Global Arab Network | UAE announces crash of Boeing 747-400 cargo aircraft in Dubai

Translate this article to your language:

GANPublications

e-Publications

Add Site to Favorites

Add Page to Favorites

Make Homepage

Share This Page

RSS Feed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| |

UAE announces crash of Boeing 747-400 cargo aircraft in Dubai

Friday, 03 September 2010 23:03

UAE (Dubai) - The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced this evening that a UPS Boeing 747-400 cargo plane crashed in an unpopulated area between the Emirates Road and Al Ain highway and caught fire.

In a statement, the GCAA said all measures had been taken to extinguish the fire and that bodies of two pilots were recovered.

''The concerned authorities are conducting necessary investigations to identify the cause of the crash, the GCAA statement added.

According to Reuters, here are some details of the type of aircraft involved.

The Boeing 747 is a backbone of the world's freight industry, transporting about half the cargo carried in dedicated freight planes (as opposed to being loaded in the belly of passenger jets), according to manufacturer Boeing.

The 747-400 is a longer-range version of the classic 747 jumbo jet and has been in use since 1989. A freight version, the 747-400F, was first delivered in 1993.

Whether in passenger or freight versions, the 747-400 can most easily be distinguished from earlier models by the addition of upward-slanting wingtips, or winglets, to reduce drag.

The extended-range version of the 747-400 can carry 63,500 gallons (240,370 liters) of fuel. The aircraft caries 3,300 gallons (12,490 liters) of fuel in the horizontal stabilizer on the tail, allowing it to fly further than earlier models. Its wings -- with a span of 211 feet 5 inches -- are large enough to hold 45 medium-sized cars. The aircraft is 231 feet 10 inches long.

The 747-400 is no longer being produced, with all existing orders fulfilled, but it is still available for purchase. The 747-400F freighter has an average list price of $253 million.

Boeing is testing an extensively modernized version known as the 747-8, initially in freighter and later in passenger models, with the first delivery planned for fourth-quarter this year.

UPS took delivery of eight 747-400 freighters from Boeing with its distinctive "brown-tail" livery between 2007 and 2009.

The UPS aircraft ran on four General Electric engines, each providing 62,000 pounds of thrust. (Buyers of the 747-400 have a choice of engines from GE, Rolls-Royce or United Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney).

The 747-400 cruises at Mach 0.85 (85 percent of the speed of sound), which is 560 mph at typical cruising height of 35,000 feet.

The plane can carry some 113 tonnes or 248,300 pounds of freight. It is operated by two flight crew.

In total, Boeing has delivered 126 747-400F freighters to airlines and freight operators. It has also delivered 40 extended-range 747-400 freighters.

Global Arab Network

Add comment

The opinions of the authors in articles published are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Global Arab Network
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Published comments are the opinions of private individuals and do not reflect the views of Global Arab Network