Boeing 747SP Makes Its First Flight

• The 747SP (Special Performance), a 747-100 derivative shortened by 47 feet, first flew on 4 July 1975^[1][2]
• Pan Am asked for a smaller, longer-range 747 for New York-Middle East flights and placed the first order in September 1973 for 10 plus 15 options, later cut to 7 aircraft with 5 more leased^[1][2]
• The FAA approved the type on 4 February 1976; Pan Am accepted its first SP, N533PA, on 5 March 1976 and began SP service between New York and Tokyo on 25 April 1976, avoiding the Anchorage fuel stop and cutting about 3.5 hours to a 13 h 30 min flight^[1][2]
• Sales fell well short of the hoped-for 200: 45 were built, the last delivered in 1987^[2]
• A Boeing demonstration tour with N533PA before delivery covered about 72,152 miles^[1]

Notable features

• Length 184 ft 9 in (56.3 m), 47 ft shorter than the original 747 (Wikipedia's infobox lists 183 ft 3 in); wingspan 195 ft 8 in (59.64 m)^[2]
• Engines: four Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7 turbofans, listed at 50,000 lbf each for the JT9D-7J^[2]
• Maximum takeoff weight 700,000 lb (317.5 t)^[2]
• Seating: 276 passengers in three classes, or 331 in two classes (303 economy, 28 business)^[2]
• Range 5,830 nmi (10,800 km) with 276 passengers; service ceiling 45,100 ft, the highest of any subsonic airliner^[2]
• Cruise up to Mach 0.92^[2]