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{{AFC submission|||u=110.175.169.245|ns=118|ts=20240218081945}} <!-- Do not remove this line! --> |
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{{AFC comment|1=Notable and well sourced, thank you [[User:Ozzie10aaaa|Ozzie10aaaa]] ([[User talk:Ozzie10aaaa|talk]]) 18:58, 20 February 2024 (UTC)}} |
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{{Short description|General Electric testbed aircraft}} |
{{Short description|General Electric testbed aircraft}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}} |
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{{Draft topics|transportation|engineering}} |
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{{AfC topic|other}} |
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{{Infobox aircraft |
{{Infobox aircraft |
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| name = N747GE |
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| name = N747GE<br>''Clipper Star of the Union''<br>''Clipper Ocean Spray''<br>N744PA |
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| image = General Electric-747-N747GE-020918-03.jpg |
| image = General Electric-747-N747GE-020918-03.jpg |
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| image_caption = N747GE with |
| image_caption = N747GE with a GE90 jet engine at the [[Mojave Air and Space Port|Mojave Airport]] in during flight test of the world's largest jet engine. |
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| other_names = |
| other_names = {{Indented plainlist| |
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* ''Clipper Star of the Union'' ( |
* ''Clipper Star of the Union'' (1970–1982) |
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* ''Clipper Ocean Spray'' ( |
* ''Clipper Ocean Spray'' (1982–1991) |
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}} |
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| aircraft_type = [[Boeing 747#747-100|Boeing 747-121]] |
| aircraft_type = [[Boeing 747#747-100|Boeing 747-121]]<ref group=Note name=Note01/> |
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| manufacturers = [[Boeing]] |
| manufacturers = [[Boeing]] |
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| owners = [[Pan Am]]<br>[[ |
| owners = [[Pan Am]] (1970–1991)<br>[[GE Aerospace|GE]] (1992–2017) |
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| civil_registration = |
| civil_registration = {{Unbulleted list |
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| N744PA (Pan Am) |
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| military_serial = |
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| N747GE (GE) |
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}} |
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| flights = 19,251 |
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| total_hours = 90,000 |
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| construction_date = 1969 |
| construction_date = 1969 |
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| first_flight = March 3, 1970 |
| first_flight = March 3, 1970 |
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| last_flight = January 25, 2017 |
| last_flight = January 25, 2017 |
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| preservation = [[Pima Air and Space Museum]] |
| preservation = [[Pima Air and Space Museum]], Tucson, Arizona |
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| fate = On |
| fate = On display |
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}} |
}} |
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'''N747GE''' is a [[Boeing 747]] aircraft that was used by [[General Electric]] Aircraft Engines (now known as [[GE Aerospace]]) as a testbed for several of the companies jet engines between 1992 and 2017, including the [[GE90]] for the Boeing 777, at the time, the world’s largest jet engine. |
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'''N747GE''' (named '''Clipper Star of the Union''' (between 1970 and 1982) and '''Clipper Ocean Spray''' (between 1982 and 1992) by [[Pan Am]]) is an ex-Pan Am [[Boeing 747#747-100|Boeing 747-121]] testbed aircraft that was used by [[General Electric|General Electric (GE)]] for various purposes. |
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Before being purchased by GE, the aircraft was owned by Pan Am and registered '''N744PA'''. It was named '''Clipper Star of the Union''' between 1970 and 1982 and '''Clipper Ocean Spray''' between 1982 and 1992. |
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== History == |
== History == |
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=== Service with Pan Am === |
=== Service with Pan Am === |
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[[File:AT THE JOHN F. KENNEDY AIRPORT - NARA - 547951 - color adjusted.jpg|left|thumb| |
[[File:AT THE JOHN F. KENNEDY AIRPORT - NARA - 547951 - color adjusted.jpg|left|thumb|The aircraft, then named ''Clipper Star of the Union'', at [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]].]] |
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⚫ |
The Boeing 747-121 |
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⚫ | The Boeing 747-121<ref group=Note name=Note01/> rolled off of Boeing's assembly line in 1969 as the 25th [[Boeing 747]] constructed.<ref name="Planespotters" /> Originally registered as N744PA, the aircraft was delivered to Pan American World Airways ([[Pan Am]]). N744PA remained under the ownership of Pan Am until 1991, when the airline declared bankruptcy on January 8, 1991.<ref name="GE Aerospace">{{Cite press release |title=Time Flies: GE's Original Flying Testbed Jets Off Into History |url=https://www.ge.com/news/reports/time-flies-ges-original-flying-testbed-jets-off-history |language=en |access-date=February 18, 2024 |website=[[GE Aerospace]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gkYtAQAAMAAJ |title=Airways: A Global Review of Commercial Flight |date=2009 |publisher=Airways International, Incorporated |page=5 |language=en |access-date=February 20, 2024}}</ref> |
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⚫ |
The aircraft was first named ''Clipper Star of the Union'' when delivered to Pan Am in 1970 and operated with that name until 1982 when it was renamed to ''Clipper Ocean Spray'' |
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⚫ | The aircraft was first named ''Clipper Star of the Union'' when delivered to Pan Am in 1970 and operated with that name until 1982 when it was renamed to ''Clipper Ocean Spray''.<ref name="GE Aerospace" /><ref name="Planespotters">{{Cite web |date=September 7, 2022 |title=N747GE General Electric Boeing 747-100 |url=https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/boeing-747-100-n747ge-general-electric/ejw9kr |access-date=February 18, 2024 |website=Planespotters.net |language=en}}</ref> |
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=== Service with General Electric === |
=== Service with General Electric === |
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[[File:Ge-747-N747GE-020404-01.jpg |
[[File:Ge-747-N747GE-020404-01.jpg|thumb|N747GE with [[CFM International CFM56|CFM56]] engine on the #2 pylon at the [[Mojave Airport]] in 2002.]] |
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N747GE had served for [[General Electric|General Electric (GE)]] as an airborne laboratory, specifically for testing generations of newer jet engines by General Electric. The testbed was crucial in terms of vetting and certifying. They used a total of eleven engine models and a total of thirty-nine different kinds of engine builds, including the [[General Electric GE90]] and the [[General Electric GEnx]] jet engines for the [[Boeing 787 Dreamliner]] and the [[Boeing 747-8]].<ref name=":0" /> |
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General Electric Aircraft Engines (now known as [[GE Aerospace]]) purchased the aircraft after Pan Am’s bankruptcy to serve as an airborne laboratory, specifically for testing jet engines from GE and its joint venture partners.<ref name="GE Aerospace" /> The aircraft received several modifications, including removing seats, strengthening the left wing and tail for flight testing and installing data systems.<ref name="SP's AirBuz" /> Ironically, the aircraft was powered with [[Pratt & Whitney JT9D]] engines instead of the [[General Electric CF6]]. The company said at the time, there were no GE-powered 747s economically available for purchase.<ref name="GE Aerospace" /> |
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⚫ |
The final flight of the aircraft |
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Using a four-engine aircraft allowed GE to swap out the engine on the #2 pylon for an engine under test. The company could then measure fuel burn and engine performance while also subjecting the test engine to difficult conditions such as a high angle of attack during aircraft stalls, zero-G operations, large sideslips and sustained flight in icing conditions. The aircraft first began flight testing out of [[Mojave Airport]] in California. In 2003, GE's flight test operations moved into a new hangar at the nearby [[Victorville Airport]].<ref name="GE Aerospace" /> |
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They used a total of eleven engine models and a total of thirty-nine different kinds of engine builds, beginning with the massive [[General Electric GE90]] for the Boeing 777. Other notable tests include the [[CFM International CFM56]] and its successor the [[CFM International LEAP]] for narrow-bodies, the [[Engine Alliance GP7000]] for the [[Airbus A380]], the [[General Electric GEnx]] for the [[Boeing 787 Dreamliner]] and [[Boeing 747-8|747-8]], the [[General Electric CF34]] for regional jets and the [[General Electric Passport]] for business jets.<ref name="GE Aerospace" /> |
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GE acquired another testbed aircraft in 2010, a newer 747-400. Facing growing maintenance costs, difficulty obtaining parts and a lack of modern navigation systems, GE made the decision to retire the aircraft. The aircraft made its last test flight with a GEnx engine under evaluation on January 25, 2017.<ref name="GE Aerospace" /><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P2jhGhIte4 |title=Farewell to the Queen of the Skies: The last flight of GE's 747-100 flying test bed |date=August 17, 2017 |type=Video production |language=en-US |publisher=[[GE Aerospace]]}}</ref> |
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[[File:N747GE Boeing 747-400 forward.jpg|thumb|N747GE on display at the [[Pima Air & Space Museum]] in 2020.]] |
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⚫ | The final flight of the aircraft occurred on November 15, 2018, when the aircraft departed from GE's test center Victorville and landed at [[Davis–Monthan Air Force Base]], to be donated to the [[Pima Air & Space Museum]], where it has been placed on display.<ref name="GE Aerospace" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 20, 2018 |title=GE Aviation donates 747-100 testbed to museum |url=https://australianaviation.com.au/2018/11/ge-aviation-donates-747-100-testbed-to-museum/ |access-date=February 18, 2024 |website=[[Australian Aviation]] |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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Throughout its life, the aircraft flew approximately 90,000 hours and 19,251 cycles, including 3,916 hours testing various engines.<ref name="SP's AirBuz">{{Cite magazine |year=2018 |title=GE Retires Its Boeing 747-100 Flying Test Bed |url=https://www.spsairbuz.com/story/?id=856&h=GE-Retires-Its-Boeing-747-100-Flying-Test-Bed |access-date=2024-02-24 |magazine=SP's AirBuz |language=en |publication-place=New Delhi, India |issue=6}}</ref><ref name="GE Aerospace" /> |
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== See also == |
== See also == |
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* [[N7470]] |
* [[N7470]] |
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* [[List of preserved Boeing aircraft]] |
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* [[N747PA]] |
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== Notes == |
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{{reflist|group=Note|refs= |
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<ref name="Note01">The ''1'' in the suffix denotes that it was a -100 series variant of the 747; ''21'' is the [[Boeing customer code]] for Pan Am.</ref> |
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}} |
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== References == |
== References == |
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{{Reflist}} |
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<references /> |
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== External links == |
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{{commons category inline}} |
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* [https://pimaair.org/museum-aircraft/boeing-747-121/ Aircraft information – Pima Air & Space Museum] |
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{{Boeing 747 family}} |
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[[Category: Boeing 747]] |
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[[Category:Individual aircraft]] |
N747GE | |
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General information | |
Other name(s) |
|
Type | Boeing 747-121[Note 1] |
Manufacturer | Boeing |
Management | Pan Am (1970–1991) GE (1992–2017) |
Registration |
|
Flights | 19,251 |
Total hours | 90,000 |
History | |
Manufactured | 1969 |
First flight | March 3, 1970 |
Last flight | January 25, 2017 |
Preserved at | Pima Air and Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona |
Fate | On display |
N747GE is a Boeing 747 aircraft that was used by General Electric Aircraft Engines (now known as GE Aerospace) as a testbed for several of the companies jet engines between 1992 and 2017, including the GE90 for the Boeing 777, at the time, the world’s largest jet engine.
Before being purchased by GE, the aircraft was owned by Pan Am and registered N744PA. It was named Clipper Star of the Union between 1970 and 1982 and Clipper Ocean Spray between 1982 and 1992.
The Boeing 747-121[Note 1] rolled off of Boeing's assembly line in 1969 as the 25th Boeing 747 constructed.[1] Originally registered as N744PA, the aircraft was delivered to Pan American World Airways (Pan Am). N744PA remained under the ownership of Pan Am until 1991, when the airline declared bankruptcy on January 8, 1991.[2][3]
The aircraft was first named Clipper Star of the Union when delivered to Pan Am in 1970 and operated with that name until 1982 when it was renamed to Clipper Ocean Spray.[2][1]
General Electric Aircraft Engines (now known as GE Aerospace) purchased the aircraft after Pan Am’s bankruptcy to serve as an airborne laboratory, specifically for testing jet engines from GE and its joint venture partners.[2] The aircraft received several modifications, including removing seats, strengthening the left wing and tail for flight testing and installing data systems.[4] Ironically, the aircraft was powered with Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines instead of the General Electric CF6. The company said at the time, there were no GE-powered 747s economically available for purchase.[2]
Using a four-engine aircraft allowed GE to swap out the engine on the #2 pylon for an engine under test. The company could then measure fuel burn and engine performance while also subjecting the test engine to difficult conditions such as a high angle of attack during aircraft stalls, zero-G operations, large sideslips and sustained flight in icing conditions. The aircraft first began flight testing out of Mojave Airport in California. In 2003, GE's flight test operations moved into a new hangar at the nearby Victorville Airport.[2]
They used a total of eleven engine models and a total of thirty-nine different kinds of engine builds, beginning with the massive General Electric GE90 for the Boeing 777. Other notable tests include the CFM International CFM56 and its successor the CFM International LEAP for narrow-bodies, the Engine Alliance GP7000 for the Airbus A380, the General Electric GEnx for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 747-8, the General Electric CF34 for regional jets and the General Electric Passport for business jets.[2]
GE acquired another testbed aircraft in 2010, a newer 747-400. Facing growing maintenance costs, difficulty obtaining parts and a lack of modern navigation systems, GE made the decision to retire the aircraft. The aircraft made its last test flight with a GEnx engine under evaluation on January 25, 2017.[2][5]
The final flight of the aircraft occurred on November 15, 2018, when the aircraft departed from GE's test center Victorville and landed at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, to be donated to the Pima Air & Space Museum, where it has been placed on display.[2][6]
Throughout its life, the aircraft flew approximately 90,000 hours and 19,251 cycles, including 3,916 hours testing various engines.[4][2]
Media related to N747GE (aircraft) at Wikimedia Commons
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