Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

["Bill Geschwind" <geschwin AT email.unc.edu>]

This thread really peaked the interest of the aviation geek within me. This
evening I drove out to RDU to take a peek at this airplane, in spite of it
being dark and raining. Since it was dark and the plane was off in the
distance, I had a hard time making out the exact color of the plane, but if
it is the King of Qatar's 747, as suggested, then the tail and the rather
thick stripe going down the side are more reddish brown than blue. See below
for a couple of photos:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/447904/M/

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/413248/M/

If this is indeed the 747 that is currently parked at RDU, it is not
actually owned by the King of Qatar or the "Qatar Amiri Flight," but rather
by a company called Worldwide Aircraft Holding Company in the Bermudas and
is operated on behalf of the Qatari government. This particular aircraft, a
Boeing 747-SP021, Manufacturer's Serial Number (msn) 21646, Line Number (ln)
367 (meaning the 367th Boeing 747 ordered) made its first flight on 30 March
1979, and was delivered to Pan Am on 11 May 1979 as N539PA and named Clipper
Black Hawk. In its later years Pan Am had the annoying habit of constantly
renaming its aircraft, and in 1980 this one was renamed Clipper Liberty
Bell. On 12 February 1986 it was bought by United and reregistered as
N148UA. While with United it underwent several livery changes (repainted in
different color schemes). In May of 1994 it went into storage, and was then
bought by Worldwide Aircraft Holding Company in October of 1995. The next
month the registration N148UA was cancelled and it was first re-registered
as VR-BAT and later as VP-BAT and repainted in a Qatar Airlines style color
scheme. At some point after November 1995 it was refitted with an executive
style interior and is now being operated on behalf of the Qatari Government.
(most of this information from www.747sp.com).

If you saw this aircraft yourself and thought that it looked a little odd,
that is because it is. Over the years there have been 5 major versions of
the Boeing 747. The original version was called the 747-100. In the early
70s, a heavier version with longer range called the 747-200 was released,
and contrary to popular opinion it is visually indistinguishable from a
747-100 (some think the -100 has 3 side windows on the upper deck whereas
the -200 has 10, but in reality both versions were available with both
window configurations). In the early 80s the 747-300 became available, and
it was the first 747 to feature the extended upper deck. By the late '80s
the 747-400 was introduced, which was a thoroughly modernized -300 with a
digital flight deck, new engines and completely new wing, featuring winglets
(those distinctive upward-pointing wingtip extensions). Each of these four
major versions were available in numerous varieties, for example as a
passenger aircraft, as a pure freighter with a distinctive nose door, as a
so-called Combi which accommodates fewer passengers in exchange for more
freight on the main deck, as a so-called "convertible," which is NOT an
open-air version, but rather one in which the passenger fittings (seats,
galleys, etc) are attached to palettes, enabling the aircraft to be
converted from a passenger aircraft to a freighter and back in a short
amount of time (for example for operators who carry mostly tourists during
the summer and mostly freight in the off-season), and as a special "Short
Range" or "Domestic" passenger aircraft with more seats and less fuel
capacity, mainly for very high-density short-haul routes in Japan. Currently
the 747-400 is the only major variant of the 747 that is still available as
a new aircraft. 

In addition to those four major variants, the so-called 747SP was released
in the mid 70s, and it featured a radically shortened fuselage (shortened by
something like 40 ft) and taller tailfin. SP in this case stood for "Special
Performance" and this version could fly higher, faster and much further than
all other 747 variants prior to the -400. Essentially the -SP had the same
engines and fuel capacity as the -200 and was much shorter and thus lighter,
and sacrificed passenger and freight capacity in exchange for range and
performance. Even though it outperformed all other airliners of its day and
set numerous world records, some of which I believe still stand, it did not
sell well, and of the more than 1200 747s of all varieties produced to date,
only 45 747SPs were ever built, I believe between 1976 and 1986. A few of
them are still in service as airliners with airlines such South African
Airlines, Iran Air and Syrianair. About a dozen of them have been scrapped,
and the remaining ones are very popular with Middle Eastern heads of state
as private or government-owned executive aircraft. A handful of them are
currently in storage and available for sale for roughly US$ 2 - 6 Million.

http://www.pilotmarket.com/category/Aircraft_For_Sale/Airliners/Boeing/

By contrast in 2002 the list price for a brand new 747 was between 185 and
215 Million Dollars, depending on version and options. Most airlines end up
getting some sort of discount, usually negotiated on a case by case basis.

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/prices/

The 747 currently parked at RDU is one of these very rare 747SPs. If
somebody here in Internetworker land has a chance to, could you please take
a look at that plane in the daylight and let me know if it is indeed VP-BAT?
That is the only 747SP currently painted in this particular paint scheme. If
it isn't could you please tell me in as much detail as possible what it
looks like? Maybe even snap a picture of it?

Sorry for rambling. Now back to our regularly scheduled rants about IRC...

- Bill


> -----Original Message-----
> From: internetworkers-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org 
> [mailto:internetworkers-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf 
> Of childers.paula AT epamail.epa.gov
> Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2003 7:49 PM
> To: machett AT ibiblio.org; Internetworkers: 
> http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/
> Subject: RE: [internetworkers] Unmarked Boeing 747 At RDU
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> never mind a week or so - how about a month or 36? and what about the
> cost of having a pilot in reserve, a flight crew, a 
> maintenance crew, or
> just the cost of the damn plane itself!!
> 
> guess where your gas money goes, folks!
> 
> 
> 
> ---
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