A versatile twinjet - Part II
The Boeing 767, especially the 300ER variant, has since then become the aircraft flown mostly on transatlantic flights, replacing the less fuel efficient Boeing 747 Classic series, DC-10 and L-1011 progressively. Today (late 2000's), the latter three aircraft are almost gone from transatlantic operations. However, despite the 767 seen mostly on transatlantic routes, there are quite a few routes across the pond flown with the 747-400, the 777 and the Airbus A330.
In the late 1990's, Boeing introduced an all new variant, the 400ER to Delta which needed a replacement for their aging Lockheed Tristars. This particular variant was intended to be offered to Delta in particular, but Continental also ordered the 400ER to replace their DC-10 on transatlantic routes. Only Delta and Continental have 767-400ER's. This is because the 300ER was appealing to most operators and the Airbus A330, also a widebody twinjet, introduced in the 1990's was more preferred by most airlines around the world, for its efficiency in several aspects like cargo capacity and cost of operation.
Two 767's, one of American and the other of United, were involved in the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001. They both took off out of Boston's Logan airport in the morning of September 11, the American Airlines jet was going to Los Angeles as flight AA 011. The terrorists on board took over the controls of each aircraft, and each aircraft violently crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, less than one hour after leaving Boston.
A quarter of a century after entering service, the 767 is still in production at Boeing thanks to an order placed by UPS for the 300F variant. The picture below, which I took in Tokyo in 2008, shows one of them in service as a freight hauler. UPS has quite a large fleet of Boeing 767-300F aircraft. Japan Airlines, which I mention above because they launched the 300 Series, also flies the Boeing 767-300F.
In the late 1990's, Boeing introduced an all new variant, the 400ER to Delta which needed a replacement for their aging Lockheed Tristars. This particular variant was intended to be offered to Delta in particular, but Continental also ordered the 400ER to replace their DC-10 on transatlantic routes. Only Delta and Continental have 767-400ER's. This is because the 300ER was appealing to most operators and the Airbus A330, also a widebody twinjet, introduced in the 1990's was more preferred by most airlines around the world, for its efficiency in several aspects like cargo capacity and cost of operation.
Two 767's, one of American and the other of United, were involved in the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001. They both took off out of Boston's Logan airport in the morning of September 11, the American Airlines jet was going to Los Angeles as flight AA 011. The terrorists on board took over the controls of each aircraft, and each aircraft violently crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, less than one hour after leaving Boston.
A quarter of a century after entering service, the 767 is still in production at Boeing thanks to an order placed by UPS for the 300F variant. The picture below, which I took in Tokyo in 2008, shows one of them in service as a freight hauler. UPS has quite a large fleet of Boeing 767-300F aircraft. Japan Airlines, which I mention above because they launched the 300 Series, also flies the Boeing 767-300F.
The 767 is also built for the military, as a refueling tanker and as AWACS surveillance aircraft. As a civilian passenger aircraft, the Boeing 767 is now becoming obsolete with the introduction of the all new 787, but many operators around the world will continue to fly the 767-300ER for years to come, in other words it still has a future ahead in the civilian market, both as passenger and freighter model. Will Boeing continue to build the 767 much longer? Time will tell. It depends mostly if the contract to build tankers for the US Air Force is signed, the Air Force would need those KC-767 tankers to replace their aging KC-135's in service for over 40 years. I believe that Delta still has 767-300ER's and 400ER's on option, but it doesn't look like they will ever exercise them because in late 2014 Delta place an order with Airbus for new wide body jets including the A330 and the A350.
In 2014, Boeing decided they would no longer offer the 200ER and the 400ER variant to the airlines, because of the lack of orders, the 400ER was only ordered by Delta and Continental (now United). Kenya Airways was also interested in the 400ER model but chose the 777 instead. The only 767 model Boeing is still offering to the airlines is the 300ER in both passenger and freighter versions.
In 2014, Boeing decided they would no longer offer the 200ER and the 400ER variant to the airlines, because of the lack of orders, the 400ER was only ordered by Delta and Continental (now United). Kenya Airways was also interested in the 400ER model but chose the 777 instead. The only 767 model Boeing is still offering to the airlines is the 300ER in both passenger and freighter versions.
