Editing Boeing 747 (section)

=== 747SP ===
{{Main|Boeing 747SP}}
[[File:Air Namibia Boeing 747SP ZS-SPC FRA 1999-7-17.png|thumb|The 747SP was the only 747 model with a shortened fuselage|alt=Air Namibia 747SP on approach]]

The development of the 747SP stemmed from a joint request between Pan American World Airways and [[Iran Air]], who were looking for a high-capacity airliner with enough range to cover Pan Am's New York–Middle Eastern routes and Iran Air's planned Tehran–New York route. The Tehran–New York route, when launched, was the longest [[Non-stop flight|non-stop]] commercial flight in the world. The 747SP is {{convert|48|ft|4|in}} shorter than the {{not a typo|747-100}}. Fuselage sections were eliminated fore and aft of the wing, and the center section of the fuselage was redesigned to fit mating fuselage sections. The SP's flaps used a simplified single-slotted configuration.<ref>Norris and Wagner 1997, p. 71.</ref><ref name="baby_747">[http://www.747sp.com/story-b747sp/ "The Story of the B747SP"]. ''747sp.com''. Retrieved: December 15, 2007.</ref> The 747SP, compared to earlier variants, had a tapering of the aft upper fuselage into the [[empennage]], a double-hinged rudder, and longer vertical and horizontal stabilizers.<ref>Kane 2003, p. 546.</ref> Power was provided by Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7(A/F/J/FW) or Rolls-Royce RB211-524 engines.<ref name="plan">[https://web.archive.org/web/20141024144002/http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/airports/747.page "747 Airplane Characteristics for Airport Planning"]. ''The Boeing Company''. Retrieved: December 15, 2007.</ref>

The 747SP was granted a type certificate on February 4, 1976, and entered service with launch customers Pan Am and Iran Air that same year.<ref name=baby_747 /> The aircraft was chosen by airlines wishing to serve major airports with short runways.<ref>[http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/media-releases/mar-2002/2645/global/en "Red, White And Q Farewell For Qantas Aircraft"]. ''Qantas'', March 4, 2002. Retrieved: June 4, 2008.</ref> A total of 45 747SPs were built,<ref name=747_O_D_summ /> with the 44th 747SP delivered on August 30, 1982. In 1987, Boeing re-opened the 747SP production line after five years to build one last 747SP for an order by the United Arab Emirates government.<ref name=baby_747 /> In addition to airline use, one 747SP was modified for the [[NASA]]/[[German Aerospace Center]] [[Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy|SOFIA]] experiment.<ref>[http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Sofia/aircraft/sofia_ac.htm "The SOFIA Boeing 747SP."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061113003337/http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Sofia/aircraft/sofia_ac.htm |date=November 13, 2006}} NASA SOFIA Science Center. Retrieved: December 31, 2009.</ref> Iran Air, the last civil operator of the type, retired its final 747-SP (EP-IAC) in June 2016.<ref>[http://samchui.com/2015/10/13/iran15/ Iran Aviation Tour October 2015], October 13, 2015</ref><ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/BFwcFfZsZ9K/ The last B747-SP is going to retire on 15 June], retrieved May 29, 2016</ref>