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Boeing’s Triple 7 was the first airplane designed completely by computer. With the help of the major airlines, including All Nippon Airways, the were able to create the most produced Boeing wide-body jet ever and one of the safest and most successful aircraft in aviation history. Read about the 777 and add the ANA Triple 777 PlaneTag to your collection.
DSC08559 flickr photo by m-takagi shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license
In 1989, Boeing worked together with the major airlines, including All Nippon Airways, to design a twin-engine jet. Representatives from the airlines, the “Working Together” group, each completed a 23 page questionnaire about what they and their passengers would like to see in the new design. One of ANA’s contributions was a suggestion for radial tires, which was incorporated into the final design.
Courtesy of Boeing
The result was an aircraft that would become the biggest two engine jet ever to soar. Its basic design included capacity for up to 325 passengers in a cabin similar to the 747, configurable interior areas, a glass cockpit, fly-by-wire control system and 10% better seat/mile costs.
Using 3D CAD software called CATIA, designers were able to create a virtual aircraft. They were able to preassemble the plane digitally, then test and replace thousands of parts with highly accurate simulations without the need for an expensive physical mock up. The result was an aircraft that was aerodynamically advanced with better fuel economy. The accuracy of this work was put to the test when Boeing created a physical mock up of the nose to test the results, finding that alignment was no more than 0.03mm off and more accurate than a human engineering team could have been.
Production began with 118 orders by 10 airlines, including ANA. The 777s with Pratt & Whitney engines, including ANA’s, were awarded with ETOPS-180, allowing them to be used for trans-oceanic routes as long as they do not fly further than 180 minutes from an alternative landing site.
Although there have been multiple 777 upgrades and variations since then, the aircraft is still in service today. The 777 is available as the 777-200, 777-200ER (Extended Range), 777-300, 777-300ER, 777-200LR Worldliner (the world’s longest range commercial airplane), Boeing 777 Freighter, and possibly in 2021 the 777-9. The flexibility and robust design of the 777 means it will be possible to experience a 777 flight for decades to come.
JA879A flickr photo by Alec BHX/KKC shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA) license
In-Flight Magazine & Japanese Tea flickr photo by Hyougushi shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA) license
JA8968 was delivered to All Nippon Airways in August 1996. She served exclusively with ANA for 21 years before she was withdrawn from use on February 10, 2017 and stored at Victorville Airport (VCV) February 22, 2017. She was part of an ANA fleet of 28 777-200s, used for both domestic and international flights. The 777-200 was well regarded for its business class seating. Today’s ANA 777-300 ER offers an exceptional business class experience with “The Room”. The Room is considered as the “gold standard” of business class flight, with the largest seats in the industry and impressive business class cabin size.
“We offered an ANA 777 PlaneTag from JA8199 and it sold out very quickly,” said MotoArt owner Dave Hall. “When we found out that JA8968 was available we jumped at the chance to get this plane and offer it as a PlaneTag.”
Our newest PlaneTags are numbered to 5,000. They are available in dark blue, light blue, white, and combos. “Our combo PlaneTags are sought after by collectors and are always the first to go,” says Hall. “Grab one for your collection before they are gone.
Photo courtesy of Malcolm Nason shanairpic
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