Fact file: Boeing BBJ

Designation:

Boeing 737 Boeing Business Jet 

Type:    

VIP transport.

Country of origin:                                               

United States.

First flight:                                                            

Late 1998.

Delivered to the SAAF:                                      

June 26, 2001.

Associated project name(s):                                             

Jarmen I

Numbers:             

1. 

Cost:     

US37.5 million for the aircraft, US13.5 million for the fittings, translating to about R500 million, plus R82 million value added tax. Estimated operating cost for first three years: R12 million R98 million budgeted for pilot training, spares and support equipment.^[1] 

Crew:                                                                    

2 cockpit crew. 

Major dimensions & weights

·         Wingspan:                                                    

·         Length:                                         

·         Height:                                          

·         Wing area:                                   

·         Basic empty weight:                  

·         Max take-off weight:               

·         Max landing weight:                  

·         Max internal fuel:                      

·         Max external fuel:                                     

·         Main deck useable volume:                     

·         Bulk volume:                              

·         Passengers:                                  

·         34.3m.

·         33.6m.

·         12.6m.

·         –                      

·         43.082mt (94,980lbs).

·         77.565mt (171,000lbs).

·         -                      

·         –

·         –

·         -                      

·         –

·         Up to 18.

Performance

·         Take-off to clear 15m:                              

·         Landing from 15m:                                   

·         Rate of climb:                                               

·         Service ceiling:                                            

·         Cruising altitude:                                        

·         Max operating speed:                                                

·         Max cruise speed:                                      

·         Max range at cruise speed:                       

·         Stall speed:                                             

·         G-loads:                                                        

·         Wing loading:                                              

·         Thrust:                                                          

·         Bypass ratio:                                         

·         Thrust/weight ratio:                                   

·         –

·         –                                      

·         –                                        

·         –                                      

·         41,000ft.

·         –

·         Mach 0.8 (870km/h).

·         11 480km with fitted auxiliary tanks.

·         –

·         –

·         –

·         27 000lbs.

·         –

·         –

Engine Specifications

·         Make:           

               

·         Model:                                                                            

·         Type:                            

·         Number:                                              

·         Compression ratio:                                     

·         Engine diameter:                                        

·         Engine length:                                             

·         Dry weight:                                                  

·         Power turbine rotor speed:                        

·         Shaft horsepower:                                      

·         CFM (Jointly owned by General Electric of the US and SNECMA of France. 

·         CFM56-7B3.                                                               

·         Turbofan.

·         2.    

·         –

·         –

·         –

·         –

·         –

·         –

Hard points:        

None.   

Armament:                                                                          

None.

Other attachments:                                                            

None.

Comment:             

 

Based on the Boeing 737-700, the SAAF`s BBJ is named the Inkwazi (Fish Eagle) and is registered as ZS-RSA.

It is primarily used to transport the President and his entourage.

The government has maintained that Mbeki cannot fly long distance commercial flights for safety reasons, which have never been further articulated. Reports at the time of its delivery contrasted these concerns with the travel arrangements of several other heads of state, who did use public transport.

The government also said the existing VIP fleet were too short in endurance to carry Mbeki in a single bound to Europe, Asia or the Americas, a technical deficiency that had protocol implications when they landed somewhere to refuel