The Boeing 767-400ER (extended range) airplane is the newest derivative of the Boeing 767 family. Sized between the Boeing 767-300ER and the Boeing 777-200, the 767-400ER features a lengthened fuselage; aerodynamic improvements, including additional wing span; increased takeoff weight capability; and an all-new main landing gear.
The new 767-400ER brings significant improvements in operating economics over competing airplanes in the 240- to 300-seat market. The payload capability, intercontinental range, passenger comfort and commonality with other Boeing jetliners give this airplane strong market appeal.
The 767-400ER fuselage adds 11 feet (3.4 m) to the baseline 767-300 airframe. The 767-400ER provides approximately 12 percent more seats -- accommodating 245 passengers in a three-class configuration and 304 passengers in a two-class configuration -- compared with 218 and 269, respectively, in the 767-300 version. The added seats will reduce seat-mile costs relative to the 767-300ER, which already offers airlines the lowest operating costs in its class.
The 767-400ER is designed to be the most efficient airplane in its size category, making it an ideal replacement for aging L-1011, DC-10-30 and A300 airplanes. In growing markets, it can fly more passengers on routes served by existing 767s, A300-600s and A310s. Efficient design gives the higher-capacity 767-400ER excellent range capability (approximately 5,625 nautical miles or 10,415 km) to fly about 99 percent of the routes currently being served by airplanes in this size category.
In comparison with the Airbus A330-200, the 767-400ER offers superior economic performance, with at least 5 percent lower operating costs. The 767-400ER weighs 40,000 pounds less than the A330-200.
The 767-400ER can fly all U.S. domestic routes. It also will serve North Atlantic routes such as Los Angeles-London, Newark-Moscow or Chicago-Warsaw. Other potential routes include New York-Santiago, Chile ; Seattle-Osaka and Atlanta-Honolulu.
Common Features Offer Competitive Advantage
The 767-400ER brings all the competitive advantages of airplane family commonality to an operator's fleet. This derivative shares common features with the 757/767 family of airplanes, including a common pilot type rating between the 757 and 767. This allows any pilot trained to fly one model to be qualified to fly the other model with minimal additional instruction. Compatibility with the 757/767 family means that operators can gain better access to the demanding medium-size market (200-300 seats) by matching the appropriate airplane to variable requirements. They can also improve operating efficiency through lower training requirements, greater flexibility in assigning flight crews, and reduced spares inventories.
Commonality also ensures that the 767-400ER is an easy addition to existing 767 fleets and will have low impact on existing 757 fleets.
New Flight Deck Increases Operating Efficiency
The new flight deck makes the airplane easier to maintain and provides flexibility for operators to tailor the flight-deck equipment to their training needs. A new instrument panel and avionics package consolidate 67 different flight deck parts to 20, simplifying maintenance and improving flight crew efficiency.
On the instrument panel, the most notable change is the use of six large liquid-crystal displays in the same arrangement as the 777 and Next-Generation 737 flight decks. Pilots of these models receive similar information in a similar format. This significantly reduces training requirements to transition pilots of these other Boeing models to the 767-400ER.
The avionics package contains an all-new display system and upgraded navigation equipment. These improvements mean operators will be able to add enhanced operational capabilities, including future air navigation system requirements.
The 767-400ER maintains the same pilot-type rating with the 767 fleet and a common pilot-type rating with 757s for continued airline flexibility in training and scheduling flight crews.
Aerodynamic Wing Tip Gives More Lift Without Lengthening Wing
The 767-400ER features new, highly back-swept (raked) wing-tip extensions that increase the 767's 156-foot wingspan to 170 feet, 4 inches (51.9 m). The 7-foot-8-inch (2.4-m) wing extensions are designed to increase the aerodynamic efficiency of the wing. Another advantage of the raked wing-tip design is its simplicity. It is lightweight and bolts into place, with no additional design changes needed to the tip or leading edges of the 767-300 wing. This efficiency of design and economy of structure affords the 767-400ER more gate and taxiway flexibility. It can use the same gates as the DC-10-30, MD-11 and L-1011, unlike the A330-200, which must use gates sized by the industry for large airplanes such as the 747 and 777. The raked wing tip balances cruise efficiency and airplane weight to achieve improved range.
New Interiors Capture 777 Look, Feel
The 767-400ER interiors have adopted the architectural lines of the award-winning 777 interior. Newly sculpted sidewalls, ceilings and stow bins enhance the wide, open feeling that passengers already prefer. Also, the larger, pivoting, overhead stow bins provide generous stowage volume for passenger use. The 767-400ER will retain interior features of the 767 that have earned high passenger ratings in every class of service. For example, independent research has shown the seven-abreast seating concept is popular because it places 87 percent of the seats next to a window or aisle.
Unlike its closest competitor, first-class seating on the 767-400ER uses the international standard 21-inch (53.3-cm) seat-bottom width. In economy-class seating, the 767 offers a seat width that is only surpassed by the Boeing 777. For all classes of seating, the airplane sidewalls are shaped for clearance around the head and shoulders for greater passenger comfort.
Service in the New Century
The 767-400ER was launched April 28, 1997 , when Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines announced its intent to order 21 airplanes. Continental Airlines ordered 26 airplanes on Oct. 10, 1997 . The first airplane rolled out of the Boeing factory Aug. 26, 1999, and made its inaugural flight Oct. 9, 1999 . The first 767-400ERs were delivered to Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines in August 2000. The first 767-400ER went into service on Sept. 14, 2000.