The Boeing Co. will soon start deliveries of its 747-8 freighter after gaining clearance from federal aviation authorities.
“This is such a great day for everyone on the 747 team,” Jim Albaugh, president of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, said in a statement Friday.
Boeing will deliver the first 747-8 cargo jet early next month to Cargolux nearly two years late. Difficulties with Boeing’s all-new 787 forced the company to delay moving engineers over to the 747-8 program.
The company also faced some engineering obstacles with the updated jumbo jet, which borrows some technology from the 787. Boeing expects FAA approval on the 787 shortly.
Both the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency have signed off on the design of the 747-8 freighter, Boeing said Friday. The FAA also approved Boeing’s freighter production system. U.S. and European aviation authorities defer to one another to approve production systems.
“This is a day to express our profound thanks to everyone at Boeing and at our suppliers who played a part in designing, building and testing this airplane,” said Elizabeth Lund, general manager of the 747 program.
Boeing’s freighter has been in flight testing since February 2010. The airplane logged more than 3,400 hours of flight testing. The company concluded flight tests and sought FAA approval in early August.
Before first delivery, the freighter will be put through tests to demonstrate that the individual jet is fit to fly, as is standard practice.
“Over the last several years, this team has overcome challenge after challenge,” Albaugh said. “They have ensured that the 747, the Queen of the Skies, will fly for decades to come.”
The 747-8 freighter is more than 250 feet long and carries more cargo than its predecessor. However, Boeing says the freighter is more fuel efficient than the 747-400.
Boeing has orders for 78 freighters and is the only jet maker to offer a cargo plane of this size.
The company also is introducing a passenger version of the 747-8, dubbed the Intercontinental. Todd Zarfos, vice president of engineering on the 747 program, said the company is “happy with the progress” it has made in flight testing of the passenger plane. Boeing also expects to deliver the first Intercontinental later this year.
But the race for first delivery will be between the 747-8 freighter and 787, which is three years late. Boeing wrapped up flight tests on the Dreamliner last weekend. On Aug. 11, Albaugh said the FAA would meet this week to review certification on the 787, which has more than 800 orders.
The 787’s launch customer, Japan’s All Nippon Airways, already has announced the itinerary for the Dreamliner’s first commercial flight, from Tokyo to Hong Kong. The date of that flight, like the date of first delivery, has not been announced.
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