Why didn't Boeing make the 747 with a complete double deck like the A380?

Question

Instead of that little hump?

Answer 1

At the time it would have been weight vs engine performance. The B747 uses what is fairly old construction and the engines of the time would not have got it into the air if they had 'double decked'. The early model B747s were very marginal on performance as it was. An engine failure on take-off with a well laden aircraft was quite an experience for the crew.

Answer 2

Right now it isn't really certain whether the A380 will pay for itself.

Boeing has extended that hump from what was on the earliest 747's.  Originally it was a first-class lounge.  Later it was extended into a compartment that could carry additional seats or could be used as a larger lounge.

The hump could be extended all the way back to the fuselage aft of the wing, but there is no guarantee the airlines could make good use of that space.  The 747 is a fairly expensive aircraft to fly, and two-engined aircraft like the 777 and projected 787 are considered more likely to be successful airliners in the future.

Answer 3

Back when the airplane was configured in the 1960s, the belief in the industry was that supersonic airplanes would take  over long range passenger flights and that the 747 would end up mostly as a freighter.  So the flight deck was put above the main deck to allow a nose cargo door.  Thus the hump. Only the 747 has nose-loading and it is extremely useful for long objects than can't be air shipped any other way.

Originally, the upper deck for passenger airplanes was a lounge because there was limited evacuation ability due to the height (the flight crew use a rope ladder).  So you could not be up there on takeoff or landing.

Then in the late '70's Boeing developed an escape slide that could work from that height, designed an exit door, and extended the upper deck, resulting in the 747-300.  The airplane was not a big success, but it turned out that the new hump shape was less drag due to better area ruling (managing the airplane's cross sectional area to minimize high speed drag near the speed of sound) so they developed the 747-400, with an extended wing and more fuel (so longer range)  which was very successful.

With Airbus, Boeing looked at a very large full double deck airplane in the '90s and the story goes that Boeing felt the market was too small to justify the expense of development- that it could not make money.  Also the bigger the airplane the riskier for the airlines, because they lose money fast if they can't keep it full.

So instead they focussed on smaller airplanes with the long range capability that only larger ones used to be able to do- 777-200LR, 787, etc.

So far based on A380 sales, development cost overruns, etc, that is looking about right.  Airbus is now working on the A350, which is a smaller, very long range airplane, which if successful will probably beat the A380 economics and still make the same missions.

Answer 4

At that time the little hump carried a few first class passengers as travel was very expensive, hence the size of the hump. Today travel tickets are comparatively cheaper but population has multiplied to such a level that a large proportion of business/first class travelers constitutes the masses. To accommodate both categories you have to do a lots of Operation Research (OR), which lead to development of such big aircrafts. So, the summary is " Necessity is the mother of Invention".

Next, let us see when such an aircraft will travel in the space...without solid fuel disposable boosters (like in Discovery Shuttle...) and we would be able to see our mother earth even during a normal travel to New York from Shanghai. Time will tell...human brain keeps on tinkering...

Answer 5

On the 747-300 and 747-400, the 'hump' has been stretched to accommodate more passengers. As far as the 747 goes, why get rid of a configuration that allows the 747-400 to use existing airport facilities? Those airports that have the A380 have had to build new gates that could accommodate the double-decker jetliner. Many airports are able to accommodate the '744'. And Boeing figured its money was better spent developing the 777 and 787, as well as the 747-8.

Answer 6

Boeing are making a new type of B747 planes called the B747-8 to compete with the a380

Here's a wikipedia articles about the Boeing 747-8 :  

www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747-8

Answer 7

they did that because they do not believe that double deck planes is a good business venture.  they believe that it will cost to much because less people are flying right now so they are sticking to single deck planes.

Answer 8

When? You mean back in the 1970's when it was already the largest airliner in the world? And was considered a huge gamble as it was. Or do you mean now, in response to the A380? Why should they completely redesign an aircraft that is already one of the most respected types in the world? For the extra cost it wouldn't make much difference.

Look at the issues involved with using the A380 now. They require special skyways, can only land at select airports. The 747 was able to go to any major airport of the time and was compatible with existing systems.

Answer 9

Why? They can't fill them up as it is