Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Medium-haul commercial airliner

Power Plant:

Two 47,900 lbst General Electric CF6-80A turbofans

Specifications:

History:

The Boeing 767 was launched on 14 July 1978 on the basis of an order for 30 aircraft placed by United Airlines in the United States. This resulted after several years of intense design and sales activity by Boeing into an aircraft meeting the requirements of airlines. A number of projects were considered under the designations 7X7, 7N7 and 7S7. Aimed primarily at the American domestic airline market, with non-stop trans-continental capability, the aircraft was designed to be an intermediate size between the Boeing 727 and the wide-bodied jets, such as the Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 Tristar. The fuselage width was set at 5 m (16 ft 6 in), about 1.25 m (4 ft 2½ in) greater than the Boeing 707, 727 and 737. This allowed two aisles and seven abreast seating in high-density layouts. No passenger would be more than one seat away from an aisle and, when the centre seat was not used, it could be folded down into a table.

The Boeing 767 airframe made extensive use of ‘state-of-the-art’ construction materials, including advanced aluminium alloys, which offered light weight, improved stress capabilities, and better resistance to corrosion; light-weight components – mostly graphite particles bonded with epoxy – being used for spoilers, undercarriage doors and components of the engine pods. A flight crew of two was usual, although three was optional, aided by a flight management computer system integrated with the auto-pilot and auto-throttle to achieve maximum fuel economy.

The prototype Model 767-200 flew for the first time on 26 September 1981 fitted with Pratt & Whitney JT9D turbofans at Paine Field, Everett, near Seattle, Washington and new facilities were built near the Boeing 747 facility to build the Boeing 767. Various sections of the aircraft were sub-contracted. Also, a consortium of established manufacturers joined the program on a risk-sharing basis. Those companies involved included Aeritalia in Italy, and the Civil Transport Development Corporation in Japan.

The Boeing 767 was designed to have a structural life of 50,000 flights, or about 20 years of normal airline service. Subsequently Boeing offered the 767-200ER (Extended Range) series which had an additional wing centre-section fuel tank and higher gross weight. The first example of this model was flown on 6 March 1984.

In March 1980 Ansett Airlines Australia announced it had ordered five Boeing 767-277s VH-RMD to VH-RMH, the first being received in 1982.

In 1984 Qantas ordered six 767-238ERs (VH-EAJ to VH-EAO) for delivery commencing in July 1984. The first aircraft VH-EAJ was flown on 13 June 1985, arriving in Sydney, NSW on 5 July 1985. VH-EAK was the first to enter service on 30 July 1985.

Shortly thereafter Air New Zealand ordered three Models 767-219ERs ZK-NBA to ZK-NBC for delivery commencing in September 1985.

Some 240 examples of the 767-200 series were built.

The Boeing 767 has been very popular in this region. Some 14 examples have been registered in New Zealand, these including: 767-204 (1), 767-219 (3), 767-319 (9) and 767-35H (1), all operated by Air New Zealand. A total of 48 was registered in Australia in late 2001, these having been operated by Qantas and Ansett Airlines, the former receiving a further six examples on lease from British Airways in 2000. However, following the demise of Ansett Airlines in September 2001 this number decreased substantially as its aircraft were sold or returned to the lessors, and Qantas commenced to export its Boeing 767s as they were replaced by Airbus A330s, some of the Boeing 767s going into storage in Arizona, USA.

The Qantas fleet of Boeing 767-200s registered in this region included Models 238ER VH-EAJ (c/n 23304 – ‘City of Wollongong’ – ex N6055X) first registered on 3 July 1985; VH-EAK (c/n 23305 – ‘City of Townsville’ – ex N6009F); VH-EAL (c/n 23306 – ‘City of Geelong’ – ex N6009F); VH-EAM (c/n 23307) changed on production line to Model 767-2J6 and delivered to CAAC as B-2551; VH-EAN (c/n 23308) also changed to Model 767-2J6 on production line and delivered to CAAC as B-2552; VH-EAM² (c/n 23309 – ‘City of Lake Macquarie’ – ex N6018N); VH-EAN² (c/n 23402 – ‘Alice Springs’ – ex N6018N); VH-EAO (c/n 23403 – ‘City of Cairns’ – ex N6046P); and VH-EAQ (c/n 23896 – ‘City of Launceston’ – ex N6009F).

Ansett Airlines ordered the Boeing 767 in March 1980 as part of an order for 21 Boeing aircraft, this order including five Model 767-200s, 12 Model 737-200s and four Model 727-200LRs, making Ansett an all Boeing fleet at that time. These aircraft were fitted with equipment to meet the company’s requirements, being set up for three-crew operation, although they could be converted to two-crew if required. They were fitted out in a two-class 201-seat configuration, with 153 in economy and 48 in first-class. Power plant selected was the General Electric CF6-80A providing 48,000 lbst. The cargo capacity allowed either LD2F or LD4 containers to be carried in the freight compartment, with up to 14 LD2Fs being carried with a total freight load of 15 tonnes.

The first aircraft was to be delivered in November 1982 but, due to a downturn in the industry, delivery was deferred until mid 1983, taking place on 4 May, being handed over on 6 June. The aircraft were mainly used on domestic services but also operated services to the Cook Islands from Sydney to Raratonga via Auckland.

The Ansett Airlines fleet comprised five Model 767-277s VH-RMD (c/n 226292 – ex N8278V) first registered on 6 June 1983; VH-RME (c/n 2226293 – ex N8292V); VH-RMF (c/n 22694 – ex N8287V); VH-RMG (c/n 22695 – ex N8289V) and VH-RMH (c/n 22696 – ex N1791B); and Models 767-204 VH-RMK (c/n 21178); VH-RML (c/n 22980) and VH-RMO (c/n 23807). This fleet was later supplemented by a Model 767-219ER, this aircraft becoming VH-RMC (c/n 23326), and a Model 767-284ER VH-RMA (c/n 24742) which operated from November 1992 to February 1997 when it was exported as N988AN. Following the demise of Ansett Airlines these aircraft were exported, the last to be exported being VH-RMF, which was test flown in Melbourne, VIC on 30 January 2006 and left as N767AT on 14 February.

Air New Zealand also operated the series, the first aircraft ZK-NBA ‘Aotearoa’ arriving on 10 September 1985 and at this stage the airliner was able to inaugurate services from Wellington to Australia in competition with Qantas, the second arriving in early 1986. In mid 1987 traffic demand required a further aircraft and to meet this need the airline acquired a further Boeing 767 ZK-NBD on lease from Braathens-Safe Pty Ltd of Norway, this machine having 48,000 lbst Pratt & Whitney JT9-74D engines. The colour scheme was slightly different from the other aircraft of the Air New Zealand fleet. Aircraft included Models 767-219 ZK-NBA (c/n 23326), ZK-NBB (c/n 23327),  ZK-NBC (c/n 23328) and Model 767-204 ZK-NBJ (c/n 23250).

Final scheduled service by an Air New Zealand Boeing 767 was made on 31 March 2017, this being ZK-NCI, a Model 767-319ER, which flew from Sydney to Auckland as Flight NZ108. The airline operated 23 examples of the Boeing 767 over the years comprising 11 Model 200s and 12 Model 300s, most acquired new but a few second-hand aircraft obtained to meet capacity needs. Three operated on lease using overseas registrations, these being G-BNYS and G-BRIG, both Model 767-204ERs leased from Britannia, and SP-LPA, a Model 767-35DER, leased from LOT.