Boeing 720
The Boeing 720 is a shorter, lighter derivative of the original 707, built for airlines that wanted the 707's jet speed on shorter routes that didn't need its full range. Reducing weight and drag let it take off from shorter runways than the standard 707, opening up airports the bigger jet couldn't use. It sold in far smaller numbers than the 707 it was based on, and many were later converted into cargo freighters. It's a less-remembered sibling of one of the aircraft that launched the jet age.
Did you know?
The 720 is a shorter, lighter 707 derivative built to take off from runways too short for the standard 707.
Specifications
| Length | 41.7 m (137 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 39.9 m (131 ft) |
| Height | 12.7 m (42 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 156 |
| Persons on board | 112-165 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 106.1 t |
| Range | 4,200 NM (7,778 km) |
| Maximum speed | 490 kt (907 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 42,000 ft (12,802 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 33,000 ft (10,058 m) |
| Rate of climb | 3,000 ft/min (15.2 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 2,515 m (8,251 ft) |
| Landing distance | 1,740 m (5,709 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 60,793 l |
| Engines | 4x Pratt & Whitney JT3C |
| Units built | 154 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Boeing 720 starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Boeing, the 720 family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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