747 CMCA: It was good then and should be even better now.

I've not researched this but here are several links to a proposed military 747 model that was rejected in favor of other solutions. I've not seen any real material on this, but supposedly if it was made into a real program, it could add a significant number of frames.

Also there need not be any in house work as the interior could be subcontracted to a vendor and all BCA has to do is build frames for the purposes of conversion. Of course the standard certification rules apply for this proposal and a test and certification program will be necessary to approve changes.

The down side is that anything military might have a negative public image, and that slot allocation might be affected because there might be a priority assigned to each frame built for the Air Force, making civilian buyers having to accept a longer waiting period.

Costs according to the Articles are 15% of a B-52 refit and the combat payload would be more than a B-52.

Links are below:

https://metro.co.uk/2016/01/23/these-plans-show-boeings-proposal-to-put-dozens-of-missiles-in-a-747-5639423/

https://www.quora.com/Instead-of-putting-new-engines-on-the-B-52-or-buying-the-expensive-B-21-Raider-why-doesnt-the-Air-Force-procure-a-B-52I-with-modern-technology

http://cmano-db.com/pdf/aircraft/3729/

The Great and the Good.

Now that the latest installment of the 747 has been delivered to UPS:

(L/N 1549 - 747-8F, RC537, UPS# 9,  N612UP MSN 64258):

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UPS9105  :

Its worthwhile to note that one more frame has been removed from the backlog and is now part of the active fleet and  as the first manifestations of the 779 have appeared at PAE, one is left with this surreal feeling  of missed opportunities and vacuous disappointment. 

There are many things about being a sales person, firstly its about the customers and the product and making the two meet eye to eye. A successful salespersons knows their customers, their habits, their tendencies but mostly a customer, any customer is a person with a problem and you are the person with the solution.

Even if there is not a deal signed on your desk at days closure, you still need to focus on the task of being that person and on or off the bat, even deals in the trashcan need close scrutiny as the the reasons for failure. Its just part of the job, and helps in focusing in more on what the customer really wants. 

I'm sure that BCA did its homework when it came to thhe 748 and to critique them for trying to make a goose lay Golden eggs isn't constructive in the slightest. Its easy to point the finger and say wisecracks in hindsight and I've done it many a time. Of course, that still isn't the level of scrutiny necessary to finish the task, just putting the commercial package out to pasture is only one step in building a better relationship with the customer. 

Many a time I've asked, using my salespersons glasses, what if there was a better baseline spec of the 747-8i available? What if there was an engine choice? How come there isn't more range, or better avionics, or improved cabin designs, etc etc. 

The thing is, is that the ship has sailed, and all those failed offers to those customers need to be picked apart. So it failed, but by how much. Where did the customer get left behind, why, so on so forth. In the many books I've read about The Boeing Company, I read that they only pick America's Best and Brightest and the search for a better system and better solution to a problem was always their unwavering commitment 

The incredible things they built with this commitment include of course, this 747 program, which unlike the SST, the TFX or even the Moon Landings or anything else from that era, has stood the test of time. 

Perhaps of course, their greatest achievement is to continue with it, for all intents and purposes even when the last person to leave is switching the lights off.

Next UPS 747 emerges at Portland.

If you have not seen it here it is.

https://www.airliners.net/photo/United-Parcel-Service-UPS/Boeing-747-8F/5164267/L

It will be flown to Everett for storage soon, delivery in September. Here are some details:

L/N 1549 - 747-8F, RC537, UPS# 9,  N612UP MSN 64258

Thank you to all the readers.

To Fly is to serve (A salesman's perspective).

It is not a secret that a certain British Airline is now the largest operator of 747-400's in the world with Current calls for complete replacement in 2023 with a gradual phase out of this sizable fleet of four holers

British Airways have built their core around a highly congested hub, infested with plenty of competitors and there is nothing conventional about an Airline which maintains a contingency of using bigger planes to get around all the slot restrictions. Despite the problems, BA frequently fills can after can of Self Loaders to and from the bottomless pit that is LHR.

Is there is a unique window of opportunity here? All of BA's Jumbo humps are exclusive to Club World on all 3 configurations, with the Nose being F class only. Whilst this is nothing new,  there is the onerous fan club of BA's Club World Seats on such humps, an experience that some say is unbeatable even with an A380.

Also with a little tweaking, the 748 can  do LHR-PER and back all year round, add commonality with the outgoing fleet in terms of training, economics of scale in terms of spares for selected parts and of course if BCA are willing to throw in Rolls engines into a package there might be an outside chance in hell that it might get a serious second look.

Costs aside, the 748 will offer BA big capacity on the route that QF now monopolizes with a high density seating configuration, but its premium that the Airline will be offering. A revamped J or F class product on a platform tweaked to do LHR-PER with Y class seats 1 order of magnitude bigger that QF might just give the Roos a run for their money.

There is however no chance that the Devil's frozen hand will ink this deal, but a pipe dream is what its worth.

Even if its only worth 2 cents.

Ex Jade Cargo 747 set to re-enter service.

The freshly repainted 747-400F formerly of Jade Cargo Airlines Reg  B-2422 MSN 35173 looks set to rejoin the active fleet after more than 6 years in storage.

https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/Boeing/747/B-2422-Jade-Cargo-International/a2B7IBy0

Built in late 2006, the aircraft is 11 years old but has a flying career much shorter than that having been withdrawn in 2011 after less than 5 years in operation.

There are more examples out there of resurrected jumbos but this one seems to underscore the vast amount of wasted potential during the last 10 years of economic stagflation since the 2008 financial crisis. However strong economic numbers from the air freight market with recent freighter orders is underpinning the resurgence of the Queen.

In other news The latest 747 off the line flew to Portland last week for its paint job. Delivery is due September, so the aircraft will be returning to PAE in the near future.