Late yesterday, Boeing towed the first 747-8 Freighter out of the factory in Everett, Washington state, USA. The airplane, ultimately destined for Cargolux, will be painted and begin preparations for flight test.
The 747-8 Freighter is latest avatar of the venerable 747 Jumbo Jet. It is 250 feet, 2 inches (76.3 m) long, which is 18 feet and 4 inches (5.6 m) longer than the 747-400 Freighter. The stretch provides customers with 16 percent more revenue cargo volume compared to its predecessor the 747-400F, which translates to four additional main-deck pallets and three additional lower-hold pallets.
Boeing has secured 78 orders for the new freighter from Cargolux, Nippon Cargo Airlines, AirBridgeCargo Airlines, Atlas Air, Cathay Pacific, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Emirates SkyCargo, Guggenheim and Korean Air.
Image courtesy Boeing
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