IATA 74LICAO B74S

Boeing 747SP

Boeing

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Ultra-long-range shortened 747 built for extreme distances.

First flight

1975

Category

Wide-body jet

Seating

233–400 passengers

Range

12,325 km

Engines

Four turbofan engines (JT9D or CF6 variants depending on customer)

Status

In service (limited, special mission/VIP)

The Boeing 747SP (Special Performance) is a shortened, long-range variant of the iconic 747 wide-body jet. Developed in response to airline demand for a 747 capable of flying ultra-long nonstop routes, it features a fuselage shortened by 14.35 meters compared to the standard 747-100/200, along with a taller tail and simplified wing flap system to compensate for the reduced length. The 747SP entered service in 1976 and was operated by carriers including Pan American World Airways, South African Airways, Iran Air, and Singapore Airlines on routes that exceeded the range of other jets of the era. Its exceptional range allowed it to operate routes such as New York to Tokyo nonstop, which were impractical for other aircraft at the time. Only 45 aircraft were built before production ended in 1989, making it one of the rarest 747 variants. A small number remain in service today, primarily as government, VIP, or special-mission aircraft. NASA operated a modified 747SP as the SOFIA airborne observatory.

Notable operators

Pan American World Airways, South African Airways, Iran Air, Singapore Airlines, and NASA were among the most prominent operators of the 747SP.

Notable facts

›Only 45 Boeing 747SPs were built between 1975 and 1989.
›The fuselage is 14.35 meters shorter than the standard 747-100/200.
›It was capable of nonstop flights exceeding 12,000 km, unprecedented for its era.
›NASA's SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) was based on a modified 747SP.
›The 747SP held several world speed records for around-the-world flights in the 1970s.