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Boeing 747-8F and Intercontinental
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Type
Long-range airliner and freighter (Großraum-Langstreckenverkehrsflugzeug und Frachter)
Country (Land)
USA
Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
P. O. Box 3707
Seattle, Washington 98124
Phone: 001-206-655-2121
Fax: 001-206/655-9700
Internet: www.boeing.com
General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 2
Passengers (Passagiere): 467 in typical three-class layout (at first, 450 were mentioned)
Cargo capacity: 140 tons for the 747-8F, with 34 (instead of 30 on the 747-400) palletes on the main deck and 34 LD-1 containers (instead of 32) in the lower hold.
Power plant (Antrieb): 4 x General Electric GEnx-2B67 (fan diameter 2,65 m)
Thrust (Schub): 4 x 296 kN (66500 lbs)
Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 76,40 m (was 74,22 m or 76,25 m for the 747-8F at the beginning)
Height (Höhe): 19,41 m
Span (Spannweite): 68,45 m
Interior cabin width (Kabinenbreite): 6,12 m
Freight deck width (Frachtraumbreite): 5,9 m
Total freight volume: 854,3 m for the 747-8F, of which 688,8 cu m on the main deck
Weights (Massen)
Empty weight (Leermasse): around 181000 kg
Paylaod (Nutzlast): 140 metric tonnes for the 747-8 Freighter
Max. fuel (max. Kraftstoff): 243120 litres (64225 gal) for the 747-8I or 230625 litres (60925 gal) for the 747-8F
Max. take-off weight (max. Startmasse): 439985 kg (was 435455 kg at the beginning)
Performance (Flugleistungen)
Typical cruise speed (Reisegeschwindigkeit): Mach 0.855 / 910 km/h for the Intercontinental and Mach 0.845 for the freighter.
Range (Reichweite):
- 14815 km (8,000 NM) for the 747-8 Intercontinental
- 8275 km (4475 NM) for the 747-8F freighter
Costs (Kosten)
As of November 2007, Boeing listed the price of the 747-8 Intercontinental at 285 – 300 million US-Dollars and the 747-8F at 294- 297 million Dollars.
In 2007, Cargolux paid 281 million US-Dollars (list price) for a 747-8 Freighter.
List prices mentioned at the time of the launch in November 2005 were 250 to 265 million US-Dollars for the 747-8 Intercontinental and 265 to 275 for the freighter version.
Analysts estimated development costs at 2 to 4 billion Dollars as of November 2005.
Customers (Kunden)
By 8. November 2007, Boeing had 73 orders from 8 airlines for the 747-8F.
By February 2007, the program has secured firm orders for 24 747-8 Intercontinentals (apparently including VIP versions) and 54 747-8 Freighters.
The 747-8 programme was launched on 14. November 2005 with two orders, which were valued at approximately $5 billion at list prices (firm orders only):
Atlas Air: 12 x 747-8 Freighter: On 12 September 2006, Boeing and Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings announced the order, making Atlas the North American launch customer for the airplane. At list prices, the order was valued at about $3.4 billion. Atlas will begin taking delivery of the airplanes in 2010 and expects all 12 aircraft to be in service by the end of 2011.
Cargolux: 13 x 747-8 Freighters, with options on two more and purchase rights for 10 additional aircraft. Announced 14 November 2005, for delivery from September 2009. Another 3 were ordered on 19 March 2007 (valued at 845 million Dollars at list prices), when two options were placed as well.
Cathay Pacific: 10 x 747-8 Freighters. The order was announced on 8. November 2007.
Emirates: 10 x 747-8 Freighter. The order was finalized on 9 October 2006 during an official ceremony held at Dubai's Department of Civil Aviation. The ceremonial signing was made by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates chairman and CEO, and Boeing's Dubai-based sales director, Ken Schulz. The 10 747-8 Freighters were valued at $2.8 billion at list prices.
Guggenheim Aviation Partners: 4 x 747-8 Freighters. Announced on 17 October 2006, with an option on two more. Value was given as 1,12 billion US-Dollars.
Korean Air: 5 x 747-8 Freighter. Boeing and Korean Air finalized an order for 25 airplanes with a value of approximately $5.6 billion at list prices on 29 December 2007. The contract included five 747-8Fs.
Lufthansa: 20 x 747-8 Intercontinental. The purchase was announced on 6 December 2006. It included 20 purchase rights. Total average list price value was given als 5,5 billion US-Dollars.
Nippon Cargo Airlines: 8 x 747-8 Freighters plus six options, announced on 14 November 2005 for delivery form the fourth-quarter of 2009.
As of November 2005, Boeing forecast the need for about 900 airplanes -- passengers and freighters -- in the 400-plus-seat segment over the next 20 years. Boeing also forecast that large widebody freighters (65 metric tons and above in capacity) will comprise 34 percent of the freighter market by 2024.
Volga-Dnepr: 5 x 747-8 Freighters. The order was announced on 12 March 2007 at a value of 1.4 billion US-Dollars. The aircraft will be operated by Air Bridge Cargo.
VIP-Customers: 4 as of May 2007.
Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Airbus A380
Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The 747-8 is a new version of the long-running Jumbo family, using the technologies of the 787 Dreamliner to offer greater fuel efficiency, improved operating economics, and be more friendly to the environment with reduced noise and emissions. Both passenger (“Intercontinental”) and freighter versions (with slightly different fuselage stretches) were conceived. They fit right between the Boeing 777-300 and the Airbus A380-800. The main characteristics are:
- General Electric Genx-2B67 engines, as used in the 787, but with bleed air and a smaller fan. Nacelles feature chevron trailing edges and other treatments to meet Stage 4 and QC2 noise requirements. General Electric has the exclusive engine rights.
- improved wing with a simpler flap system (double-slotted inboard and single-slotted outboard). Raked wingtips replace the winglets. New materials and thicker guages will be used, and the twist will be changed.
- stretched fuselage. The 747-8 Intercontinental passenger airplane is stretched 5.6 m from the 747-400 ( at first, the plan was 3.6 m (11.7 ft)). A three-class configuration of 467 seats was mentioned by Boeing in November 2007. The 747-8 Freighter is 5.6 m (18.3 ft) longer than the 747-400 freighter (3,56 m more in front, 1,53 m in the rear section). This translates into 21 percent more lower-hold revenue cargo volume than the 747-400. The 747-8F provides 16 percent more cargo revenue volume than the 747-400. The additional 121 cum (4,225 cuft) from the longer fuselage offers space for four additional main-deck pallets, two additional lower-hold pallets and three additional lower-hold containers.
- upgraded flight deck, which retains a common type rating with the 747-400.
- a new interior for the 747-8 Intercontinental with features from the 787 Dreamliner, including a new curved, upswept architecture that will give passengers a greater feeling of space and comfort. The 747-8 also will integrate features from the 777, including windows that equal those on the 777 (15.3 inches/38.8 centimeters tall and 10.76 inches/27.3 centimeters wide).
At the time of the launch in November 2005, Boeing claimed that the 747-8 will be the only jetliner in the 400- to 500-seat category. According to the manufacturer, seat mile costs should be 8 per cent better than the 747-400 and six per cent less than the A380-800. It will offer 22 percent lower trip costs than the A380. Compared to the A380F, the 747-8F will offer 20 percent lower trip costs, Boeing said.
In 2007, Boeing said that the 747-8F was designed to deliver 14 percent lower ton-mile costs than the 747-400 Freighter
In 2007, Boeing said the 747-8 Intercontinental will will provide nearly equivalent trip costs to those on the 747-400 and 10 percent lower seat-mile costs, plus 28 percent greater cargo volume. The 747-8 Intercontinental also will be 16 percent more fuel efficient and 30 percent quieter than its predecessor.
History (Geschichte)
With the challange of the Airbus A380, Boeing was pondering many new variants of its Jumbo over the years, under designations like 747-400QLR, -500X, -600X, -700X, -800x.
From about 2003, Boeing was studying the 747 Advanced, which would incorporate technologies being developed for the all-new, highly efficient 7E7 (now 787). The 747 Advanced was billed as the only 400- to 500-seat jetliner, offering 8,000 nautical mile (14,816 km) range capacity and the best economics of any in the large-airplane class. As of June 2003, a gross weight of 421840 kg was promulgated, with stretches of 3,55 m for the passenger and 5,08 m for the cargo version. Wingspan was put at 68,7 m. The airplane would enter service toward the end of the decade, it was said. In the summer of 2003, airline reaction to the Boeing proposals was reported as “mixed”.
At the time of the Jumbos 35th anniversary of the first flight in February 2004, and at Asian Aerospace during the same month, Boeing confirmed that the Advanced studies were ongoing.
In June 2004, details of the passenger cabin like the “Sky Suites” over the main seating were revealed.
In the spring of 2005, Boeing seemed to push for an early launch of the 747 Advanced, and speculation mounted that a green light could be given at the Paris Air Show in June.
The General Electric GEnx engine was selected on 25 April 2005. At that time, a potential market of 250 to 300 aircraft was forecasted by Boeing.
In the autumn of 2005, rumours that Cargolux had choosen the new Jumbo variant were spreading.
Nearly 20 years after the 747-400, Boeing announced the official launch of the 747-8 program on 14 November 2005. It included the 747-8 Intercontinental passenger airplane and the 747-8 Freighter. The go-ahead came after orders from Cargolux and Nippon Cargo Airlines, which both took the cargo version for delivery from 2009. Firm orders from the two were valued at approximately $5 billion at list prices. Entry into service for the 747-8 Intercontinental will be in the first quarter of 2010, if orders are received in 2006. Speculation on possible customers centred on Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Qantas and BA.
High-speed windtunnel tests were planned for early 2006, with low-speed trials set for May. As of November 2005, the design freeze was planned for the third quarter of 2006. First flight of the Freighter should come before the end of of 2008.
On 18 January 2006, Boeing named the team of suppliers that will provide propulsion systems for the 747-8 airplane family. The external team includes General Electric (GE) for engines, Middle River Aircraft Systems for the thrust reverser system, and Spirit AeroSystems, Inc., for the nacelle and strut. The internal supplier team includes Boeing Winnipeg for the aft pylon fairing, Boeing Portland for the engine mounts, and Boeing Propulsion Systems Division for the engine build-up and strut build-up.
In July 2006, Boeing announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse SAS, a member of the Switzerland-based Liebherr Group, to supply the environmental control system for the 747-8. Liebherr's environmental control system will use outside air supplied by the 747-8's General Electric GEnx engines to supply the cabin. Liebherr will design and manufacture the environmental control system at its facility in Toulouse, France. Group members Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH and Liebherr-Elektronik GmbH also will participate in this project.
Boeing and General Electric completed airplane engine ground testing on noise-reduction improvements being incorporated into the new Boeing 747-8 in September 2006. The test conducted by Boeing and GE indicates the 747-8 will meet its targets for noise reduction. The three-week ground test on a GE90-115B engine conducted at GE's test facility in Peebles, Ohio, focused on noise-reduction technologies planned for incorporation into the engine case and nacelle of GE's GEnx-2B, which will power the 747-8. The test results, combined with other noise-reduction technology applied to the 747-8, show projected reduction in noise levels on the order of 10 decibels (dB) relative to the 747-400. This noise reduction puts the 747-8 10 dB below International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Chapter 4 standards.
Boeing completed firm configuration of the 747-8 Freighter airplane's design by the end of October 2006. Boeing achieved this milestone after a year of collaboration with airline customers and suppliers to determine the optimal configuration. It was said that Boeing will deliver the first 747-8 Freighter in Cargolux in late 2009.
Lufthansa became the first customer for the 747-8 Intercontinental on 6 December 2006, when it ordered 20 (plus 20 purchase rights) for total average list-price value of $5.5 billion. "The 747-8 is a perfect complement to our fleet in the 400-seat category and environmental initiatives," said Nico Buchholz, senior vice president, Corporate Fleet.
On 5 February 2007, Boeing said it had selected Rockwell Collins to provide the entire suite of displays, autopilot, communication, navigation, surveillance, maintenance, emergency and data management systems for its new 747-8 family. A key feature of the avionics suite is the Rockwell Collins WXR-2100 MultiScan Hazard Detection System, which is the first and only radar that analyzes and determines actual weather hazards, not simply atmospheric moisture content.
On 6 November 2007, Boeing announced it had completed firm configuration of the 747-8 Intercontinental. Deliveries were then targeted for late 2010.
On 8 November 2007, Cathay Pacific announced an order for 10 Boeing 747-8 Freighters.
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