Is The End Near For Quad-Jets?

                                            

                            Engines form a very important part of a plane. They are the powerhouses which work right from take-off to landing, sometimes running for 15-16 hours (sometimes even more). Passenger planes are mainly equipped with either two engines (twin-jets) or four engines (quad-jets). Today we are going to talk about the rise of the quad-jets and a possible end to their reign in commercial aviation history.

WHY WERE QUAD-JETS MADE ?

                            During the 1960s and 70s, there was a sudden boom in number of passengers taking to the skies, a need was felt for  bigger aircraft which could carry more passengers and fly for longer distances. Quad-jets such as DC-8 and Boeing 707 were already flying  (they were pretty successful too) but their passenger capacity and range were limited. A new plane was badly needed to reduce travel times between major economic hubs of the world. Then came the iconic Boeing 747.

                            Boeing 747 suddenly changed many aspects of flying. It was able to carry more passengers over longer distances in less than half the time. It was truly a gamechanger for aviation. Four engines allowed airlines to fly their planes for longer distances much faster. It also gave passengers a sense of safety with extra engines. Following the trend other plane manufacturers tried to bring their own variants such as Lockheed L-1011 and DC-10 (tri-jets) and Airbus with their own Airbus A340. 

ETOPS MADE FOUR ENGINES A NECESSITY

                            Over and above passenger capacity, safety and range, the most important reason why planes were mounted with four engines was because of aviation term known as ETOPS (Extended-range Operational Performance Standards). This rule basically meant that twin-jets cannot fly more than a specified amount of time away from an airport at any time. It was this rule that limited the reach of twin-jets in international arena (They were not allowed across the Atlantic and Pacific due to the same reason). Hence, the manufacturers had to come up with variants which had a cushion of extra engines with them.

RISE OF QUAD-JETS

                            As mentioned earlier, the Boeing 747 truly revolutionized commercial  aviation. It changed the way many people flew. It  enabled airlines to launch new routes which were previously not accessable or were not commercially viable. Many airlines such as Pan Am, British Airways, KLM, Qantas and many others ordered them and were very successful with it. Boeing 747 was followed by Airbus' own versions of quad-jets like A340 and A380. During the late 1970s to mid 1980s, most of the international routes were flown by quad-jets. However, this scenario was about to see a massive change.

ETOPS AND TWIN-JETS

                            During the early 1990s, there was a massive increase in jet fuel prices. This made it difficult for airlines to fly their quad-jets around the world. Moreover, new developments and innovations in engine designs enabled the manufacturers to develop planes which were able to pass tough ETOPS regulations at the time. Boeing 767 was one of the first planes to pass ETOPS regulations which was followed by Boeing's own 777 and Airbus' A330. These aircraft were much more fuel-efficient and could more or less carry the same number of passengers in them. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the aviation drastically changed and more and more twin-jets began taking up international routes and quad-jets soon started disappearing from mainline fleets of many airlines. Despite all this, quad-jets still maintained their own place in certain high density routes which justified a four-engine jet.

                             However, the present COVID-19 scenario has been a final nail in the coffin for quad-jets. Many airlines who had initially planned to keep their fleets of quad-jets active until mid 2020s suddenly retired them overnight or were in the process of retiring those jets. British Airways and KLM retired their Boeing 747s, while Air France retired their A380s whereas the only few active fleets of A340s remaining were retired quickly by airlines.

                            All these facts paint a gloomy picture for quad-jets. However all is not done for quad-jets. Most of the four-engine jets which are still in operation are too new to be retired or scrapped. Most of the new Boeing 747-8s (last and latest generation of 747) are only few years old while there are still few deliveries remaining for Airbus A380. Moreover there is still an active second-hand market for Airbus A340 and Boeing 747. These jets also find a new life with freight operators. Hence, its too early to say that the age of quad-jets has come to an end. Most of the newer jets will continue to fly till atlleast the late 2020s or mid 2030s. So, we can say that we still have some time remaining with us to hop on a quad-jet and enjoy the unique experience they have to offer.