boeing Converted Freighter), formerly known as the 747-400SF (Special Freighter), is a conversion program for standard passenger 747-400 aircraft. The project was launched in 2004 with conversions by approved contractors such as HAECO, KAL Aerospace, and SIA Engineering Company. The first Boeing 747-400BCF was redelivered to Cathay Pacific Cargo and entered service on December 20, 2005. Cathay retired the 747-400BCF in 2017 after 11 years of service. The 747-400BDSF (BeDek Special Freighter) is another passenger-to-freighter conversion, carried out by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The first 747-400BDSF was redelivered to Air China Cargo in August 2006. Several Boeing 747-400M "combi" aircraft operated by EVA Air were also converted to pure cargo aircraft by IAI. Neither the 747-400BCF nor the 747-400BDSF has a nose cargo door; freight can only be loaded through the side cargo door, as opposed to the newly produced freight variants. The demand for converted 747-400 freighters declined in the early 2010s, due to the availability of belly cargo capacity on more efficient passenger wide-body twinjets, and new orders for Boeing 747-8F and 777F freighters. Approximately 79 747-400 aircraft were converted before the programs were terminated; 50 of these aircraft were converted by the BCF program, with the remaining 29 under the BDSF offering. Boeing announced the end of the BCF program for the 747-400 in 2016, although conversions had ceased years earlier, with no orders after 2012. 747 Large Cargo Freighter |alt=Side quarter view of four-engine jet climbing in the sky. Boeing announced in October 2003 that, because of the amount of time involved with marine shipping, air transport would be the primary method of transporting parts for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Used passenger 747-400 aircraft have been converted into an outsize, "Large Cargo Freighter" (LCF) configuration to ferry sub-assemblies to Everett, Washington for final assembly. The LCF has a bulging fuselage similar to that of the Aero Spacelines Super Guppy or Airbus Beluga cargo aircraft. The conversion, designed by Boeing engineers from Puget Sound, Moscow and Canoga Park, Cal., and Gamesa Aeronáutica in Spain, was carried out in Taiwan by a subsidiary of the Evergreen Group. Boeing purchased four second-hand aircraft and had them all converted; The LCF can hold three times the volume of a 747-400F freighter and had the largest cargo hold of any aircraft, until it was surpassed by the Airbus BelugaXL. The LCF is not a Boeing production model and has not been offered for sale to any customers. The LCFs are intended for Boeing's exclusive use. Comparison Below is a list of major differences between the 747-400 variants. ==Government, military and other variants==

• C-33: Proposed U.S. military transport version of the 747-400F, intended as an alternative to further purchases of the McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III during the 1990s Non-Developmental Airlift Aircraft (NDAA) program. The C-33 cost less and had greater range, although it could not use austere runways or handle outsize military equipment and had a higher expected operating cost. The plan was canceled in favor of the purchase of more C-17s. In the early 2000s, An Air Power Australia analysis deck (an independent think tank not affiliated with the RAAF or Australia's Department of Defence) looked at modifying the 747-400 platform for use as KC-33 tankers but ultimately abandoned it in favor of the 767-based tanker. • YAL-1: "Airborne Laser" carrier based on a 747-400F for the United States Air Force. The aircraft was heavily modified to carry a nose-mounted turret and Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) equipment in order to destroy Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. The aircraft was retired in 2012 after cancellation of the program funding. • Cosmic Girl: A former Virgin Atlantic 747-400 named Cosmic Girl is used by Virgin Galactic as the air launch to orbit launcher for LauncherOne, an orbital rocket. • Evergreen 747 Supertanker: Global SuperTankers has converted an ex-Japan Airlines 747-400BCF for use as an airborne firefighter, serving as the second generation 747 Supertanker. The converted water bomber carries of water or chemical fire retardant in eight pressurized tanks. The United States Forest Service was considering the use of this aircraft in 2017. Global SuperTanker received FAA certification September 12, 2016. ==Operators==

Deliveries ==Incidents and accidents==

The first hull loss of a 747-400 occurred on November 4, 1993, when China Airlines Flight 605, flying from Taipei to Hong Kong's Kai Tak Airport, touched down more than past the runway's displaced threshold during 20-knot (gusting to 38 knots) crosswinds. Combined with the disengagement of auto brakes and retracted speed brakes, manual braking and thrust reversal were not enough to prevent the aircraft from sliding into Victoria Harbour. No one was seriously injured, but the aircraft was written off. The type's first hull loss with fatalities took place on October 31, 2000, when Singapore Airlines Flight 006, a 747-400 flying from Singapore to Los Angeles via Taipei, rammed into construction equipment while attempting to take off from a closed runway at Chiang Kai-shek International Airport during Typhoon Xangsane. The aircraft caught fire and was destroyed, killing 79 passengers and four crew members. The cause was attributed to the flight crew navigating to the wrong runway. On July 28, 2011, Asiana Airlines Flight 991, a Boeing 747-400F flying from Incheon Airport to Shanghai Pudong Airport, crashed into the Pacific Ocean off Jeju Island, South Korea, after reportedly suffering mechanical problems due to a possible on-board fire. Two crew members on board were killed. National Airlines Flight 102, a 747-400BCF crashed on April 29, 2013 (the 25th anniversary of the type's first flight) at Bagram Air Base Afghanistan killing 7 crew members. The crash was attributed to a cargo shift of military vehicles to the back of the hold during take-off. On January 16, 2017, Turkish Airlines Flight 6491, a 747-400F operated by ACT Airlines, failed to reach the runway on landing in thick fog at Manas International Airport in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, crashed into a residential area, and caught fire. 39 people died, including all four crew members, and 35 people on the ground. On November 7, 2018, Sky Lease Cargo Flight 4854, a 747-400F overran the runway on landing at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Nova Scotia, Canada, and broke into two pieces, injuring 3 of 4 people onboard with no fatalities. Other incidents involving the 747-400 did not result in irreparable aircraft damage. On December 15, 1989, KLM Flight 867, a 747-400M, en route to Tokyo's Narita International Airport from Amsterdam's Schiphol International Airport via Anchorage International Airport, flew through a thick cloud of volcanic ash, causing severe damage to the aircraft and replacement of all four engines. On July 23, 1999, a man killed the pilot of All Nippon Airways Flight 61, a 747-400D bound for New Chitose Airport near Sapporo, Hokkaidō from Tokyo International Airport (Haneda), during an attempted hijacking, and was restrained by other crew members; the aircraft landed safely. On September 23, 1999, Qantas Flight 1, flying from Sydney to London via Bangkok, overran the runway after touching down more than from the threshold during a storm with heavy rain, resulting in aircraft damage and minor passenger injuries; although expected to be written off, Qantas repaired the aircraft and it returned to service. On January 31, 2001, the pilot of Japan Airlines Flight 907, a 747-400D bound for Naha International Airport from Tokyo Haneda Airport, made an emergency dive to avoid a collision with a Japan Airlines DC-10-40 due to conflicting instructions from air traffic control; several people on the 747-400 suffered injuries during the evasive manoeuvres and some interior damage was sustained to the aircraft. On October 9, 2002, Northwest Airlines Flight 85, a Boeing 747-400 aircraft registered as N661US traveling from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to Narita International Airport, made an emergency landing at Anchorage International Airport after a sudden lower rudder hardover. On July 25, 2008, Qantas Flight 30, traveling to Melbourne Airport from Hong Kong International Airport, made an emergency landing at Ninoy Aquino International Airport with a gaping hole in its lower forward fuselage; no one was hurt, and authorities determined that an exploding emergency oxygen supply bottle was the most likely cause. Some incidents however, led to irreparable damage and those airframes were written off. On September 4, 2009, Air India Flight 829, a 747-437 (registered VT-ESM), suffered an engine fire at Mumbai, shortly before take-off, due to a fuel leak that came in contact with hot parts. None of the 213 passengers and 16 crew was injured or killed, but the severe fire damage caused the aircraft to be written off and it was scrapped in May 2011. On 17 June 2015, Delta Air Lines Flight 159, a Boeing 747-451 (registered N664US), flying from Detroit to Seoul-Incheon, suffered substantial damage to the interiors, the nose cone, engines and wing slats, after flying through a severe hailstorm above China. The 26-year-old 747 was ferried from Seoul to Marana, Arizona for storage. In 2021, a Boeing 747 freighter's engine caught fire and multiple parts detached, causing 2 people to be injured on the ground. The aircraft landed safely and was returned to service. ==Aircraft on display==

,'' the first 747-400 preserved and delivered to Qantas, as well as record-breaker. Pictured at Historical Aircraft Restoration Society museum Following the gradual withdrawal of older examples of the type from passenger service from the early-2010s onward, a relatively large number of Boeing 747-400s have entered preservation after being decommissioned. • Qantas 747-400 VH-OJA City of Canberra, the first 747-400 delivered to the airline, is displayed at the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society museum at Shellharbour Airport, Australia. It was the first to be preserved and holds the record for the longest non-stop flight undertaken by a commercial aircraft, from London to Sydney in 20 hours, 9 minutes and 5 seconds, a record it has held since 1989. • N661US, a former Delta Air Lines example, is on display at the Delta Flight Museum at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. The aircraft was the first -400 series built, serving as the prototype (then registered N401PW) prior to delivery to Northwest Airlines in December 1989. It is also the aircraft that was involved in Northwest Airlines Flight 85. The aircraft was hauled a total of 12.5 kilometres over fields and roads to reach its new home at the hotel. Upon arrival at the hotel, the aircraft was installed in the grounds of the hotel complex. • PK-LHF, last operated by Lion Air was converted for use as the Steak 21 restaurant in Summarecon Bekasi, Indonesia. The plane was originally operated by Singapore Airlines registered 9V-SMC. • British Airways has preserved five of its 747-400's following the fleet's retirement during the COVID-19 pandemic, although only four now remain. • G-BYGC, the first of British Airways' three retrojets and decorated with the British Overseas Airways Corporation livery was on display at Bro Tathan Airfield, within the Bro Tathan Business Park at St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. G-BYGC arrived at Bro Tathan for preservation on 11 December 2020. By May 2023, however, the aircraft was in danger of being scrapped. By August 2023, the dismantling of the aircraft was confirmed. • G-BNLY City of Swansea, the second of British Airways' three retrojets and wearing the classic Landor Associates livery used from the 1980s to the late 1990s is on display at Dunsfold Aerodrome, joining 747-400 G-CIVW and 747-200 G-BDXJ as a filming location. The announcement of its preservation was made at the same time as that of G-BYGC, meaning that as of December 2020, all three of BA's heritage-liveried 747s have been preserved. G-BNLY arrived at Dunsfold on 5 December 2020 after a ferry flight from Cardiff. • G-CIVB, the third of three 747-400 retrojets formerly operated by British Airways, is on display at Cotswold Airport in Kemble, Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom. The aircraft, which was the joint last of BA's 747-400s to leave London Heathrow alongside G-CIVY, arrived at Kemble on 8 October 2020. G-CIVB is decorated with the Negus livery used by the airline during the 1970s and early 1980s, and has been modified for use as an events centre. • G-CIVW, an ex-British Airways 747-400, arrived at Dunsfold Aerodrome, Surrey in the United Kingdom on 22 October 2020 for preservation after a final ferry flight from Cardiff. The aircraft, which wears the Chattam Dockyard livery joins the aerodrome's Boeing 747-200, G-BDXJ, for use as a filming location and trainer aircraft. • G-BYGA, one of British Airways last 747-400's used for flying, was retired on 8 September 2020. The cockpit and partial upper deck was converted into an event space and flight simulator at the Barton City Airport known as 'The Deck' in August 2022. • HS-STA, A former Orient Thai Boeing 747-400 was converted into a cafe and restaurant in Bangkok's Lat Krabang district. The airplane originally belonged to United Airlines, registered N187UA. • HS-STB, A former Orient Thai Boeing 747-400 has a fuselage without wing preserved at Flight of Happiness restaurant in Guanyin District, Taoyuan, Taiwan. • HS-TGR Siriwatthana, A former Thai Airways 747-400 was purchased by a Thai businessman named Somchai Phukieow in July 2018 and had it shipped to his home in Chai Nat Province, Thailand The aircraft had its engines removed and the titles painted over, but is otherwise unchanged from its time in active service. • HS-TGT Watthanothai, A former Thai Airways 747-400, has been placed on static display at Chic Chic Market in Nong Khai, Thailand, alongside ex-Las Vegas Sands Lockheed L-1011 TriStar N388LS. • N940AS, A former Air India 747-400, (previously registered VT-EVA), was sold to AerSale and then purchased by the Soloviev Foundation, owned by Quintin Soloviev, has been preserved at Roswell International Air Center, New Mexico. The Air India titles have been removed but the livery remains on the plane. ==Specifications (Boeing 747-400 with PW4062 engines)==