Boeing assembles forward fuselage for 747-8 passenger jet

Published 5:37 am Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Boeing Co. has completed assembly of the forward fuselage for the first 747-8 passenger plane.

The 89-foot, 2-inch fuselage section, featuring the airplane’s signature upper deck, was moved from the assembly tool for sealing and testing before beginning systems installation.

The 747-8 Intercontinental is 18 feet, 4 inches longer than its predecessor, the 747-400. Much of the stretch — 13 feet, 4 inches — is in the forward fuselage. The remaining additional 5 feet are located aft of the wing. The 747-8’s stretched fuselage provides for 51 additional seats to accommodate 467 passengers in a typical three-class configuration and 26 percent more cargo volume.