Background In 1970, the
747 entered service as the first wide-body jetliner Two years later, the manufacturer began a development study, code-named 7X7, for a new wide-body jetliner intended to replace the
707 and other early generation narrow-body airliners. This marked the manufacturer's first major international joint venture, and both Aeritalia and the CTDC received supply contracts in return for their early participation. At this stage the proposed aircraft featured two or three engines, with possible configurations including over-wing engines and a
T-tail. debut in 1982. Later it was named the
Spirit of Delta Ship 102 with
Delta Air Lines.|alt=Side view of twin-engine jet touching down on runway, with deployed flaps and thrust reversers By 1976, a twinjet layout, similar to the one which had debuted on the
Airbus A300, became the baseline configuration. While airline requirements for new wide-body aircraft remained ambiguous, Advancements in civil aerospace technology, including
high-bypass-ratio turbofan engines, new flight deck systems,
aerodynamic improvements, and more efficient lightweight designs were to be applied to the 7X7. Many of these features were also included in a parallel development effort for a new mid-size narrow-body airliner, code-named 7N7, which would become the 757. In February 1978, the new jetliner received the 767 model designation, and three variants were planned: a with 190 seats, a with 210 seats, and a
trijet 767MR/LR version with 200 seats intended for intercontinental routes. The 767MR/LR was subsequently renamed 777 for differentiation purposes. The 767 was officially launched on July 14, 1978, when United Airlines ordered 30 of the 767-200 variant, followed by 50 more 767-200 orders from
American Airlines and Delta Air Lines later that year. As development progressed, engineers used
computer-aided design for over a third of the 767's design drawings, Both aircraft would ultimately receive shared design features, including
avionics,
flight management systems, instruments, and handling characteristics. and would be capable of operating routes up to . The 767's fuselage width was set midway between that of the 707 and the 747 at . The fuselage was not wide enough to accommodate two standard LD3 wide-body
unit load devices side-by-side, so a smaller container, the LD2, Using a conventional tail design also allowed the rear fuselage to be tapered over a shorter section,
Cathode ray tube (CRT) color displays and new electronics replaced the role of the
flight engineer by enabling the pilot and co-pilot to monitor aircraft systems directly. A three-crew cockpit remained as an option and was fitted to the first production models.
Ansett Australia ordered 767s with three-crew cockpits due to union demands; it was the only airline to operate 767s so configured. The 767's two-crew cockpit was also applied to the 757, allowing pilots to operate both aircraft after a short conversion course, and adding incentive for airlines to purchase both types. By this time, the 767 program had accumulated 173 firm orders from 17 customers, including
Air Canada,
All Nippon Airways,
Britannia Airways,
Transbrasil, and
Trans World Airlines (TWA). The test fleet was largely used to evaluate avionics, flight systems, handling, and performance, Following 1,600 hours of flight tests, the JT9D-powered 767-200 received certification from the US
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the UK
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in July 1982. The first delivery occurred on August 19, 1982, to United Airlines. The CF6-powered 767-200 commenced service three months later with Delta Air Lines. The aircraft's introduction was relatively smooth, with few operational glitches and greater
dispatch reliability than prior jetliners.
Exemptions from major certification rule changes Following the 1996 in-flight explosion of
TWA Flight 800, the FAA introduced new rules about flammability reduction in 2008. In 2012, Boeing requested an exemption for the 767 from new wiring separation rules that would prevent ignition sources, because design improvements it introduced fell short of meeting such rules. One of the justification by Boeing: changes to the fuel quantity indication system would require a halt of delivery by three years as production of the 767 model was expected to end shortly. FAA gave the manufacturer three years to have a compliant system while deliveries continued. In 2014, Boeing, without a new design available, asked for and received another time-limited exemption for just the 767-300 and 767-300ER until 2019 when commercial production was expected to cease. But in 2017, with continual demand for the 767-300F, Boeing asked for another exemption up to the end of 2027, well past the revised production end date. It is noted that while Boeing requested extension of the original exemption from 2016 to 2019 based upon the cost of upgrading the design and their low production rate and ending production in 2019, Boeing developed the
KC-46 tanker (based on the 767) which fully compliant with the new rulings and is assembled on the same production line as the 767. Since the 2019 exemption went into effect, Boeing has increased production of the freighter to satisfy demand.
Stretched derivatives First stretch: -300/-300ER/F Forecasting airline interest in larger-capacity models, Boeing announced the stretched in 1983 and the extended-range 767-300ER in 1984.
Japan Airlines placed the first order for the -300 in September 1983. the type entered service with Japan Airlines on October 20, 1986. The 767-300ER completed its first flight on December 9, 1986, By the end of the decade, 767s crossed the Atlantic more frequently than all other aircraft types combined. The 767 also propelled the growth of
point-to-point flights which bypassed major
airline hubs in favor of
direct routes. Taking advantage of the aircraft's lower operating costs and smaller capacity, operators added non-stop flights to secondary population centers, thereby eliminating the need for connecting flights. Six months later, the carrier temporarily grounded its entire 767 fleet after discovering cracks in the
engine pylons of several aircraft. The cracks were related to the extra weight of the RB211 engines, which are heavier than other 767 engines. , a new jetliner which aimed to fly 15 percent faster while having comparable fuel costs to the 767. The following year, Boeing announced the
KC-767 Tanker Transport, a second military derivative of the 767-200ER. Launched with an order in October 2002 from the
Italian Air Force, the KC-767 was intended for the dual role of refueling other aircraft and carrying cargo. The plan was suspended in March 2004 amid a
conflict of interest scandal, The first KC-767s were delivered in 2008 to the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The following year, the manufacturer announced the 7E7, a mid-size 767 successor made from
composite materials which promised to be 20 percent more fuel efficient. The new jetliner was the first stage of a replacement aircraft initiative called the
Boeing Yellowstone Project. Subsequently, the 767-300ER was offered to customers affected by 787 delays, including All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines. Some aging 767s, exceeding 20 years in age, were also kept in service past planned retirement dates due to the delays. To extend the operational lives of older aircraft, airlines increased heavy maintenance procedures, including
D-check teardowns and inspections for
corrosion, a recurring issue on aging 767s. The first 787s entered service with All Nippon Airways in October 2011, 42 months behind schedule.
Continued production , the largest 767-300F operator, placed additional orders in 2007.|alt=Side quarter view of UPS twin-engine freighter in flight, with extended gear 767-300F In 2007, the 767 received a production boost when UPS and
DHL Aviation placed a combined 33 orders for the 767-300F. Renewed freighter interest led Boeing to consider enhanced versions of the 767-200 and 767-300F with increased gross weights, 767-400ER wing extensions, and 777 avionics. Net orders for the 767 declined from 24 in 2008 to just three in 2010. During the same period, operators upgraded aircraft already in service; in 2008, the first 767-300ER retrofitted with blended
winglets from
Aviation Partners debuted with American Airlines. Other carriers including All Nippon Airways and Delta Air Lines also ordered winglet kits. On February 2, 2011, the 1,000th 767 rolled out, destined for All Nippon Airways. The 1,000th aircraft also marked the last model produced on the original 767 assembly line. Despite the reduced backlog, Boeing officials expressed optimism that additional orders would be forthcoming. for its
KC-X fleet renewal program. FedEx Express agreed to buy 19 more of the −300F variant in June 2012. In June 2015, FedEx said it was accelerating retirements of planes both to reflect demand and to modernize its fleet, recording charges of $276 million (~$ in ). On July 21, 2015, FedEx announced an order for 50 767-300F with options on another 50, the largest order for the type. With the announcement FedEx confirmed that it has firm orders for 106 of the freighters for delivery between 2018 and 2023. With its successor, the
Boeing New Midsize Airplane, that was planned for introduction in 2025 or later, and the 787 being much larger, Boeing could restart a passenger 767-300ER production to bridge the gap. A demand for 50 to 60 aircraft could have to be satisfied. Having to replace its 40 767s,
United Airlines requested a price quote for other widebodies. In November 2017, Boeing CEO
Dennis Muilenburg cited interest beyond military and freighter uses. Increased
gross weight and a
tailplane fuel tank would have boosted its range by , and GE could offer its
CF6-80C2/G2. Rolls-Royce offered its
Trent 600 for the 767-400ERX and the
Boeing 747X. Offered in July, the longer-range -400ERX would have a strengthened wing, fuselage and landing gear for a 15,000 lb (6.8 t) higher
MTOW, up to 465,000 lb (210.92 t). Thrust would rise to for better takeoff performance, with the Trent 600 or the General Electric/Pratt & Whitney
Engine Alliance GP7172, also offered on the 747X. Range would increase by to , with an additional fuel tank of in the horizontal tail. The 767-400ERX would offer the capacity of the
Airbus A330-200 with 3% lower fuel burn and costs. Boeing cancelled the variant development in 2001.
767-XF (re-engine) In October 2019, Boeing was reportedly studying a
re-engined 767-XF for entry into service around 2025, based on the 767-400ER with an extended landing gear to accommodate larger
General Electric GEnx turbofan engines. The cargo market is the main target, but a passenger version could be a cheaper alternative to the proposed
New Midsize Airplane. ==Design==