B767-200f Payload

[Destini Armstrong]

TheB767-200 is a large, heavy but comparatively fuel efficient wide-bodied medium-long haul airliner. It is best suited to medium- to long-haul distances. It offers outstanding operational efficiency with a good payload configuration. The stretch version, the 300 series, provides for yet higher payload capability.

Air Partner LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wheels Up Partners Holdings LLC. Air Partner arranges flights on aircraft operated by FAR Part 135 or 121 air carriers of foreign equivalent ("Operators"), who shall maintain full operational control of charter flights at all times. Operators providing services must meet FAA or JAR safety requirements as well as additional safety standards established by Air Partner, LLC. Air Partner services are provided in accordance with 14 CFR Part 295 requirements.

Initially marketed for transcontinental routes, a loosening of ETOPS rules starting in 1985 allowed the aircraft to operate transatlantic flights.A total of 742 of these aircraft were in service in July 2018, with Delta Air Lines being the largest operator with 77 aircraft in its fleet.As of June 2024[update], Boeing has received 1,407 orders from 74 customers, of which 1,312 airplanes have been delivered, while the remaining orders are for cargo or tanker variants. Competitors have included the Airbus A300, A310, and A330-200. Its successor, the 787 Dreamliner, entered service in 2011.

In 1970, the 747 entered service as the first wide-body jetliner[3] with a fuselage wide enough to feature a twin-aisle cabin.[4] 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.[5][6] The aircraft would also provide twin-aisle seating, but in a smaller fuselage than the existing 747, McDonnell Douglas DC-10, and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar wide-bodies.[5] To defray the high cost of development, Boeing signed risk-sharing agreements with Italian corporation Aeritalia and the Civil Transport Development Corporation (CTDC), a consortium of Japanese aerospace companies.[7] 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.[7] The initial 7X7 was conceived as a short take-off and landing airliner intended for short-distance flights, but customers were unenthusiastic about the concept, leading to its redefinition as a mid-size, transcontinental-range airliner.[5] At this stage the proposed aircraft featured two or three engines, with possible configurations including over-wing engines and a T-tail.[3]

By 1976, a twinjet layout, similar to the one which had debuted on the Airbus A300, became the baseline configuration.[8] The decision to use two engines reflected increased industry confidence in the reliability and economics of new-generation jet powerplants.[8] While airline requirements for new wide-body aircraft remained ambiguous,[8] the 7X7 was generally focused on mid-size, high-density markets.[3] As such, it was intended to transport large numbers of passengers between major cities.[9] 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.[5][10] 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.[10] Work on both proposals proceeded through the airline industry upturn in the late 1970s.[11][12]

In the late 1970s, operating cost replaced capacity as the primary factor in airliner purchases.[6] As a result, the 767's design process emphasized fuel efficiency from the outset.[5] Boeing targeted a 20 to 30 percent cost saving over earlier aircraft, mainly through new engine and wing technology.[6] As development progressed, engineers used computer-aided design for over a third of the 767's design drawings,[6] and performed 26,000 hours of wind tunnel tests.[16] Design work occurred concurrently with the 757 twinjet, leading Boeing to treat both as almost one program to reduce risk and cost.[10][12] Both aircraft would ultimately receive shared design features, including avionics, flight management systems, instruments, and handling characteristics.[18] Combined development costs were estimated at $3.5 to $4 billion.[6]

Early 767 customers were given the choice of Pratt & Whitney JT9D or General Electric CF6 turbofans, marking the first time that Boeing had offered more than one engine option at the launch of a new airliner.[19] Both jet engine models had a maximum output of 48,000 pounds-force (210 kN) of thrust.[9] The engines were mounted approximately one-third the length of the wing from the fuselage, similar to previous wide-body trijets.[6] The larger wings were designed using an aft-loaded shape which reduced aerodynamic drag and distributed lift more evenly across their surface span than any of the manufacturer's previous aircraft.[6][20] The wings provided higher-altitude cruise performance, added fuel capacity, and expansion room for future stretched variants.[16] The initial 767-200 was designed for sufficient range to fly across North America or across the northern Atlantic,[21] and would be capable of operating routes up to 3,850 nautical miles (7,130 km; 4,430 mi).[22]

The 767's fuselage width was set midway between that of the 707 and the 747 at 16.5 feet (5.03 m).[5] While it was narrower than previous wide-body designs, seven abreast seating with two aisles could be fitted, and the reduced width produced less aerodynamic drag.[9][19] The fuselage was not wide enough to accommodate two standard LD3 wide-body unit load devices side-by-side,[23][24] so a smaller container, the LD2,[25] was created specifically for the 767.[26] Using a conventional tail design also allowed the rear fuselage to be tapered over a shorter section,[19] providing for parallel aisles along the full length of the passenger cabin, and eliminating irregular seat rows toward the rear of the aircraft.[6][19]

The 767 was the first Boeing wide-body to be designed with a two-crew digital glass cockpit.[18] 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.[18] Despite the promise of reduced crew costs, United Airlines initially demanded a conventional three-person cockpit, citing concerns about the risks associated with introducing a new aircraft.[27] The carrier maintained this position until July 1981, when a US presidential task force determined that a crew of two was safe for operating wide-body jets.[27][28] A three-crew cockpit remained as an option and was fitted to the first production models.[29] Ansett Australia ordered 767s with three-crew cockpits due to union demands; it was the only airline to operate 767s so configured.[29][30] The 767's two-crew cockpit was also applied to the 757, allowing pilots to operate both aircraft after a short conversion course,[20] and adding incentive for airlines to purchase both types.[31]

To produce the 767, Boeing formed a network of subcontractors which included domestic suppliers and international contributions from Italy's Aeritalia and Japan's CTDC.[7] The wings and cabin floor were produced in-house, while Aeritalia provided control surfaces, Boeing Vertol made the leading edge for the wings, and Boeing Wichita produced the forward fuselage.[6] The CTDC provided multiple assemblies through its constituent companies, namely Fuji Heavy Industries (wing fairings and gear doors), Kawasaki Heavy Industries (center fuselage), and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (rear fuselage, doors, and tail).[7] Components were integrated during final assembly at the Everett factory.[6] For expedited production of wing spars, the main structural member of aircraft wings, the Everett factory received robotic machinery to automate the process of drilling holes and inserting fasteners.[6] This method of wing construction expanded on techniques developed for the 747.[6] Final assembly of the first aircraft began in July 1979.[3]

The prototype aircraft, registered as N767BA and equipped with JT9D turbofans, was rolled out on August 4, 1981.[32] 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).[6] On September 26, 1981, the prototype took its maiden flight under the command of company test pilots Tommy Edmonds, Lew Wallick, and John Brit.[33] The maiden flight was largely uneventful, save for the inability to retract the landing gear because of a hydraulic fluid leak.[33] The prototype was used for subsequent flight tests.[34]

The 10-month 767 flight test program utilized the first six aircraft built.[3][34] The first four aircraft were equipped with JT9D engines, while the fifth and sixth were fitted with CF6 engines.[9][35] The test fleet was largely used to evaluate avionics, flight systems, handling, and performance,[35] while the sixth aircraft was used for route-proving flights.[36] During testing, pilots described the 767 as generally easy to fly, with its maneuverability unencumbered by the bulkiness associated with larger wide-body jets.[36] 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.[33][34] The first delivery occurred on August 19, 1982, to United Airlines.[33] The CF6-powered 767-200 received certification in September 1982, followed by the first delivery to Delta Air Lines on October 25, 1982.[9]

The 767 entered service with United Airlines on September 8, 1982.[37] The aircraft's first commercial flight used a JT9D-powered 767-200 on the Chicago-to-Denver route.[37] The CF6-powered 767-200 commenced service three months later with Delta Air Lines.[3] Upon delivery, early 767s were mainly deployed on domestic routes, including US transcontinental services.[38] American Airlines and TWA began flying the 767-200 in late 1982, while Air Canada, China Airlines, El Al, and Pacific Western began operating the aircraft in 1983.[39] The aircraft's introduction was relatively smooth, with few operational glitches and greater dispatch reliability than prior jetliners.[40]

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