Tag Archives: 747-800

Boeing puts a fifth 747-800 freighter into testing

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle, Wichita and Charleston) successfully conducted the first flight of the fifth 747-8 Freighter on Thursday (February 3). The airplane, coded as RC523, took off from Paine Field (PAE) inย Everett, WA, for a 3-hour, 30-minute flight before returning to Paine Field.

The flight included a standard 2-hour, 30-minute “B1” flight profile that Boeing conducts on all production airplanes prior to delivery, plus an hour of engineering testing woven into the profile.

This is the fifth 747-8 Freighter being used in the flight-test program. Each airplane is used for a specific set of tests, with this airplane focusing on functionality and reliability testing.

The airplane will remain based at Paine Field throughout its test plan.

Boeing appropriately reports a net profit of $787 in the 2Q

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle, Wichita and Charleston) reported a second quarter net profit of $787 million, down from $998 million in the same quarter a year ago.

For the full report:

CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. While the 787 Dreamliner captures most of the headlines, the new 747-8 continues to move ahead too. Third test aircraft, 747-8KZF N5017Q (msn 36136) is pictured on the ramp at Everett (Paine Field).

Cargolux to introduce a new livery with the first Boeing 747-8F

Copyright Photo: Boeing. Boeing 747-8R7F N55725 (msn 35806) will become LX-VCB on delivery.

Cargolux Airlines International (Luxembourg) is introducing a new livery with the delivery of the first new Boeing 747-8F. The cargo airline is the launch customer for the new type. The first Boeing 747-8 Freighter painted in Cargolux’s livery emerged from the Boeing paint hangar inย Everett, WA on June 7. ย The cargo operator has a total of 13 Boeing 747-8 Freighters on order.

Boeing delivered the last Cargolux 747-400 Freighter with a unique transition paint scheme featuring fading stripes. The new livery on Cargolux’s 747-8 Freighter is an evolution from the current design and marks the start into a new era for the company.

“The design stands for continuity and commitment while confirming the fundamental principles that made Cargolux successful. The red, white and blue stripes symbolize the company’s roots inย Luxembourg, its hub and home base,” said Ulrich Ogiermann, CEOย of Cargolux. The new livery features a distinctive new red tail and an additional logo on the belly further promotes the brand.

Boeing will deliver the first 747-8 Freighter to Cargolux in the fourth quarter of this year.

Boeing begins assembly of the first 747-8 Intercontinental

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle, Wichita and Charleston) has announced it has begun assembly of the first 747-8 Intercontinental at the factory inย Everett, WA.ย Late this past week, mechanics took the first step in major assembly for the new airplane by loading its wing panels and spars in the assembly tools. The spar is the internal support structure that runs through the full length of the wing.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG was the first airline to order the new, fuel-efficient passenger airplane, contracting for 20 747-8 Intercontinentals, with purchase rights for an additional 20. “We are very pleased to see that the production on the 747-8 Intercontinental has begun,” saidย Nico Buchholz, senior vice president, Corporate Fleet of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. “We are looking forward to welcoming the aircraft in our fleet as it is a component of Lufthansa’s strategy to modernize its fleet and increase environmental stewardship. The 747-8 shows our clear commitment to customer orientation.”

The new 747-8 Intercontinental is stretched 18.3 feet (5.6 m) from the 747-400 to provide 467 seats — 51 more than its predecessor — in a three-class configuration. GEnx-2B engines and a new wing design provide airlines a quieter, more fuel-efficient airplane. The 747-8 is 16 percent more fuel efficient and creates a 30 percent smaller noise footprint than its predecessor. The 747-8 also provides nearly equivalent trip costs and 13 percent lower seat-mile costs than the 747-400, plus 26 percent greater cargo volume.

The 747-8 interior incorporates features from the 787 Dreamliner, including a new curved, upswept architecture that gives passengers a greater sense of space and comfort while adding more room for personal belongings. The architecture is accentuated by lighting technology that provides smooth transitions for a more restful flight.

The 747-8, which includes the 747-8 Intercontinental and the 747-8 Freighter, was launched inย November 2005.Boeingย has 108 orders for the 747-8 — 32 for the 747-8 Intercontinental and 76 for the 747-8 Freighter. The first 747-8 Intercontinental is scheduled to deliver in late 2011.

Boeing 747-8KZF N5017Q begins testing in Southern California

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle, Wichita and Charleston) has placed the second Boeing 747-8 Freighter, RC521, the pictured 747-8KZF N5017Q (msn 36136), landed in Palmdale, CA yesterday (April 19), marking the beginning of a planned transition of 747-8 Freighter testing to Southern California. The more than four-hour flight from Boeing Field in Seattle included testing on avionics and cruise performance.

The airplane will be stationed in Palmdale for the majority of its scheduled flight-test program. The crew will conduct several tests on the airplane with fuel-mileage and engine-performance testing as key focus areas.

A contingent of employees has been stationed at Palmdale for the testing, including flight-test engineers and the support personnel who prepare the airplane for each day’s flights. In the coming weeks, the two other 747-8 airplanes in the flight-test fleet will join RC521 in Southern California.

The entire flight-test program calls for the three airplanes to perform a total of about 3,700 hours of ground and air testing. The first 747-8 Freighter delivery to Cargolux is planned for the fourth quarter of this year.

Copyright Photo: Joe G. Walker. N5017Q is pictured at Seattle (Boeing Field-King County) prior to the departure to Palmdale.

The first Boeing 747-800F is rolled out at Everett in a new livery

 

Photo: Boeing. Boeing 747-8R7F N747EX (msn 35808) is rolled out of the paint shop late on November 17, 2009 in the new colors.

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle, Wichita and Charleston) last night (November 17) rolled out the first Boeing 747-800 dressed in a new livery featuring a large “8” on the tail and “747-8” on the lower fuselage. The first delivery customer is Cargolux. The new type will make its first flight in early 2010.

 

Press release:

boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=942