Boeing 747-8F Production Begins
August 13th, 2008
Quite simply, it has no rivals.
For a new major airplane derivative, the first iteration of the newest 747 family starts life as a freighter, not a passenger airplane.
As production winds down for the current 747-400 family, assembly of the first 747-8F has got underway at Everett with the first wing spar and wing panels being loaded into assembly tools.
Image copyright/owned by FleetBuzz Editorial.com
Below are two images courtesy of Boeing of production getting underway.
First delivery is due late 2009 to launch customer Cargolux who launched the 747-8 family on the back of an initial order for 10 airplanes along with Nippon Cargo Airlines.
Both carriers have since added to their orders. Total outstanding firm orders stand at 78 from 9 customers, including Atlas Air, Cathay Pacific, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Emirates, Guggenheim Aviation Partners, Korean Air and Volga-Dnepr Airlines.
Key to the success of the 747-8 family has been the development of the General Electric GEnx-2B engine, a derivative engine also soon to be found on the 787 Dreamliner.
“The GEnx-2B engines serve a critical role in the efficiency gains offered by the 747-8 family,” said Ross R. Bogue, vice president and general manager of the 747 program.
“It will help the 747-8 provide our customers with improved fuel efficiency, reductions in emissions and noise, while allowing customers to generate additional revenue with their ability to carry more passengers and cargo.“
Image and excerpt below courtesy of Boeing
With a maximum structural payload capacity of 140 tonnes (154 tons) the 747-8 Freighter offers 16 percent more revenue cargo volume than the 747-400F with slightly greater range. The additional 120 cu m (4,245 cu ft) of volume enables the airplane to accommodate four additional main-deck pallets and three additional lower-hold pallets. The 747-8 Freighter allows operators to choose between carrying greater revenue payload — up to an additional 20 tonnes (22 tons) — or flying up to 1,400 nmi farther in markets where cargo density requirements are lower. The airplane upholds its predecessor’s legendary efficiency, with nearly equivalent trip costs and 16 percent lower ton-mile costs than the 747-400F. In fact, the 747-8 Freighter will enjoy the lowest ton-mile costs of any freighter, giving operators unmatched profit potential.
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Entry Filed under: Aeroplane, Aerospace, Air Transport, Air Travel, Airlines, Airplane, Airplane Order, Airplanes, Airport, Airports, Aviation, Boeing, Boeing 747, Boeing 747-8, Boeing 747-8F, Boeing 747-8I, Boeing Orders
14 Comments Add your own
1. Dougloid | August 13th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
The sterling advantage of the 747-8F platform will be the nose loading feature and the floor loading capacity. In the late unlamented A380F program of a couple of years ago, it was hinted that the A380F was going to skim the cream of high value package shipments such as expensive stereo equipment and (presumably) Ruby Roman grapes, leaving the terminally old fashioned 747 to haul anvils from China and scrap metal and waste oil back the other way. Don’t you believe it. You buy trucks for what they can haul, not what they look like or what somebody tells you. You also buy trucks for what they can do, and that means if you don’t have to turn pallets of cargo 90 degrees to load them, you’ve cut down on the time that the aircraft sits on the ground while the crew’s twiddling their thumbs and reading comic books.
2. boeing investor | August 13th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Dougloid - your post and its points are accurate, despite the humor!
Part of the A380 Freighter problem was always going to be that near useless upper deck.
No airport/logistics provider would seriously spend millions for a handful of A380F’s servicing even fewer airports just so milk cartons and crayons could be loaded upstairs.
That said just look at Randy Baseler’s assessment of the 747-8F and A380F:
http://boeingblogs.com/randy/archives/2006/04/weight_a_minute.html
“Bottom line: with the A380F, you’re flying around over 40% more airplane structural weight for only 5% more revenue payload! ”
Thankfully the skies will never see an A380F!
3. Chris Wallace | August 13th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
I was at the 747 line on Sunday, so maybe out there amongst the assembly jigs was the first parts of the 747-8F.
The current world heavy cargo routes and infrastructures are based upon the 747F, MD-11F and DC-10F. New, longer-ranged models like the A330F and 777F can also easily adapt to the existing infrastructure.
The A380-800F, while it offered the most payload and range, required all-new and specialized infrastructure that only it could use. And it’s lower load limits means more work for load-planning departments to balance out their loads to ensure that they do not exceed the limits of each deck (this problem also affects the 747-400BCF, which is why there is still a strong market for dedicated 747 freighters).
Even if Airbus had experienced no problems and the A380 entered service on time and on target, I really believe FX would have placed an order for the 777F, as well, and likely would not have ended-up operating a large fleet of A380-800Fs.
4. LGB787 | August 13th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I’m just glad that assembly has begun. Soon, we’re going to be seeing great Matt Cawby’s and other great photos of both the 747-8 and 787 emerging through the factory doors. Combined with all the 777’s currently being produced, it’s going to be an exciting combination of products sitting on the flight line.
5. Chris C | August 13th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Quite simply, the 747-8F is an airplane beyond superlatives, and with Boeing continuing to invest in the next-generation, phenomenal 747-8, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 747-8ERF in the future. Well done, sir, on being the first aviation journal to highlight the start of -8F production. Top notch!
6. John | August 13th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
GEnx angines and this frame will be a winning combination. It will be interesting to see how the world’s most technically advanced engines to date cut fuel burn here.
7. Stratoliner777 | August 14th, 2008 at 3:11 am
Great news to see the 747-8F enter production!
8. Dougloid | August 14th, 2008 at 5:21 am
Boeing investor, I’ve got a pal who’s in the business of selling hogs-that’s right, the four legged tasty critters that become bratwurst….anyway, he doesn’t know anything about airplanes but his degree is in Transportation Logistics. That’s right, the science of moving things here and there at the lowest possible cost and in the most expeditious manner.
I sketched out the A380F and the 747-8F and I said “Which one’s better?” He said that the big Boeing’s front loading capability was critical in loading outsize cargo and jamming pallets on board in a big hurry. He also said that not having to turn the load 90 degrees was a big saving. He remarked that the A380F was probably a little better if you cubed out before you went overweight, but that you couldn’t plan an operation around being able to haul only feathers. He said “If you can carry railroad iron, you can carry feathers but it doesn’t work the other way.”
9. boeing investor | August 14th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Couldnt agree more Dougloid - the nose loading capability is what is unique.
The “fiddliness” of having to build up pallets, move them around so that they can fit through the proposed A380F cargo door(s) is something logistics networks neither have time or patience for.
Freight, by its very nature, is time sensitive. Time spent better served by avoiding loading on a top deck that is pretty much useless.
Nice pics by the way, could have sworn when i read this page yesterday that they were not there!
10. Mike | August 15th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Great news for the lastest and most exciting version of the magificent 747. All we need now is a couple more Airlines to buy 20-40 Intercontinentals to really make the program a resounding success.
Bring it on!
11. keesje | August 18th, 2008 at 12:24 am
I think the biggest competitor to the 747-8F is a cheap converted 747-400 F. Dozens will be converted in the next few years while 773Er and A380 replace them in the passengers role.
When a reengined A380F with a payload range far surpassing the 747-8i becomes available at superior trip costs / unit costs in the next decade, it will do what can be expected.
Most 747 freighter don’t have nose doors, the ones that have them keep them closed most of the time! Often pallets are so high hey can’t enter the lower front door.
http://www.worldtraderef.com/WTR_site/gifs/B747Offset.gif
12. Chris Wallace | August 21st, 2008 at 8:24 pm
The three biggest issues with the 747-400BCF is:
1) Cost. 747-400s are still in demand, so they’re values are not dropping quickly.
2) Payload weight. A 747-400BCF carries about 40t less then a 747-8I and is less efficient at carrying the payload it can.
3) Payload loading. Even reinforced, the floor of a 747 passenger plane is not built to handle the weight per unit of measure that a 747 freighter can. As such, loadmasters have to be careful how much and where they load heavy cargo. So you can see 747-400BCFs going out with payloads even below their lower limits, which makes them even more inefficient.
13. Eddie Hostettler | September 2nd, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Any news on fabrication schedules of Section 42??
14. ScottysAir | November 17th, 2008 at 3:07 am
Are you positive sure 747-8I has been pushback to 2011, am I correct? What about that I still hear a rumors more brand newest 747-9I? I think that mean its should more passengers capacity on B747-9I. I think its should wait to see in the future from Boeing will considered to begin production with B747-9I.
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