IATA 743ICAO B743

Boeing 747-300

Boeing

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The stretched upper-deck 747 variant for higher capacity.

First flight

1982

Category

Wide-body jet

Seating

400–500 (typical mixed class ~350–400)

Range

12,400 km

Engines

4x high-bypass turbofan (P&W JT9D, GE CF6, or RR RB211 options)

Status

Mostly retired

The Boeing 747-300 is a wide-body, four-engine commercial jet airliner introduced in 1983 as an evolution of the iconic 747 series. Its most distinctive improvement over earlier variants was a significantly extended upper deck, stretching the fuselage hump to accommodate additional passengers in a true two-aisle configuration on the upper level. The -300 variant retained the same basic airframe as the 747-200 but offered improved passenger capacity and slightly better aerodynamic efficiency. It was powered by the same range of high-bypass turbofan engines available on the -200 series, including options from Pratt & Whitney, General Electric, and Rolls-Royce. Although it represented a meaningful capacity upgrade, the 747-300 had a relatively short production run. It was soon overshadowed by the technologically superior 747-400, which offered digital avionics, winglets, and extended range. Only 81 aircraft were built. Most have since been retired or converted to freighter use.

Notable operators

Major operators included Swissair, KLM, UTA, Japan Air Lines, and Qantas.

Notable facts

›Extended upper deck allowed boarding via two doors and seated up to 69 passengers in the upper cabin.
›Only 81 aircraft were built, making it one of the lower-volume 747 variants.
›First flight took place on 5 October 1982; entered service with Swissair in 1983.
›The extended upper deck was later adopted and further refined for the 747-400.
›Some 747-300s were converted to freighter configuration and continued flying cargo operations.

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This profile is provided for general information only. Specifications may be inaccurate or vary by variant/operator — verify with the manufacturer before relying on them.

Encyclopaedia

The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023. It was conceived in response to the demand of Pan Am for a jet 2+1⁄2 times the size of the 707, which had been introduced in October 1958, to reduce the airline's seat cost by 30%. The design team was led by Joe Sutter, who left the 737 development program in 1965 to design the 747. In April 1966, Pan Am ordered 25 Boeing 747-100 aircraft, and in late 1966, Pratt & Whitney agreed to develop the JT9D engine, a high-bypass turbofan. On September 30, 1968, the first 747 was rolled out of the purpose-built Everett Plant, the world's largest building by volume. The 747's first flight took place on February 9, 1969, and the 747 was certified in December 1969. It entered service with Pan Am on January 22, 1970. The 747 was the first airplane called a "Jumbo Jet" as the first wide-body airliner.

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