Mercedes Mullins
The Boeing 747 is a large aircraft with a high fuel capacity. The fuel tank is located within the plane's wings, which span the entire length of the plane. This design is common among commercial airliners, as the wings naturally form large enclosed spaces that are convenient for storing fuel. The 747 also has a centre wing tank located inside the fuselage, although these were rarely used by the 1990s.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Aircraft | Boeing 747 |
| Fuel Tank Location | Wings |
| Fuel Tank Span | Entire Wing Span |
| Additional Fuel Storage | Center Wing Tank |
| Fuel Consumption | 4L/second |
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What You'll Learn
- The Boeing 747 fuel tank takes up the entire wing span
- The wings form large empty spaces, ideal for storing fuel
- The weight of the fuel in the wings allows for a lighter wing structure
- The 747 burns approximately 4L of fuel every second while in flight
- Early 747s had a central tank, but by the 90s they were barely used
The Boeing 747 fuel tank takes up the entire wing span
The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023. It is a high-capacity aircraft that burns approximately 4 litres (0.9 gallons) of fuel every second while in flight. To meet the fuel requirements of this large aircraft, the fuel tank takes up the entire wingspan.
The wings of the Boeing 747 are constructed in a way that naturally forms large enclosed empty spaces, making them ideal for storing the large volume of liquid fuel required for flight. The use of the wings as fuel tanks also has structural benefits. The additional weight of the fuel in the wings counteracts the upward bending moment caused by lift, allowing for a lighter wing structure and, thus, a greater payload capacity.
The Boeing 747's fuel tank is so large that it is divided into multiple tanks within each wing. These multiple tanks allow pilots to move fuel around to trim the aircraft and maintain stability. The 747 also has a centre wing tank located inside the fuselage, although this was rarely used by the 1990s.
The large fuel tank of the Boeing 747 has been associated with safety hazards. On July 17, 1996, TWA Flight 800, a 747-100, exploded in mid-air due to sparking from old and cracked electrical wires inside the fuel tank, igniting the fuel vapours. This incident led to the adoption of a rule requiring the installation of an inerting system in the centre fuel tank of most large aircraft.
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The wings form large empty spaces, ideal for storing fuel
The wings of a Boeing 747 form large empty spaces, which are ideal for storing fuel. In fact, the 747's fuel tank is so big that it takes up the entire wingspan of the plane. This is not unique to the 747, as most aircraft from light single-engine piston planes to large airliners like the 747 and A380 use their wings to store fuel. The wings are naturally large, enclosed, and hollow, making them convenient for storing large volumes of liquid fuel.
The use of the wings as fuel tanks also has structural benefits. The additional weight of the fuel in the wings counteracts the upward bending moment caused by lift, allowing for a lighter wing structure. This, in turn, enables the plane to carry a larger payload.
While the 747's fuel tank is located primarily in the wings, earlier models of the aircraft also had a central tank. However, by the 1990s, these central tanks were barely used. The central wing tank is located inside the fuselage, and while it is still present on the 747, it is not the main fuel storage area.
The large fuel tanks in aircraft wings can pose safety hazards due to the presence of combustible oil and gas mixtures. Proper measures must be in place to prevent explosions or fires during operation, parking, and maintenance.
The latest variant of the 747, the 747-8, has reduced its reliance on wing tanks compared to earlier models. Despite this, the 747 remains an impressive aircraft, burning approximately 4 litres (0.9 gallons) of fuel every second while in flight.
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The weight of the fuel in the wings allows for a lighter wing structure
The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The 747's fuel tank is so large that it takes up the entire wingspan of the plane. This is not unique to the 747—most aircraft from light single-engine piston planes to the 747 and A380 use wing tanks to store fuel. The wings of an aircraft naturally form large enclosed empty spaces, which are very convenient for storing large volumes of liquid fuel.
The 747-400 is an improved model with increased range. It has wingtip extensions of 6 feet (1.8 m) and winglets of 6 feet (1.8 m), which improve fuel efficiency by 4% compared to previous 747 versions. The 747-8, the latest variant of the 747, has a deeper and thicker wing, allowing for greater fuel capacity. The 747-8 also features raked wingtips for improved aerodynamics.
The 747-8 is more than 10% lighter per seat and consumes 11% less fuel per passenger than the A380. The wing of the 747-8 passenger version holds 64,225 US gallons (243 m3) of jet fuel, and that of the cargo aircraft 60,925 US gallons (231 m3). The extra fuel capacity in the redesigned wing allowed Boeing to avoid adding costly new tanks to the horizontal tail.
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The 747 burns approximately 4L of fuel every second while in flight
The Boeing 747 is a large aircraft with a high fuel capacity. The fuel tank of a 747 takes up the entire wingspan of the plane. The wings form large enclosed empty spaces, which are used to store the large volume of liquid fuel the aircraft needs. The 747 burns approximately 4 litres of fuel every second while in flight. This equates to 240 litres per minute and over 14,000 litres per hour.
The high fuel consumption of the 747 is a notable feature, but it becomes more efficient per passenger-kilometre when considering that the aircraft can carry hundreds of passengers and fly long distances. The fuel efficiency of the 747 highlights the engineering trade-offs in aviation, where fuel consumption must be balanced with the need for speed and capacity.
The safety of the fuel tanks in the 747 has been a concern in the past. The upper space of the fuel tank can gather a large amount of combustible oil and gas mixture, which poses a potential safety hazard. This has resulted in disasters such as the 1994 Philippine Airlines bombing and the 1996 TWA disaster, where old wiring short-circuited and ignited the fuel vapour inside the mostly empty central tank.
To mitigate the risks associated with fuel tanks, measures must be taken to prevent explosions. The highly specialised JP8 fuel used in the 747 is not combustible under normal ground conditions, and as the airframe heats up during flight, it expands and seals leaking gaskets. Additionally, the fuel is used as a coolant for the leading edges of the wings, similar to the Saturn V's F-1 engines, where the nozzles are cooled by running liquid hydrogen fuel through tubes around the nozzle bell.
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Early 747s had a central tank, but by the 90s they were barely used
The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body airliner that was manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023. The 747 is a four-engined jet aircraft that typically accommodates 366 passengers in three travel classes. The 747's fuel tank is so big that it takes up the entire wingspan of the plane. The wings form large enclosed empty spaces, which are convenient for storing the large volume of liquid fuel that the aircraft needs.
Early 747s also had a central tank, but by the 1990s, they were rarely used. This had disastrous consequences in two notable cases: the 1994 Philippine Airlines bombing and the 1996 TWA disaster. In the latter incident, old wiring short-circuited and ignited the fuel vapour inside the mostly empty central tank. Following this incident, the FAA adopted a rule in 2008 requiring the installation of an inerting system in the centre fuel tank of most large aircraft.
Despite the size of the 747's fuel tank, the aircraft burns approximately 4L (0.9 gallons) of fuel every second while in flight. The latest variant of the 747, the 747-8, has reduced its reliance on wing tanks compared to earlier models. The 747-400, an improved model with increased range, features tail fuel tanks, revised engines, and a new interior. The 747-400ER (Extended Range) includes the option of one or two additional body fuel tanks in the forward cargo hold.
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Frequently asked questions
The Boeing 747 fuel tank takes up the entire wing span of the plane.
The Boeing 747 burns approximately 4L (0.9 gallons) of fuel every single second while in flight.
The fuel tank with a large amount of fuel in the aircraft is prone to fire and explosion hazards during operation, parking, and maintenance, resulting in disastrous consequences.
An aircraft fuel tank explosion is one of the major aircraft disasters that could occur due to the presence of fuel, an oxidizer, an ignition source, confinement, and vapour phase fuel/oxidizer mixing.
