Why was the Boeing 747 a game-changing aircraft for civil aviation, and how are the A380 and B787 leading the way for a new generation?

The Boeing 747 has played a historic role in the aviation industry for many years, but newer aircraft like the A380 and B787 are now taking over. The A380 uses the benefits of a large aircraft to carry a large number of passengers, while the B787 emphasises fast flight and fuel efficiency. Both aircraft are leading the fleet generation shift with different strategies.

 

Currently, the most common and best-known civil aircraft in airports is the Boeing 747. The Boeing 747 made its maiden flight on 8 February 1969 and remains the most used civil aircraft in service today. The B747 has been the front line of the aircraft industry, with variations in size and purpose from the 747-100 and 747-200 to the 747-400, which was introduced in 1988 and is still in service today. The Boeing 747 has remained at the centre of the aviation industry for so long because it has been able to overcome the flaws of conventional aircraft design by introducing finite element design. Instead of designing the fuselage and wings as a whole, the finite element design method divides them like a checkerboard and calculates the forces acting on each part separately. This method greatly improved the durability and stability of the aircraft, which is why the Boeing 747 has remained a workhorse of the aviation industry for so long.
In fact, technological advancements in aircraft design began to develop rapidly after World War II. During this period, the demand for aircraft soared worldwide, and large aircraft were needed not only for commercial operations but also for military purposes. The Boeing 747 was a revolutionary aircraft born out of this context. Its enormous size and ability to fly long distances was a game-changer for the aviation industry at the time, but size alone doesn’t explain its success. The Boeing 747 was not just a large aircraft, but one that maximised safety, durability, and fuel efficiency, making it the most common aircraft in airports around the world for decades.
But as time went on, the Boeing 747 was gradually being prepared for retirement. A new generation of aircraft is emerging to replace it after more than 40 years of service, most notably the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787.
The Airbus A380 is the world’s largest civil aircraft, designed to carry a large number of passengers at a time, especially at large airports. Despite its large size, the A380 is regarded as an efficient and reliable aircraft. Korean Air has plans to acquire a total of 10 A380s by 2014, and on 7 September 2011, the airline took delivery of its fourth A380, with four A380s currently in service. The A380 is larger than a Boeing 747, with a double-decker fuselage that can provide up to 800 seats. It is 73 metres long and 79.9 metres wide, roughly the size of a football field. The A380 has a maximum take-off weight of 569 tonnes, which is the equivalent of about 110 elephants. Not only that, but the A380 is designed to be so massive that it can carry an entire train carriage. The aircraft also comes with a hefty price tag, with one A380 costing around $410 billion.
While the A380 may be less fuel efficient than traditional aircraft, it can be a better choice economically because it can carry more passengers at once. For example, a 1,160 kilometre flight from Seoul to Tokyo would cost around KRW 24 million in fuel, but the ability to carry more passengers gives it a cost-effectiveness advantage.
However, the A380 does have its drawbacks. Its large maximum take-off weight increases the load on the runway during take-off and landing, causing major airports around the world to renovate their runways. It also carries a large number of passengers at once, which means that boarding and immigration procedures take longer. Another disadvantage is that hundreds of passengers boarding and disembarking at the same time at a single gate can cause bottlenecks.
To solve these problems, Boeing developed the B787 (Dreamliner). The B787 is an efficient aircraft that can fly long distances non-stop while carrying fewer passengers. In a reversal of strategy from the A380, the B787 focuses on shorter flight times rather than in-flight services. Boeing expects the B787 to fly about 14 per cent faster than the A380.
While Airbus and Boeing have different strategies, they ultimately share a common goal of maximising profits for airlines. Airbus has developed the A380 to focus on larger airports and carry more people at a time, while Boeing has introduced the B787 to connect various airports and reduce flight times. While these two airlines are taking different approaches to aircraft generation, they are both aiming to maximise efficiency and economy.
In conclusion, the future of the aviation industry is changing rapidly. Airbus has quickly commercialised the A380 with a unified mechanical design system, while Boeing has remained competitive in the market with the B787 and B747-8, both equipped with the latest engines. The competition and innovation between these two airlines will continue to be an important factor in aircraft generational change.