How is Boeing different from Airbus? (24 photos). How to distinguish between Airbus and Boeing A320 or B737 series

The Boeing 777-200 is the first in the family of wide-body, twin-engine Boeing 777 or Triple Seven (T7) aircraft. The aircraft is intended for medium-long haul airlines.

At the end of 1989, Boeing Commercial Airplanes began designing an extended version of the Boeing 767 with a wingspan increased to 63.73 meters. When designing, the new aircraft received advanced technologies at that time, as well as a new design. In mid-October 1990, the project received the designation Boeing 777, which indicated the emergence of a new family. And the first modification was designated as 777-200.

During the construction of the Boeing 777-200, to lighten the airframe structure, the use of composite materials was widely used, which occupy about 10 percent of the weight of the entire structure.

Boeing 777-200 photos

Powerful turbojet engines with a high bypass ratio, Pratt & Whitney PW4074 with thrust of 329 kN each, were installed on the new airliner. Subsequently, on Boeing 777-200 aircraft, General Electric GE90-75Bs engines with a thrust of 334 kN and Rolls-Royce Trent 875s engines with a similar thrust were used.

The Boeing 777-200 was the first Boeing passenger aircraft to be fitted with a fly-by-wire control system (FBW). The aircraft used avionics manufactured by Honeywell, which complies with the advanced computer data bus standard used in ARINC 629 avionics. Six multifunctional TFT displays are used to display all the necessary information about the flight and the status of onboard systems. The Boeing 777-200 was equipped with an aircraft collision warning system in the air - TCAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System). Today, according to ICAO standards, TCAS equipment must be installed on all aircraft designed to carry more than 19 passengers.

The first flight of the Boeing 777-200 aircraft took place on June 12, 1994. The aircraft received FAA and JAA certificates on April 19, 1995. The first operator of the aircraft was United Airlines, which received its first Triple Seven on May 15, 1995.

The aircraft cabin in three class configurations has 305 passenger seats. With a two-class cabin layout, 400 passengers can be accommodated. With an economical cabin layout, the number of passenger seats is 440 seats.

On February 6, 1997, a Boeing 777-200ER was transferred to British Airways. This modification has a longer flight range compared to the Boeing 777-200, which is 14305 kilometers, versus 9700 kilometers for the base model.

The Boeing 777-200ER has also become one of the best-selling twin-engine jet passenger aircraft in the world. In 2010, 415 units of this modification were delivered to more than thirty airlines.

The main directions of Boeing 777-200 today are London - New York, Denver - Honolulu, Tokyo - San Francisco. And the main directions of Boeing 777-200ER are London - Los Angeles, Tokyo - Sydney, Chicago - Seoul.

The main competitor for the Boeing 777-200 is the European airliner Airbus A330-300.

Boeing 777-200 Best Seats - Vietnam Airlines

Boeing 777-200 aircraft technical characteristics:

  • Boeing 777-200 maiden flight: June 12, 1994
  • Years of production: since 1994
  • Length: 63.73 m.
  • Height: 18.52 m.
  • Wingspan: 60.93 m.
  • Empty weight: 135,880 kg.
  • Maximum takeoff weight: 262480 kg.
  • Wing area: 427.80 m2
  • Cruising speed: 905 km / h.
  • Maximum speed: 945 km / h
  • Ceiling: 13100 m.
  • Flight range: 9700 km.
  • Takeoff run: 3000 m.
  • Path length: 1700 m.
  • Engines: 2 x turbojet engines Pratt & Whitney PW4074 (329 kN), PW4077s (345 kN), General Electric GE90-75Bs (334 kN), GE90-76Bs (338 kN), Rolls-Royce Trent 875s (334 kN), Trent 877s (345 kN)
  • Crew: 2 people
  • Seats: 440 Economy Class

Boeing 777-200. Gallery.

(the average: 5,00 out of 5)


It is the world's largest twin-engine jet airliner. The Boeing 777 has set an absolute record for the range for passenger aircraft - 21.601 thousand km! Boeing 777 ("Triple Seven" or "three sevens") - this aircraft was developed in the early 1990s, made its first flight in 1994, in operation since 1995. The Boeing 777 was the first commercial airliner to be 100% computer-based. And this is the safest long-haul liner in the history of aviation!

I flew three sevens only once - from Dubai to Male by the Emirates airline, and then I was surprised to learn that they had saved a lot on the layout of the economy class cabin, we will put one additional seat in a row, reducing the width of the others! In this report I will tell you about the history of creation, design features and show the passenger compartment of the largest operator of this type of aircraft in Russia.

History of creation

In the mid 1970s. The three-engine 777, which was conceived as a competitor for the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011. This aircraft was conceived as a modified version of the 767 with a redesigned wing and tail section. It was planned to create two main options: a short-haul aircraft, which would be able to carry up to 175 passengers over a distance of 5,000 kilometers, and an intercontinental liner, carrying the same number of passengers over a distance of 8,000 kilometers.

Work on twin-engine aircraft was soon begun, but the 777 project was frozen, as there were difficulties with the design of the tail section of the aircraft, and the company also decided to focus on the more commercially promising 757 and 767. As a result, when both aircraft began to roll off the assembly line, it became it is clear that Boeing's aircraft lineup is missing a link. There was an urgent need to have an aircraft that would be in the niche between such machines as the Boeing 767-300ER and Boeing 747-400.

1. Initially, Boeing planned to simply modify the 767, resulting in the concept of the so-called 767-X. It was in many ways akin to the 767, but had a longer fuselage, larger wing and could carry about 340 passengers over a distance of 13.5 thousand kilometers.



2. But the airlines weren't impressed with the new aircraft. They wanted to have an aircraft capable of flying over shorter distances and with a cabin configuration similar to the Boeing 747, which, moreover, could be changed by adding or removing the required number of passenger seats in the cabin of one class or another. Another prerequisite was a reduction in operating costs - they should have been significantly lower than those of the 767. As a result, the initial project was greatly redesigned and a twin-engine Boeing 777 was born.

The Boeing 777 became the first commercial airliner to fly 100% designed on computers... During the entire development period, not a single paper drawing was released, everything was made using a three-dimensional design system.

Development of the aircraft began in 1990 and immediately received the first order from United Airlines. In 1995, the first 777 began operating commercial flights. At the moment, the 777-200LR is the aircraft capable of making the longest passenger flights in the world.

Modifications

3. 777-200 was the first modification of the aircraft and was intended for Segment A. The first 777-200 was transferred to United Airlines on May 15, 1995. With a range of 5235 nautical miles, the 777-200 modification was focused primarily on US domestic carriers. A total of ten customers received 88 different aircraft of the 777-200 modification. Airbus's rival model is the A330-300.

4. 777-300. The extended version of the 777-300 was intended to replace the Boeing 747-100 and Boeing 747-200 aircraft. Compared to the older versions of the 747, the extended version has a similar passenger capacity and range, but it consumes a third less fuel and has 40% lower operating costs. The fuselage of the 777-300 is lengthened by 11 meters compared to the base modification of the 777-200, which allows it to accommodate up to 550 passengers in a single-class configuration. The maximum range of the modification is 6015 nautical miles, which allows the 777-300 to serve the heavily loaded destinations previously served by the 747.

5. 777-200LR(“LR” stands for “Longer Range”), a Segment C model, became the longest-range commercial airliner in the world in 2006. Boeing called this model the Worldliner, indicating the airliner's ability to connect virtually any two airports. The modification set the world record for the longest non-stop flight among commercial airliners, with a range of 9,380 nautical miles (17,370 km). The 777-200LR modification is designed for ultra-long flights such as Los Angeles - Singapore or Dallas - Tokyo. The 777-200LR has an increased maximum takeoff weight and three additional fuel tanks in the rear cargo area.

777-300ER("ER" stands for Extended Range) is a modification of the 777-300. The modification has tapered and lengthened wingtips, new main landing gear, a reinforced front strut and additional fuel tanks. Standard on this model, the GE90-115B turbofan engines are by far the most powerful jet engines in the world and have a maximum thrust of 513 kN. The maximum range is 7,930 nautical miles (14,690 km), which was made possible by the increased maximum take-off weight and fuel capacity. The range of the 777-300ER fully loaded has been increased by approximately 34% over the 777-300. After flight tests, the introduction of new engines, wings and an increase in take-off weight, fuel consumption decreased by 1.4%.

6. And all the modifications in the visual range:

7. A good illustration for comparison of scale is 737 ahead. Please note that the diameter of the GE-115B engine installed on the 777 is only 30 cm less than the width of the Boeing 737's cabin!

Structural elements

8. The structure of the airframe of the aircraft includes the use of composite materials, which make up 9% of the weight of the structure. The floor and steering wheels are also made of such materials. The main part of the fuselage has a circular cross-section and at the rear goes into a blade-like tail cone, in which the auxiliary power point.

12. The airliner also has the largest landing gear legs and largest tires ever used in a commercial jet. Each tire from the 777-300ER main six-wheel strut can carry 27 tonnes, which is more than a Boeing 747-400 tire!

15. The aircraft has three backup hydraulic systems, of which only one is needed for landing. An emergency aircraft turbine is located in the wing fairing under the fuselage - a small propeller that extends out of the aircraft in emergency situations to provide a minimum power supply.

The Boeing 777's General Electric GE90 engines are the largest and most powerful jet engines in aviation history. All five Boeing 777-300s of Transaero are equipped with Rolls Royse RR211 Trent 892 engines:

Cockpit

17. The cockpit is very spacious. The Boeing 777 in all modifications is a long-haul airliner capable of serving non-stop commercial flights up to 18 hours in duration. However, the rules of various aviation regulatory bodies, professional and trade union organizations limit the hours of continuous work of the crew and flight attendants.

Interior

The 777's interior, also known as the Boeing Signature Interior, features curved lines with oversized luggage racks and indirect lighting. Seat configurations range from 4 in a row in First Class to 10 in Economy. The size of the windows - 380 x 250 mm - was the largest of all commercial airliners before the 787.

The passenger compartment of each airline has its own layout. It depends on certain customer requirements, and not on the type of aircraft!

Please note that in economy class Transaero has one seat less in a row than, for example, Emirates (!) And Aeroflot.

20. Examples of the layout of Boeing 777 -200 and -300 a / c Transaero. Economy 2-5-2:

21. Economy 3-3-3:

22. Aeroflot - economy: 3-4-3:

23. Let's take a look aboard a Boeing-777-300 of Transaero Airlines. This EI-UNM aircraft has previously flown with Singapore Airlines. The salon has been completely renovated with the Lumexis entertainment system installed everywhere. The upholstery uses wear-resistant material Alcantara, and the armchairs are manufactured by the Italian company Aviointeriors.

Imperial-class:

27. Business class:

28. Economy class. The economy class cabin in red is referred to as “economy class” and blue is referred to as “tourist class”. They differ in the step of the chairs. In the economy class - 36 inches, in the tourist class - 32 inches.

31. Visually, the color separation in the cabin is pleasing to the eye:

32. Aft galley:

33. And even an installation for uncorking bottles of champagne for the "Imperial" -class:

34. In total, about 1,100 boards have been produced at the moment! Once I photographed the 1000th copy in Dubai:

35. Safety. This liner is considered the safest aircraft among all long-haul liners. Over 18 years of operation, the Boeing 777 has had eight accidents, including one accident and two hijacking attempts. On July 6, 2013, the first fatal plane crash happened. An Asiana Airlines Boeing 777-200ER, flying from Seoul to San Francisco, crashed while landing at the San Francisco airport, hitting the tail end of the runway. 2 people were killed.

Seven thirty-seventh is one of the most successful models of the American aircraft corporation The Boeing Company, as well as the most widely used airliner in the world. Since 1967, more than seven thousand cars of this modification have already been produced. And even today, the Boeing 737 continues to be produced and is in great demand among air carriers around the world. Its main competitor in the air transportation market, among narrow-body passenger aircraft, is the Airbus A320.

Boeing 737 photos

The Boeing company, in production today, has nine variations of the 737 model, these are different modifications of the 737-600, 737-700, 737-800 and 737-900. The Boeing 737 version can be chronologically divided into three groups - Original (first generation), Classic (second generation) and Next-Generation (third generation).

Generation Original (models -100, -200)

The plane was first presented to the public in 1964, and in February 1968 it took to the skies for the first time. After that, the liner entered service with the airline. This was the 737-100 version, which was later modified into the more successful 737-200 version. The Boeing 737-200 was launched in 1988. A total of more than 900 aircraft of this type have been sold to air carriers. Boeing originally planned 60 to 85 passenger seats on its plane, but after consulting with its first customer, the number of seats was increased to 100. Boeing prevailed over rival DC-9 by increasing the number of seats in each row.

Generation Classic (models -300, -400, -500)

In the early eighties, the Boeing 737 underwent a significant upgrade. The Boeing company has increased the number of passenger seats in the new model range. These modifications allow you to carry up to 150 passengers. The power of the aircraft has grown. The aircraft was equipped with new engines and the latest avionics. The flight range has been increased. Less harmful emissions. They began to meet new standards. Boeing used a completely new CFM56 engine that had lower fuel consumption and also met strict noise limits. The wings of the aircraft were also modified. The aerodynamics have become better. This is how successful models arose, 737-300, -400, -500, which can satisfy most of the world's airports. The Boeing 737-300 took off in 1984 and production ceased in December 1999.

Boeing 737 photo salon

In 1986, the company began developing an extended version, designated the Boeing 737-400, with more powerful engines and a capacity of 170 passengers. It has become three meters longer than its predecessor. The production of this model ended in 2000. The smallest and youngest member of the second generation, the 737-500, capable of carrying up to 132 passengers, entered service in February 1990. Before the end of production of the 737-500 in 1999, more than 350 units were delivered to the airline.

Generation Next-Generation (models -600, -700, -800, -900)

In the mid-nineties, the creation of the third generation Boeing 737 was started. This generation includes modifications -600, -700, -800 and -900. Unlike previous versions, the -800 and -900 models have undergone significant technological improvements.

One of the most important enhancements is the Head-Up Display (HUD), which is used in military aircraft. The HUD is a transparent display that sits between the pilot and the cockpit window. All important data such as altitude, speed, location and much more are projected onto it. During takeoff and landing, it displays a schematic representation of the runway, which allows the 737 to fly even in very poor visibility.

Boeing 737 cabin layout


These versions were equipped with the new CFM 56-7B powerplant. The number of seats of the Boeing 737-700 is identical to the 737-300 version. The first 737-700 was delivered in 1997 to Southwest Airlines. The later version 737-800 is a modern version with a longer range of up to 5765 km and with 189 passenger seats. The 737-800 version is the successful third generation 737's with over 900 units sold.

The demand for a variant similar to the 727-500 but with a longer range led to the development of the 737-600. The first flight of the Boeing 737-600 took place in 1998. The Boeing 737-900ER is the largest in the 737 family with a range of up to 6045 km. This model entered flight service in 2007.

Boeing history:

In 1903, an important event in the history of world aviation took place in the United States: on Kitty Hawk Beach in North Carolina, the Wright brothers' airplane made its first ever flight. At the same time, in New Haven, Connecticut, 22-year-old William Boeing, the future founder of the Boeing Corporation, left the walls of Yale University and decided to go into business.

From the university, William Boeing went "into the thicket of the forest." In the early twentieth century, timber trade was the second most profitable business in the United States after gold mining. The timber trade allowed William Boeing to quickly amass a decent fortune, and in 1909 he was already one of the most respected citizens of Seattle. At the end of 1909, the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Ocean Trade Show was held in Seattle, during which residents of the West Coast saw for the first time a flying machine - a small airship. It was then that William Boeing realized that his heart belonged to aviation.

When a few months later in the neighboring town of Georgetown, demonstration flights took place on the new Curtiss Reims Racer airplane of the famous American aviation pioneer Charles Hamilton, Boeing specially went to see his performances. Hamilton's flights ended in an accident - on March 13, 1910, Hamilton's airplane crashed into a pond. The pilot did not die by a miracle. What he saw did not cool the ardor of William Boeing, and the next few years he spent trying to persuade one of the aviators to take him on the flight.

The dream remained unfulfilled until 1915, when fate brought Boeing together with kindred spirits - air flight enthusiasts Lieutenant of the Fleet Konrad Westervelt and pilot Tyra Maroni. On a two-seater Maroni airplane, Boeing took off for the first time himself, and upon landing he already knew that he needed his own plane.

Boeing went to Los Angeles to learn how to fly airplanes from Glenn Martin - the consummate authority of those years. He returned from Los Angeles in his own seaplane.

On the shores of Lake Union, Boeing rebuilt an old boat hangar for aircraft and organized the Pacific Aero Club, which made it possible for everyone to take an airplane ride for little money.

The design of Martin's seaplane did not suit Boeing, and William decided to create his own aircraft.
Together with Westervelt, they found a self-taught engineer Herb Munter, who was experimenting with airplanes in his barn near Seattle, on the isle of Duamish. He helped design a new seaplane (named by B&W after the initial letters of the customers' names) and built the first two.

On July 15, 1916, William Boeing first took to the air in his plane, and just a month later he registered the Pacific Aero Products Co. (later the company was renamed Boeing Airplane), which was supposed to build seaplanes for the US Navy. Boeing invested almost $ 100,000 in this company - a gigantic amount of money at that time.

Boeing Airplane has entered the mail service market through its diversification strategy. And in 1927, after winning a contract with the US Federal Postal Service (the 40-A aircraft won), Boeing became the world's first air mail carrier. To implement the project of postal and other transportation, the head of the company created the first service division - Boeing Air Transport. The first San Francisco-Chicago air route also began operating. But even this was not enough for the innovator. In 1929, a new three-engined aircraft model 80As for 12 passengers took to the skies. For the first time the flight attendants boarded the plane.

In 1930, William Boeing unveiled the Monomail utility vehicle (its streamlined shape is reminiscent of modern Boeings), and the Boeing Airplane Company soon became the Boeing Airplane & Transport Corporation. New divisions also appeared: Boeing School of Aeronautics in Oakland, Boeing Aircraft of Canada, etc. The company assembled aircraft, built airfields, produced engines and propellers, trained pilots and aircraft technicians, and provided air transport services.

And on February 1, 1929, a real colossus was born - United Aircraft & Transportation Corporation. The Boeing Corporation has become a powerful aircraft and transportation empire, and its head - one of the richest and most successful businessmen in America.

To prevent autocracy in the air transport sector, the US parliament passed a law in 1934 that destroyed the Boeing empire. The new document prohibited aircraft manufacturers from simultaneously owning transport and postal companies. The huge holding broke up into:

  • United Air Lines
  • United Aircraft;
  • Boeing Aircraft Company (construction of aircraft on the east and west coast of America).

For a long time, William Boeing could not recover from the blow: everything that was created with such difficulty was destroyed with one stroke of the pen. Broken and tired, the tycoon retired, deciding to watch his aviation brainchild from the side. The reins of government were handed over to friends and colleagues - Philip Johnson and Claremont Egtvedt. However, the life of the rentier did not correspond to the restless nature of Boeing. At the age of 53, he started a new business. Thoroughbred breeding horses became his new passion.

After 1934, Boeing focused all its efforts on developing new aircraft models. In 1935, the Kaydet fighter was born, which became the main training aircraft for US aviation. More than 10,000 of these machines were built. In 1936, Boeing signed a contract with PanAmerican Airlines and became its main partner for many years. 1938 saw the light of the passenger model 307 Stratoliner, which became the model aircraft for passenger lines for the next 10 years.

At the same time, the B-17 and B-29 bombers were developed, as well as the XPBB-1 Sea Ranger naval bomber.

During World War II, Boeing became the largest manufacturer of military aircraft in the world. At its facilities, not only B-17 and B-29 were assembled, but also aircraft developed by competitors - the Douglas DC-7B attack aircraft. The Allied air fleet, which dropped thousands of tons of bombs on Germany at the end of the war, was almost entirely assembled at Boeing factories. The bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima is also the brainchild of Boeing.
1944 went down in the history of the company under the name "Battle of Kansas". The assembly plant in Wichita has broken every performance record imaginable this year. Working in an emergency mode, the plant produced up to 16 aircraft a day - a record that has not been broken so far.

After the war, orders dried up, and hard times began again for Boeing. In 1946, the company had to lay off 70,000 people. William Allen, who took over as CEO, had to urgently look for ways out of the crisis. The company began work on new passenger aircraft, provided the US government with models of new bombers, and began manufacturing ballistic missiles and surface-to-air interceptor missiles for the first time. Under Allen's leadership, the company began producing the legendary "flying fortresses" B-52, KS-135 air tankers and the first American jet passenger aircraft model 707.

In 1958, three model 707-120 aircraft were purchased by the US Air Force for the President of the country and his inner circle. This convoy was given the callsigns Air Force One. Since then, in most countries of the world, the plane of the president of the country is called "plane number one".

In 1960, the Boeing Corporation began to develop the space business. The first projects of the Dyna-Soar manned orbital station and the Saturn V launch vehicle, intended for the Apollo program, appeared. In 1963, NASA selected Boeing to fly into lunar orbit and photograph the lunar surface at close range. This project was implemented in 1966, and in 1969, the Apollo 11 spacecraft, launched into orbit using the Saturn carrier, delivered astronauts to the moon.

In the early 60s, several major airlines approached Boeing with a proposal to develop a mass model. jet aircraft capable of using the runways of small airports, performing a flight even if one engine fails, being more economical than the B-707, easy to operate and maintain.

Thus, the Boeing 727 was created - a narrow-body medium-range passenger aircraft. He made his first flight on February 9, 1963.

In 1967, the 737 made its maiden flight and was destined to become one of the best-selling aircraft in aviation history. The total number of vehicles sold exceeded 2000 units.

In 1968, Boeing developed the 747, the largest passenger liner at the time. The world's first double-deck giant, which the company good-naturedly dubbed the Jumbo Jet.

With the 737 and 747, Boeing solidified its leadership in the aircraft manufacturing market and literally revolutionized the airline industry.

In the early 1980s, two new Boeing models were born - the 757 and the 767. The narrow-body 757 was created as a replacement for the aging 727. As for the Boeing 767, it was designed for medium to long haul airlines. In addition, this aircraft has become a serious competitor to the Airbus A300, which is gaining popularity in Europe.

Almost until the mid-90s, Boeing improved its model range, until the market situation, as well as competition with Airbus, McDonnell Douglas and Lockheed forced the company to start developing a long-haul wide-body airliner with 400-500 seats.

So, in 1994, the Boeing 777 was born. For the first time, airlines and passengers took an active part in the development of this aircraft. Their opinion was given the highest priority, and as a result, the resulting car, according to Boeing, became the most consumer-oriented car in the world.

By the late 1990s, it became apparent that the Boeing 767 was significantly outdated, and could not compete with new developments from rival Airbus, such as the Airbus A330. In 2001, Boeing announced the start of development for a new project, the Boeing Sonic Cruiser. The company promised that the new aircraft will be able to fly at speeds close to sound, while on average consuming no more fuel (due to the shortened flight time) than the 767 or A330. With the 9/11 terrorist attacks and rising oil prices, it became clear that airlines were more interested in economy than speed, and the Sonic Cruiser project, which was costly and technologically complex, was put on hold.

Nevertheless, on January 28, 2005, Boeing presented its new project, the 787 Dreamliner, to the world. The aircraft replaced the Sonic Cruiser concept, inheriting many of the ideas and technologies of its predecessor.

The Boeing 787 is a wide-body airliner designed to carry from 296 to 350 passengers over a distance of 15,700 km. The 787 was the first passenger aircraft to feature an all-composite fuselage. It took off for the first time on December 15, 2009.

Today, there are about 12,000 Boeing jetliners in service in the world, which is approximately 75% of the world's fleet.


How often have you wondered which plane is flying over you or which plane are you going to travel on? Is it Boeing or Airbus? Is it A330 or B777?

Here are simple instructions for aircraft type and model identification for those interested in aviation. Let's try to make this instruction as descriptive as possible.

How to identify the plane?

The first and easiest way is to look at the name of the aircraft, which is often written on the fuselage. It can be found and read on most aircraft and is not difficult to do as long as you are close enough to the aircraft.
For practical reasons, we will focus on only two aviation giants - Airbus and Boeing and will not consider other manufacturers such as: Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, Antonov, Ilyushin, Bombardier, Embraer, Sukhoi.
We will also consider aircraft that are currently actively flying around the world, so the old models will not be described here.

Quick reference

Boeing is an American company and the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world in terms of profit, orders and shipments of finished aircraft. Airbus is a European manufacturer, a division of EADS, and is the creator of almost half of the world's aircraft with air-jet engines.

Boeing aircraft are numbered starting with 7, for example 737, 747, 757, 767, 777 and the newest 787 Dreamliner.
Airbus aircraft are numbered starting with 3, for example A300, A310, A318, A319, A320, A321, A330, A340, A380.

Airbus or Boeing. A-Team vs. B-Team

Airbus nose - convex, rounded

Boeing's new part - built-up

Check the nose of the plane, Boeing has a sharper nose and Airbus has a rounded one.

Look at the cockpit windows. The windows on Airbus aircraft have a straight bottom line, and on most Boeings this border is in the shape of the letter V. Also, the outermost window of Airbus looks like its corner has been cut off.

Airbus A330 APU area (tail) - rounded

Boeing B777 APU area (tail) - "cut down"

Take a look at the tail end of the aircraft, namely the APU (APU - Auxiliary Power Unit). Both Airbus and Boeing have a circular tail section, but with one exception - Boeing has a "sawn-off" shape at the end.

All wide-body Airbus aircraft, except the A380, have a straight upper fuselage shape, right down to the APU. On Boeings, the tail section is tapered, while on Airbus, the top line remains straight, and the bottom line is strongly rounded up.

Narrow-body or wide-body aircraft

Narrow-body aircraft are those that have only one seat aisle and are usually smaller and shorter in size.

Airbus: A318, A319, A320 and A321
Boeing: B737 and B757

Wide-body aircraft are aircraft that have two aisles between the seats, they are usually larger and longer in size.

Airbus: A300, A310, A330, A340, A380 and A350.
Boeing: B747, B757, B767, B777, B787 Dreamliner and B747-8 Intercontinental

2 motors or 4 motors

Only the aircraft of the A340, A380 and B747 series have 4 engines, the rest of the aircraft have 2 engines each.

Large aircraft A340, A380 and B747:

If an aircraft has 4 engines and 2 full rows of windows, then it is an Airbus A380

If the plane has 4 engines and one and a half rows of windows, then this is a Boeing B747

One row of seats, long fuselage and 4 engines - Airbus A340

B777 or A330

The Boeing B777 has 3 pairs of wheels on each chassis. The B777 has 14 wheels in total, in a configuration of 6 6 2.

The Boeing B777 has no winglets.

The Airbus A330 has two pairs of wheels on each chassis.

Wheels: Boeing has 3 pairs of wheels, Airbus has 2 pairs of wheels on each chassis.
Tail section (APU): Boeing has a "sawed-off" tail shape, Airbus has a tapered tail.
Wings: Boeing has no wingtips; Airbus has wings that curl at the tips.

A320 or B737 series

In terms of capacity, this is how Airbus planes correspond to Boeing planes.
A318 vs. B737-600
A319 vs. B737-700
A320 vs. B737-800
A321 vs. B737-900

B737-700 on the left, A320 on the right. Pay attention to the difference in the shape of the planes.

Compare the A320 at the top and the B737 at the bottom. The fuselage of the 320 is rounded in the nose and pointed in the tail. The fuselage of the 737 is sharpened in the bow and rounded in the tail.

Can you guess where is the A320 and where is the B737?

In each case, the Boeing version of the plane is legendary and accommodates more people. The Airbus plane is located higher off the ground than the Boeing. Aircraft of the A320 series have fly-by-wire technology, which means that the computer plays an important role during the flight, unlike the Boeing 737, where the pilot is given a central role. The A320 is longer than the B737, but has a smaller wingspan.

Look at the vertical stabilizer in the tail section to distinguish the 737 from the A320. If the angle of the tail fin is very sharp at the point where it is attached to the fuselage, then it is B737.

If the plane is larger, has circular engines and a longer fuselage, then it is A320. If the motors are flattened at the bottom, then it is B737.

More about Boeing.

Read more about Boeing B737.
Boeing B737 comes in 9 versions -100, -200, -300, -400, -500, -600, -700, -800, and -900ER. Versions -300, -400 and -500 fall into the classic category, and the last 4 versions are Boeing of the new generation. The –300s are the shortest and the –900ER are the longest.

B737-100 Classic

B737-200 classic

B737-300 classic

B737-400 classic

B737-500 classic

B737-600 new generation

B737-700 new generation

B737-800 new generation

B737-900 new generation

The Boeing -100s series no longer flies.
If the front of the engine is slightly flattened, then this is the classic series, and if the shape is almost round, then this is the new generation.
If you look at the APU and see two holes, then this is a new generation, if one hole, then this is a classic version.
Also, all classic versions have additional small windows above the main ones in the cockpit (eyebrow windows).
If the plane seems long and it is classic, then this is the 400 series, if it is long and this is a new generation, then this is the 800 series. If the plane is very long and has 3 doors on each side, then this is the 900 series.

More information about B747
Boeing B747 is available in 5 versions - 100, -SP, -200, -300, and -400. All versions are 70.6 meters long, except for the B747SP which is 15 meters shorter. There are several variations, but we will only be looking at the Big Five.

Boeing B747-100 and -200 have 10 windows on each side of the upper deck, some early versions of the -100 series, which are no longer in production, had 3 windows on each side of the upper deck.

The B747-200 has 10 windows on each side of the upper deck.

The B747-300 has a longer upper deck compared to the -200 and -100 series. Also, the -300 series has a door on the upper deck.

Only the Boeing B747-400 version has curved fenders at the end.

The B747-SP version has a shorter fuselage, but this is compensated by a longer nose.

More about Boeing B757s
The B757s is produced in two series -200 and -300.

The -200 series comes with 3 doors on each side and small emergency exit windows.

Series - 300 has 4 doors and 2 emergency exit windows on each side.

More about Boeing B767s

Boeing B767 is produced in three series - 200, –300 and –400 with corresponding versions for long-range flights. The -200 series is the shortest, the -400 series is the longest, respectively.

B767-200

B767-300

B767-400

What is the key difference between the Boeing B757 and B767?

The Boeing 767 has a wingspan of 48 meters, which is 10 meters more than the 757. The position of the front wheel relative to the passenger compartment is more advanced in the Boeing 767 than in the 757.
Also, the main wheel system is located much closer to the rear of the aircraft on the Boeing 767.

More about Boeing B777s

The easiest way to identify a Boeing B777 is to look at its tail section, looking for a razor-shaped tail cone. Also pay attention to the main chassis, if you see 6 wheels on each chassis, then it is 777. There are 4 passenger versions of the Boeing 777: B777-200, B777-200 ER (Extended Range), B777-200LR (Longer Range), B777- 300 and B777-300ER (Extended Range). These versions differ in fuselage length and flight range. The -300s series are longer than the -200s by 10 meters.

Fuselage length:
B777-200 - 63.7m
B777-200ER - 63.7m
The B777-200LR - 63.7m is the longest range commercial aircraft. Boeing named the aircraft the Worldliner, noting that it can connect virtually any two airports in the world.

B777-300 - 73.9m
B777-300ER - 73.9m

More about Airbus aircraft

Airbus A300s

A300 B2

A300 B4

A300 -600

The basic fuselage design of the A330 is borrowed from the A330. How can you tell the difference between two planes if they are parked next to each other? The A330 has wingtips and is longer than the A330. The Airbus A330 may or may not have wingtips. Also, the A330 has a larger wingspan.

A310

The Airbus A310 is a smaller version of the A300. It is produced in two different versions -200 and -300. It has a shorter fuselage and a smaller tail section than the A300. Also, the A310 has only two doors on each side, unlike the A310, which has 3 doors on each side.

More about Airbus A320s

The A320 series includes the A318-100, A319-100, A320-200 and A321-200.
If you compare the length of the fuselage, the A318 is the shortest and the A321 is the longest.

A318-100 - 31.44m

A319-100 - 33.84m

A320-200 - 37.57m

A321-200 - 44.51m

The A320 usually has two emergency exit windows on the wings of the aircraft, while the A318 and A319 have only one emergency exit window. The A321 has 4 doors on each side.

More about Airbus aircraft A330s series

Airbus A330 comes in 2 passenger versions A330-200 and A330-300. The -300 series is longer than the -200. The aircraft of the -300 version can carry more passengers, but its flight range is shorter.

Fuselage length
A330-200 - 58.8m

A330-300 - 63.6m

More about Airbus А340s series

If the plane has 4 engines and a single-story cabin, then you can bet it's an A340. Airbus A340 is produced in 4 versions A340-200, A340-300, A340-500 and A340-600.

The length of the fuselage can help distinguish the versions from each other. The A340-600 is the second largest aircraft in the world after the Boeing B747-8 Intercontinental (currently under development). Both the -500 and -600 series come in High Gross Weight versions with increased range, fuel tank capacity and weight.

Fuselage length
A340-200 - 59.39m

A340-300 - 63.60m

A340-500 - 67.90m

A340-600 - 75.30m