Mercedes Mullins
The Boeing 777-300ER is a wide-body long-range airliner that has been in use by airlines such as Air France, Air China, and Turkish Airlines since 2004. The aircraft has a higher fuel capacity than its predecessor, the 777-300, and subsequent improvements to engine efficiency and design changes have further increased its range. The 777-300ER has also received engine and aerodynamics improvement packages to reduce drag and weight, and its fuel efficiency has been improved by working with General Electric.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fuel capacity | N/A |
| Range | 13,335km with 359 passengers |
| 14,594km (7,880nm) with subsequent improvements | |
| Maximum zero-fuel weight increase | 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) |
| Thrust enhancement | 1–2.5% |
| Per seat cost compared to 747 | 20% lower |
| Fuel efficiency improvement | 2% |
| Fuel burn improvement | 0.5% |
| Distance flown with 1% improvement in fuel burn | 75 nmi (139 km; 86 mi) |
| Additional cargo with 1% improvement in fuel burn | 2,400 lb (1,100 kg) |
| Weight shed by replacing the fuselage crown with tie rods and composite integration panels | 1,800 lb (820 kg) |
| Per seat fuel efficiency increase with new flight control software | 5% |
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What You'll Learn
The 777-300ER's fuel capacity
The 777-300ER is a long-range wide-body airliner manufactured by Boeing. It was launched in February 2000 and had its first flight in February 2003. The aircraft received US and European certification in March 2004 and was delivered to its launch customer, Air France, in May 2004.
The 777-300ER has a higher fuel capacity than its predecessor, the 777-300. While the exact fuel capacity is not publicly available, we know that the 777-300ER has a range of 13,335 km (7,144 nautical miles) with 359 passengers. Through subsequent improvements in engine efficiency and design changes to reduce drag and weight, the range has been increased to 14,594 km (7,880 nautical miles).
The 777-300ER received engine and aerodynamics improvement packages to enhance its performance and fuel efficiency. In 2010, the variant received a 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) maximum zero-fuel weight increase, allowing for a higher payload capacity. The GE90-115B1 engines were also enhanced, providing a 1-2.5% thrust increase for improved takeoff performance at higher-altitude airports.
Boeing has continuously worked on improving the fuel efficiency of the 777-300ER. They stated that a 1% improvement in fuel burn translates into an additional 75 nautical miles (139 km) in range or the ability to carry ten more passengers or 2,400 lb (1,100 kg) of cargo. These improvements ensure the 777-300ER remains competitive with other fuel-efficient aircraft, such as Airbus' A350 XWB and Boeing's own 787 Dreamliner.
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Improvements to engine efficiency
The Boeing 777-300ER is the largest long-range twin-engine jetliner, carrying 365 passengers up to 7,880 nautical miles (14,594 kilometres). Boeing has continuously made improvements to the engine efficiency of the 777 series.
The original 777, with a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 545,000–660,000 lb (247–299 t), was produced in two fuselage lengths: the initial 777-200 and the extended-range -200ER in 1997. These were powered by 77,200–98,000 lbf (343–436 kN) General Electric GE90, Pratt & Whitney PW4000, or Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engines.
For the second-generation 777 variants (777-300ER, 777-200LR, and 777F), greater thrust was required to meet aircraft requirements, and GE was chosen as the exclusive engine manufacturer. The higher-thrust variants, GE90-110B1 and -115B, have a different architecture from earlier GE90 versions. GE incorporated an advanced, larger-diameter fan made from composite materials, which enhanced thrust at low flight speeds.
In 2005, Boeing delivered the first 777-300ER with fuel-efficiency enhancements to Air France. GE Aircraft Engines modified its powerful GE90-115B engines, and Boeing engineers reduced the plane's drag by modifying the vortex generators and air induction systems for the environmental control systems. Several weight-reduction improvements were also incorporated into the plane's internal structure, including lighter-weight environmental control-system ducts and main-deck flooring. These changes resulted in a 1.4% improvement in fuel efficiency.
In 2010, the 777-300ER received further enhancements, including a 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) maximum zero-fuel weight increase, equivalent to a higher payload of 20–25 passengers. The GE90-115B1 engines received a 1–2.5% thrust enhancement for increased takeoff weights at higher-altitude airports.
In 2012, Boeing and Emirates worked together on possible extensions of the 777's wingspan and other major changes, including a composite wing and different fuselage lengths. In conjunction with the development of the third-generation 777X, Boeing worked with General Electric to offer a 2% improvement in fuel efficiency for in-production 777-300ER aircraft.
In 2015, Boeing unveiled additional details of the "improvement package" for the 777-300ER. The plane would shed 1,800 lb (820 kg) by replacing the fuselage crown with tie rods and composite integration panels similar to those used on the 787. New flight control software would eliminate the need for a tail skid by keeping the tail off the runway surface. Boeing also redesigned the inboard flap fairings to reduce drag by reducing pressure on the underside of the wing. These changes were expected to increase fuel efficiency and allow airlines to add 14 additional seats, increasing per-seat fuel efficiency by 5%.
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Design changes to reduce drag
Drag is the major enemy of efficient flight. To improve efficiency, engineers are continually looking for ways to reduce drag and aircraft weight. Even small changes can make a significant difference.
One way to reduce drag is to minimise interference drag by using fairings to ease the airflow transition between aircraft components. For example, adding wheel pants to struts creates a smoother surface, allowing airflow to move around the struts with less drag. Similarly, winglets generate forward lift, opposing the drag produced by wingtip vortices. New manufacturing techniques allow winglets to be blended into the wing, further reducing drag and making them more efficient.
Another way to reduce drag is to feather the propeller, aligning it with the wind to minimise the exposed surface area. This significantly reduces drag, allowing air to flow past the propeller with minimal interference. This technique is often used during an engine failure in a multi-engine aircraft to improve glide performance.
Aircraft designers are also looking at ways to reduce weight, as less weight means less fuel is required. For example, carbon-fibre composites are lighter than aluminium alloys, so using these materials to build wings can cut fuel consumption by 5%. Engineers are also developing lightweight wireless transceivers to replace wiring in some non-avionic systems, which could reduce weight by over 16,000 pounds on wide-body jets.
Finally, engine design is also critical. Hybrid-electric engines, such as Honeywell’s hybrid-electric turbogenerator, can reduce the use of traditional fuel. Additionally, a concept under development at NASA, the “double bubble” D8, relocates the aircraft’s engine to the top of the plane towards the tail, significantly decreasing drag and increasing fuel efficiency.
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The 777-300ER's range
The 777-300ER (extended range) has a higher fuel capacity than the 777-300, allowing it to fly 13,335 km with 359 passengers. This is in part due to its higher maximum take-off weight (MTOW). Engine efficiency improvements and design changes have since increased the range to 14,594 km (7,880 nm).
The 777-300ER has a maximum zero-fuel weight of 5,000 lb (2,300 kg), which is equivalent to a payload increase of 20–25 passengers. Its GE90-115B1 engines received a 1–2.5% thrust enhancement, allowing for increased takeoff weights at higher-altitude airports.
Boeing has worked with General Electric to improve the fuel efficiency of the 777-300ER by 2%. This was achieved through modifications to the fan module and the high-pressure compressor stage-1 blisk in the GE-90-115 turbofan, as well as reduced clearances between the tips of the turbine blades and the shroud during the cruise. According to General Electric, these improvements lower fuel burn by 0.5%. Boeing has also modified the wings to further reduce fuel burn. They state that every 1% improvement in fuel burn translates to an additional 75 nmi (139 km; 86 mi) in range while carrying the same load.
The 777-300ER was also designed with a focus on reducing weight and drag. For example, replacing the fuselage crown with tie rods and composite integration panels saves 1,800 lb (820 kg). The new flight control software eliminates the need for a tail skid. The outboard raked wingtip has a divergent trailing edge, which reduces drag by decreasing pressure on the underside of the wing. These changes increase fuel efficiency and allow airlines to add more seats to the aircraft, increasing per-seat fuel efficiency by 5%.
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The 777-300ER's fuel efficiency improvements
The 777-300ER ("ER" for Extended Range) is the B-market version of the -300 and offers a range of 6,005 nautical miles (11,121 km; 6,910 mi) with 368 passengers in a three-class configuration. The 777-300ER has seen several improvements to its fuel efficiency over the years.
In 2005, Boeing delivered the first 777-300ER with fuel-efficiency enhancements to Air France. This included a 1.4% improvement in fuel efficiency, which equated to an annual jet-fuel saving of approximately 200,000 gallons (757,000 litres). This was achieved through a number of factors, including modified GE Aircraft Engines, reduced drag, and weight-reduction improvements to the plane's internal structure.
In 2010, the 777-300ER received a 5,000-lb (2,300-kg) maximum zero-fuel weight increase, allowing for a higher payload of 20-25 passengers. The GE90-115B1 engines were also enhanced, providing a 1-2.5% increase in thrust for increased takeoff weights at higher-altitude airports.
In 2015, Boeing unveiled additional improvements to the 777-300ER as part of an "improvement package". This included shedding 1,800 lb (820 kg) by replacing the fuselage crown with tie rods and composite integration panels, similar to those used on the 787. The new flight control software eliminated the need for a tail skid by keeping the tail off the runway surface. Boeing also redesigned the inboard flap fairings to reduce drag and incorporated a divergent trailing edge on the outboard raked wingtip. These changes were expected to increase fuel efficiency and allow for 14 additional seats, improving per-seat fuel efficiency by 5%.
The 777-300ER's fuel efficiency and range have allowed airlines to open new routes, provide greater flexibility in route planning, and enable point-to-point travel, which is preferred by passengers worldwide.
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