Boeing 747-400

The Boeing 747-400 is an American wide-body, four-engine jet airliner, the best-selling variant of the B747 family. One of the most recognisable passenger aircraft with its distinctive hump atop the forward fuselage, the B747-400 flew for the first time on April 29, 1988, entering service in February 1989 with Northwest Airlines. Technological and structural improvements over previous variants include the optional stretched upper deck as standard, longer lighter wings except the -400D, 1.8 m (6 ft) canted winglets. More fuel-efficient engines and increased fuel capacity, carbon brakes instead of steel and improved fuselage to wing fairings. Produced in several versions; -400 (passenger), -400F (freighter), -400M (combi), domestic (-400D), -400ER (extended range) and -400ERF (extended range freighter). Production ended in 2009 with 694 airframes built.

Airframe construction is mainly of aluminium alloy with some composite materials. The fuselage is a semi-monocoque structure with an upper deck forward of the wing, containing the glass cockpit and passenger space. The low mounted wings and conventional tail unit are of cantilever design with sweep back. The retractable undercarriage is a tricycle type. Flight crew consists of two pilots, and the passenger cabin seats up to 416 passengers in a typical three-class layout, 524 in a two-classes, or 660 passengers in a high–density single class (747-400D)

It uses four Pratt & Whitney PW4000 or Rolls-Royce RB211, or General Electric CF6 high-bypass turbofan engines. The 747-400 has a maximum speed of 1,004 km/h (624 mph), a cruise speed of 993 km/h (617 mph) and a range of 14,045 km (8,727 mi).