Summary
- The BBJ was introduced in 1996 as a modified Boeing 737 Next Generation for business or head of state use.
- Early BBJs had stronger wings, extra fuel tanks, 113 were delivered and had improved range.
- BBJ variants include the 737 MAX, 777, 787, 747-8, 777X, with extensive features catering to VIP and government users.
The Boeing Business Jet or BBJ as it is often called, is a Boeing airliner that has been modified for the corporate jet industry or for use by governments or heads of state. How did the Boeing Business Jet start out and what products do they offer? Let’s take a look in more detail.
Early days
The first BBJ was first designed in 1996 and was a modified Boeing 737 Next Generation, that was to be used as a business jet. This was a request by the then President of Boeing, Phil Condit and the Chairman and CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch. The original BBJ was designed by Boris Boeskov. It was rolled out of production on July 26th, 1998 and first flew on September 4th, the same year.
Photo: Mehdi Photos | Shutterstock
Features of the original BBJ
The first BBJ had stronger wings and landing gear than its commercial counterpart, the 737-700. Extra fuel tanks were added for extended range. 113 of the aircraft were delivered. The second version of the BBJ was introduced in 1999. It was slightly longer than the previous type and had more cabin space and more space for baggage, but had slightly less range than the first BBJ. 23 deliveries of the aircraft were completed.
The third BBJ was a longer version of the previous type but again had a shorter range than the previous type and 23 of the aircraft were delivered. Over the 20-year production period of the original BBJ, a total of 143 BBJs had entered service. The last one of its type was delivered in 2021.
Photo: Oleksandr Naumenko | Shutterstock
Other versions are no longer produced
The BBJ 747 was the second-largest business jet ever made. With its main and upper deck, it could carry up to 100 passengers and had a range of 8,875 nautical miles or 16,436 kilometers. Just 17 of the massive jets were produced and delivered. The BBJ 777 before the production on the BBJ 777 MAX could carry up to 75 passengers and had a range of between 9,300 and 10,030 nautical miles or 17,220 and 18,580 kilometers. Again, just 17 of the aircraft were delivered.
Variants of the aircraft
Boeing decided to create variants moving its commercial types into the BBJ configuration:
- The 737 MAX would become the BBJ 737 MAX
- The 777 would become the BBJ 777
- The 777X business version is the BBJ 777X
- The 787 Dreamliner becomes the BBJ 787
- The 747-8 Intercontinental would become the BBJ 747-8
When Boeing launched the BBJ, Airbus launched its competitor brand and the Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ). These two types would compete in the business jet market with the likes of the Bombardier Global Express, the Gulfstream G550 and G650 and the Embraer Lineage.
Photo: BlueBarronPhoto | Shutterstock
The main type in production
The main product of Boeing Business Jets is the BBJ 737 MAX. It was first announced in April 2018 and first delivered in October the same year. The MAX was a new and improved version of the original BBJ. The cabin altitude was lowered to 6,500 feet and there was a 15% reduction in fuel burn. The range had increased to 6,800 nautical miles or 12,225 kilometers of travel from London to Cape Town.
The new MAX was fitted with CFM LEAP-1B engines and there were extra fuel tanks and improved aerodynamics. Another feature of the aircraft was that it was fitted with retractable airstairs allowing the aircraft to operate independently at remote airports. Operating costs for the aircraft are between $5,200 and $5,600 per hour, lower than business jets of a similar size.
The BBJ 737 MAX has three variants, the BBJ MAX 7, BBJ MAX 8 and the BBJ MAX 9. and come with a price tag of around $100 million.
Specifications and differences
|
Variant |
BBJ MAX 7 |
BBJ MAX 8 |
BBJ MAX 9 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cabin |
884 sq ft (82.1 m2) |
1,025 sq ft (95.2 m2) |
1,120 sq ft (104.1 m2) |
|
Cargo |
274 cu ft (7.8 m3) |
593 cu ft (16.8 m3) |
775 cu ft (21.9 m3) |
|
Length |
116 ft 8 in (35.6 m) |
129 ft 8 in (39.6 m) |
138 ft 2 in (42.1 m) |
|
Span × Height |
117 ft 10 in (35.9 m) × 40 ft 4 in (12.3 m) |
||
|
MTOW |
177,000 lb (80.3 t) |
181,200 lb (82.2 t) |
194,700 lb (88.3 t) |
|
Max Payload |
32,500 lb (14.7 t) |
35,200 lb (16 t) |
38,800 lb (17.6 t) |
|
OEW |
106,200 lb (48.2 t) |
110,200 lb (50 t) |
117,700 lb (53.4 t) |
|
Furnishings |
15,500 lb (7 t) |
18,000 lb (8.2 t) |
21,000 lb (9.5 t) |
|
MEW |
90,700 lb (41.2 t) |
92,200 lb (41.8 t) |
96,700 lb (43.9 t) |
|
Fuel capacity |
10,103 US gal (38,244 L) |
10,381 US gal (39,296 L) |
10,910 US gal (41,299 L) |
|
Engines (2×) |
CFM International LEAP-1B |
||
|
Range (8 pax) |
6,600 nmi (12,225 km; 7,600 mi) |
6,465 nmi (11,975 km; 7,440 mi) |
6,355 nmi (11,770 km; 7,313 mi) |
Other types in production
The BBJ 787 is based on the commercial 787 Dreamliner. It has a composite airframe and a lower cabin altitude. There are two variants, the BBJ 787-8 and the BBJ 787-9. They are both long-range aircraft which hold an average of 25 passengers. They have a range of 9,960 nautical miles or 18,445 kilometers and 9,475 nautical miles and 17,550 kilometers respectively.
The BBJ 777X was launched in December 2018 and has two variants, the BBJ 777-8 and the BBJ 777-9. They will have the longest range of a business jet at 11,835 nautical miles or 21,920 kilometers and 11,330 nautical miles or 20,985 kilometers respectively. It has the largest cabin of all business jets in the world. To put it in perspective, the cabin area of the 777-9 is larger than the main deck of a 747-400. It will also be 30% cheaper to operate per hour.
Photo: Boeing
Specifications and differences
|
Variant |
BBJ 787-8 |
BBJ 787-9 |
BBJ 777-8 |
BBJ 777-9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cabin |
2,340 sq ft (217.3 m2) |
2,688 sq ft (249.7 m2) |
3,256 sq ft (302.5 m2) |
3,689 sq ft (342.7 m2) |
|
Cargo |
4,397 cu ft (124.5 m3) |
5,452 cu ft (154.4 m3) |
6,332 cu ft (179.3 m3) |
7,705 cu ft (218.2 m3) |
|
Length |
186 ft 1 in (56.7 m) |
206 ft 1 in (62.8 m) |
229 ft (69.8 m) |
251 ft 9 in (76.7 m) |
|
Span |
197 ft 3 in (60.1 m) |
235 ft 5 in (71.8 m) |
||
|
Height |
55 ft 6 in (16.9 m) |
55 ft 10 in (17 m) |
63 ft 11 in (19.48 m) |
64 ft 1 in (19.53 m) |
|
MTOW |
502,500 lb (227.9 t) |
560,000 lb (254 t) |
775,000 lb (351.5 t) |
|
|
Max Payload |
78,000 lb (35.3 t) |
104,600 lb (47.4 t) |
138,500 lb (62.8 t) |
147,000 lb (66.6 t) |
|
OEW |
277,000 lb (125.7 t) |
295,400 lb (134 t) |
402,500 lb (182.6 t) |
415,000 lb (188.3 t) |
|
Furnishings |
40,000 lb (18.1 t) |
45,000 lb (20.4 t) |
55,000 lb (25 t) |
65,000 lb (29.5 t) |
|
MEW |
237,000 lb (107.6 t) |
250,400 lb (113.6 t) |
347,500 lb (157.6 t) |
350,000 lb (158.8 t) |
|
Fuel capacity |
33,340 US gal (126,206 L) |
33,380 US gal (126,357 L) |
52,136 US gal (197,356 L) |
|
|
Engines |
GEnx-1B or Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 |
General Electric GE9X |
||
|
Range (25 pax) |
9,960 nmi (18,445 km; 11,460 mi) |
9,475 nmi (17,550 km; 10,904 mi) |
11,835 nmi (21,920 km; 13,619 mi) |
11,330 nmi (20,985 km; 13,040 mi) |
Who chooses the BBJ?
Primary users of the BBJ include many governments who use them for VIP transport. These include the governments of the US, South Africa, India, the United Arab Emirates and Australia. Some royal families in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have their own BBJs. John Travolta and Steven Spielberg also own BBJs.
They are popular due to the amount of space and the long range, it allows officials to work and have meetings whilst traveling. Since its first production, over 260 BBJ’s have been delivered as of December 2021. The only Boeing BBJs still in production are the BBJ 7373 MAX, The BBJ &87 and the BBJ 777X.
