The Boeing 747 has four engines. See which JT9D, CF6, RB211, PW4000 and GEnx turbofans power each variant, plus key exceptions.
A Boeing 747 has four wing-mounted turbofan engines—two beneath each wing. The engine family depends on the variant and customer: classic 747s used Pratt & Whitney JT9Ds, General Electric CF6s or Rolls-Royce RB211s; the 747-400 added PW4000s, while every 747-8 uses the GE GEnx-2B.
In real-world aviation and flight simulation, engine type means the certified turbofan family fitted to a particular airframe, not the auxiliary power unit in the tail. An operational 747 is configured around one engine family rather than a mixture of GE, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce engines.
Which engine types were fitted to each Boeing 747 variant?
Five principal engine families powered the main production versions of the Boeing 747, with the available choice narrowing as the aircraft evolved.
| 747 variant | Engine families | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| 747-100 | Pratt & Whitney JT9D | The original production engine family; exact dash numbers varied. |
| 747-200 and 747-300 | JT9D, GE CF6-50 or Rolls-Royce RB211-524 | Airlines could select from all three manufacturers. |
| 747-400 | PW4000, GE CF6-80C2 or RB211-524G/H | The standard -400 had three choices; the 747-400ER and ERF used the CF6-80C2. |
| 747-8 | GE GEnx-2B | The sole engine family offered on both the 747-8 Intercontinental and 747-8 Freighter. |
This table covers the mainstream civil series rather than every certification combination. The 747-100B, SR and SP, along with government, military and test aircraft, should be checked at airframe level because broad model names can hide exceptions.
The 747-8 specifically uses the GEnx-2B, not the GE9X fitted to the 777X or the GEnx-1B used by the Boeing 787. Our comparison of the 747-8 with earlier 747 variants explains the wider airframe and systems changes.
Are Boeing 747 engines turbojets or turbofans?
All production Boeing 747 propulsion engines are high-bypass turbofans, not pure turbojets. Even the early JT9D routes a large mass of air around the engine core, while later CF6, PW4000, RB211 and GEnx designs improve efficiency, thrust and noise performance.
The fan and bypass flow provide much of the thrust, while the core drives the fan and contributes additional exhaust thrust. We explain that process in our guide to how turbofan aircraft engines produce thrust.
Why does the Boeing 747 have four engines?
The original 747 needed four engines to provide the required take-off thrust and long-range oceanic capability using the technology available during its development. Later engines made very large twin-jets practical, but converting the 747 into a twin would have required major changes to its wing, structure, systems, handling and certification.
Does engine choice matter in a flight simulator?
Yes. The fitted engine changes the nacelle shape, sounds, thrust data, fuel flow and, in detailed add-ons, cockpit indications. For a realistic aircraft recreation, we recommend matching the full variant, operator and registration rather than choosing from the livery alone.
- For a real airframe: use the corresponding GE, Pratt & Whitney or Rolls-Royce model and its performance data.
- For generic flying: retain the add-on's default engine and use the documentation supplied with it; do not combine performance charts from another engine option.
- For a detailed 747-400: GE-powered aircraft use N1 as the primary thrust-setting indication, while Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce installations use EPR.
Some simpler simulator aircraft change only the visual model or sound set, so an engine label does not guarantee that engine-specific performance has been modelled.
Does the 747's APU count as a fifth engine?
No. The auxiliary power unit is a small gas turbine in the tail, but it is not a propulsion engine and does not count among the 747's four engines. It supplies electrical and pneumatic power and can provide bleed air for engine starting.
The propulsion engines are numbered from left to right as seen from the cockpit: engine 1 is left outboard, engine 2 left inboard, engine 3 right inboard and engine 4 right outboard. That numbering becomes especially relevant when following a 747 cold-and-dark engine-start procedure.