THE GEOGRAPHY OF TRANSPORT SYSTEMS


Aircraft First Commercial Service Speed (km/hr) Maximum Range at Full Payload (km) Seating Capacity
Douglas DC-3 1935 346 563 30
Douglas DC-7 1953 555 5,810 52
Boeing 707-100 1958 897 6,820 110
Boeing 727-100 1963 917 5,000 94
Boeing 747-100 1970 907 9,045 385
McDonnell Douglas DC-10 1971 908 7,415 260
Airbus A300 1974 847 3,420 269
Boeing 767-200 1982 954 5,855 216
Boeing 747-400 1989 939 13,444 416
Boeing 777-200ER 1995 1030 13,420 305
Airbus A340-500 2003 886 15,800 313
Airbus A380 2007? 930 14,800 555
Boeing 787-8 2008 1040 15,700 250
Source: adapted from T.R. Leinbach and J.T. Bowen (2004) Airspaces: Air Transport, Technology and Society, in D.B. Brunn, S.L. Cutter and J.W. Harrington (eds) Geography and Technology, Dordretch, The Netherlands: Kluwer.

Main Commercial Passenger Aircraft, 1935-2008

If each were flown an average of 10 hours per day, a Boeing 707 could perform 240 percent more passenger-kilometers in a year than a Douglas DC-7, a Boeing 747 perform 250 percent more than a 707, and an Airbus A380 will be able to perform 50 percent more than a first-generation 747. In practice, longer-range aircraft are flown more hours per day than shorter range aircraft.