INTRODUCTION:

The lure of the industry has traditionally been the awesome sight of airplanes taking off and the wonderment of their destinations.  The industry, even in today’s world carries with it a sense of glamour, excitement and adventure.  While the destination itself holds mystery and anticipation, the planes themselves are a constant source of intrigue.

OBJECTIVES:         

                The student will be able to:               

ü                  State the difference between narrow and wide body aircraft

ü                  List and identify various aircraft by name       

ü                  Briefly explain why particular aircraft are used in certain markets.

Today’s Aircraft  

Today’s aircraft have either jet or propeller engines. 

Jets provide speed and comfort and are used for long distance and medium range domestic and international flights.

Approximately 8,000 jet aircraft are currently in operation worldwide. Many are manufactured in the U.S. by:  

Q      Boeing

Q      McDonnell Douglas

Q      Lockheed Martin  

Two international aircraft corporations are:  

Q      Airbus Industries

Q      British Aerospace  

Body Styles  

When talking with passengers, they generally want to know what kind of airplane and how big it is.  Within the industry this is referred to as wide body vs. narrow body aircraft.  

“Wide body” aircraft are characterized by having two aisles, and can hold more than 210 passengers. The first wide body aircraft, Boeing 747, was introduced in February 1969.  Its capacity is 450 for a normal passenger plane but can handle nearly 500 if configured all coach seats for charter service.  It has been nicknamed, “Jumbo Jet”. Other wide body aircraft include the 777 Boeing, MD-11 McDonnell Douglas, A300 Airbus and the 767 Boeing jet.  

“Narrow body” aircraft contain only a single aisle.  Types of narrow body aircraft include the 727 Stretch Boeing, 737 Boeing, MD 80 (S80) McDonnell Douglas and the F100 Fokker. These terms are used at airport locations because of the amount of space it takes up at the gate area.  The term “stretch” refers to aircraft that had an original size and in Subsequent models was made longer.    

Aircraft Design  

The configuration (arrangement and positioning) of the interior design of the aircraft is regarded as a personal touch by each airline when purchasing the aircraft.  

Much the same as we make decisions as to whether to have power steering, power windows, sports packages, luxury packages, white wall tires, etc. on our new cars, the airlines advise the aircraft manufacturers what they want on their planes.   

Not only will airlines pick and choose color combinations, paint and logo designs, but they will make some major decisions as to what equipment it will contain by the type of routes it will fly. 

Planes that will be flying over water will have life preservers, water rafts that will self-inflate, contain water and food rations. 

The number of galleys, (kitchens), lavatories, number of flight attendants and crewmembers based on number of passengers onboard will need to be determined.   

Weight is calculated by the amount a plane is capable of carrying when taxiing for take off but is different when the aircraft lands.   Some planes can be “combies”.  This simply means that it is configured for both passengers and cargo.  Weight is distributed a little differently.  Combies can carry freight in the second half of the plane. A normal plane will carry freight under the passenger cabins.  

Propeller driven aircraft fly shorter distances at lower altitudes.  They are considerably slower than jets.  Propeller aircraft are normally used by commuter airlines because they fly shorter distances.  Commuter airlines support the major airlines into and out of large airports, thus putting the Hub and Spoke Theory into action.  There are two types of propeller driven aircrafts:  

Piston powered - one or more propellers

Turboprop - turbine engines and propellers  

Aircraft Markets  

Airplanes are generally purchased to operate in a designated market, because of the configuration, fuel capacity, and FAA classification.

Short Haul flights – The regional/commuter market is served by a variety of single and twin engine planes carrying 19-60 passengers on short haul flights of 100 miles or less.  

Short to Medium Range flights – Twinjets, such as the McDonnell-Douglas DC9 and the Boeing 737, operate within the short to medium range, (1,000 miles or less).  These flights usually carry between 100-160 passengers.  The Boeing 727, a three-engine jet, usually provides service on flights of 2,000 miles or less and carries up to 180 passengers.  There are more 727 aircraft today than any other type of commercial aircraft that is why it is termed the “Workhorse of the Industry”.  

Long Haul flights – The long haul, transcontinental and intercontinental market is served by the largest jets of all.  These planes vary in capacity from 180-500 passengers and fly between 3,000-7,000 miles.  They include:  

Twinjets:               Boeing 767, Airbus A300

Tri-jets:                 DC10, Lockheed L1011

Four engine jets:     Boeing 747, McDonnell Douglas DC8