First Flight Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental today!

Yes the madness of high capacity ‘cattle truck’ configurations

Hi PeeDee
In fact this URL talks of 656 to 960 pax – ‘cattle truck style’ http://www.globalaircraft.org/planes/airbus_a380.pl
“Future variants may include an A380-900 stretch seating about 656 passengers (or up to 960 passengers in an all economy configuration)”

There was some outfit in the ME region that showed interest in 3 of the highest capacity version. It appeared to be possibly providing a solution for shifting ‘slave’ labour to points of need for heavy manual labour and for possibly periods within temporary visa regulations (or until the poor souls died). I guess a desert airstrip with a tarmac runway but no terminal buildings – none to be seen – why bother in such situations of exploitation, a large marquee would do. In fact at the time it was a configuration of ‘lean to’ or ‘standing seats’ (of MO’L dreams and Chinese fame). The greed that arises around the word ‘globalisation’.

Thanks for clarifying this – new wing with profiled/blended ‘winglet’

Hi PeeDee
Thanks for clarifying this – new wing with profiled/blended ‘winglet’.
Yes so it does – found a pic that shows it (similar to 787 Dreamliner/A350) http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.makesandmodels.com/images/June2008/Boeing%2520747-8%2520Intercontinental/Boeing-747-8-Intercontinental-1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.makesandmodels.com/Boeing-747-8-Intercontinental.php&h=1900&w=2459&sz=200&tbnid=YRxRH9xYRSqocM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpic%2Bof%2Bnew%2B747-8%2Bintercontinental&zoom=1&q=pic+of+new+747-8+intercontinental&usg=__M3fJPfUz-NSQaRo4Amf9XiBPBkg=&sa=X&ei=YWGITYqfOYeXhQePtvGsDg&ved=0CCIQ9QEwAA

A380 sales were looking a bit grim, this wonderful Boeing is the Sword of Damocles over it’s head.

I’m not so sure about that.
I don’t think the B748 will sell in any greater number than the A380.

The latter has enjoyed the “only new VLA on the market” status for a while and has therefore sold ok. (Not that it’s made any money!)
The B748 will sell to those airlines that need to replace their 747s but cannot go smaller (A350/B777) or larger (A380). The B748 configured to the same seat capacity of a B744 would have an awesome range and cargo space.

It will sell, but I highly doubt it is in a position the threaten the A380.

One question I have for the technically more informed, new wing design, why no ‘winglets’ ?

Winglets that are massive and near vertical (737 / 767) are additions to an old design wing. When you design the wing from scratch, the whole Wing can be designed to facilitate the spanwise airflow required to remove the need for a Blended Winglet as per the older Boeings. If you look closely, it actually has a winglet, but it is so gentle a curve it hardly shows. Dreamliner and NightmareLiner (A350) has the same type of integral winglet. And, knowing Boeing and APB, that wing will work!

As for “Plenty of room for A380 and 747-8”.
Yes, except that the Boeing is cheaper. About $60M per platform cheaper. Same range, same speed but it loses about 60 seats. The A380 can of course hold up to 850 passengers, has anybody actually done that yet? 565ish seems to be the common configuration as far as I’ve read. I sit to be corrected on that.
Imagine 850 pairs of sweaty feet on a long haul! It will smell like a maggot factory….and of course no room for the lounges etc.
Nope, A380 sales were looking a bit grim, this wonderful Boeing is the Sword of Damocles over it’s head.

Cracking video 😀

There’s room in the competitive world for both A-380 and 747-8

There is room in the competitive world for both A-380 and Boeing 747-8

Fleets have a choice, the competition reduces complacency on a possible monopoly and passengers get I hope a better choice on long haul routes.

Stunningly beautiful.
Why bother with an A380 when this does the function, and has vastly more pedigree. And cheaper.

The 747-8 is a wonderful aircraft, I agree, but this is a rather curious remark, with respect.

[Boring memory mode on] Dewering the war……..

I was at Ringway when the first BOAC 747 landed. I was half way up the scafolding light tower at the end of the International Pier, where it parked. I have loved the machine ever since.
I took pictures with a Grey Kodak “Thing” which took 126 film. The shutter button was white plastic and I think it travelled about 1/2 an inch down LoL. Gawd knows where the pictures are now.

Stunningly beautiful.

No way! Something I not only agree with you on partially, but entirely!

Stunningly beautiful is exactly how I’d describe it too. 🙂

Beautiful, superb inaugural colours and what a 1st flight

Beautiful, superb inaugural colours and what a 1st flight
The post flight press conference was also extremely interesting to watch and listen to.
Captain Mark Feuerstein Chief Test Pilot 747 programme covered many interesting aspects in response to questions from journalists including –
– descriptions of stall testing – down to 105 knots
– full rudder – forward flight – equivalent to the airplane flying ‘sideways’
– all mods on the freighter were incorporated in today’s 747-8 Intercontinetal aircraft and were tested successfully
Summed up by the VP as “2011 the year of the 747”
Great pedigree and years of service ahead. Let’s raise a glass and toast the original ‘jumbo’.

One question I have for the technically more informed, new wing design, why no ‘winglets’ ?

Stunningly beautiful.
Why bother with an A380 when this does the function, and has vastly more pedigree. And cheaper.

Beauty!

landed about 10 minutes ago 😀

Thanks Kabir 😀

video…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5slKvtQe5UE

Following it on Flightaware. FL140 and 275 knots heading west and just south of Vancouver Island.

Now that is one sweet looking plane! The 747 is still the queen of the skies. 🙂

It cut out during the liftoff, so off to you tube 😡

Just taken off 😀

Airborne!http://de.flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE8