MathewB

According to wikipedia. they reinforced the structure for longer life of the aircraft due to the amount of cycles the aircraft performs on domestic flights.

 

I think it includes wing reinforcements ,  extra frames at landing gears etc. resulting in a higher weight of the aircraft thats why the range is shorter. max pax according to wikipedia 568

I imagine the longer range 747 would have fuel stored in the belly I could be wrong. That's why I was thinking it anyway.

Probably they indeed kind of deactivated the center tank but that shouldn't make a difference of 5000 miles. I know on the Airbus 330 they made the center tank not usable on the -300 series resulting in a longer aircraft and more pax. -200 has a center tank but is shorter and less pax for longer range.

 

But apparently pax is the same on the 747-400D as the -400.

Don't understand it neither. 

They took a load of fuel tanks out to lighten the weight. So Domestic operations can have a lighter load, thus a lower fuel flow.

 

Uh they took the fuel tanks out? As far a I know the fuel tank is an integral part of the wing structure... 

Hi,

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