After launching the hugely popular Boeing 747, Boeing realized it was too big for some airlines.
Everyone loved the widebody layout but some wanted a version of it in a smaller aircraft.
Boeing wanted to design a plane to replace supercede the Boeing 727, and with the
workhorse coming to the end of its life, the company needed to replace it. Since 1960,
the firm had received 1,825 orders for the 727, making it a staple of domestic airline fleets.
American Airlines told Boeing that they would like to purchase an aircraft with two engines
rather than three like the 727, also requesting improvements in noise levels and efficiency.
To do this, Boeing designed this new aircraft to have a 2-3-2 seating configuration. Thus,
passengers would be no more than one seat away from the aisle. Overhead bins would
also be more extensive and galleys more advanced for preparing inflight meals.
The aircraft would only need to have two pilots instead of three because of an advanced flight
system. Initial flight tests showed that the 767 would use about 40% less fuel
as the 727 with a range of up to 4,000 miles (6,437 km), ideal for US transcontinental flights.
The original 767-100 with 190 seats was dropped as it was a similar size to the 757.
The Boeing 767-200 first entered service with United Airlines on September 8,
1982 with an extended range version following in 1984 called the 767-200ER.
Then a stretched 767-300 came out in 1983,
with the extended-range version designated the 767-300ER in 1984.
In 1995 Boeing gave up on the idea of building a smaller 777
and decided to take another look at increasing the size of the 767, which it would call the 767-400X.
The new plane would increase passenger capacity by 12% and offer an upgraded flight deck. With Boeing
knowing that Delta Air Lines was looking to replace its Lockheed L-1011 TriStars,
there was already a prospective customer present.
Boeing, however, faced some competition with the Airbus A330-200. In the end, Delta
opted for the 767-400ER and was soon followed by Continental Airlines as it replaced its McDonnell
Douglas DC-10 fleet. Only 37, 767-400ERs were delivered to Delta and Continental,
the only two airlines to order the plane. Boeing wanted to take it a step further
by adding more fuel-efficient engines and a more extended range. The new aircraft,
named the 767-ERX, was ordered by Kenya Airways in 2000 to be delivered in 2004.
An issue with building the 767-ERX was the need to develop the new engines, which would also be used
for the 747X, a larger variant of the Jumbo. At the time, the 747X was supposed to be competition
for the Airbus A3XX that we now know was the A380. Unfortunately, the much bigger 747X would cost
a lot more to build and would have airlines thinking twice about forking out so much money.
After mulling it over, Boeing decided that there was no market for the plane and killed it.
Therefore, once the 747X program was canceled, the new engines went with it.
This dashed the 767ERX’s chances of ever going into production. Added to this was the fact that
Kenya Airways and its order for three planes were the only ones Boeing had on its books. Once the
decision was made by Boeing not to proceed, Kenya Airways switched its order to three 777-200ERs.
What do you think about the decision to shelve the Boeing 767-400ERX?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.