Boeing quietly adds first 748 Intercontinental order

[vapilot2004]

Typical - low key Boeing:

The Boeing Co. has landed the first order for the passenger version of its 747-8 -- but it isn't making a big deal about it.

In fact, Boeing did not even make an announcement. It simply added the order for the one plane to information about jetliner orders and deliveries that can be found on its public Web site. And even then, the information was not easy to spot.

The customer for the plane does not want to be identified, a Boeing spokesman said Thursday when asked about the order.

A company insider who asked not to be quoted by name said only a small number of people within Boeing know who the customer is.

It is the first 747 passenger plane of any type that Boeing has sold in several years. Customers have been buying only freighters. The 747-8 will be a bigger and more efficient version of the jumbo jet. It is being developed as both a freighter and a passenger plane.

Boeing launched development of the 747-8 program last year, with orders for the freighter. Luxembourg's Cargolux has ordered 10 freighters, and Nippon Cargo Airlines ordered eight.

But until now, Boeing had not had a single order for the 747-8 passenger plane, which will be called the Intercontinental.

In a recent briefing for reporters, Jeff Peace, vice president of 747 programs, said he was not worried about the lack of Intercontinental orders and expected such an order by the end of this year.

Boeing has been talking with a number of potential customers about the 747-8 passenger plane. Most are in Asia.



The first 747-8 freighter will be delivered in the third quarter of 2009, and the first 747-8 Intercontinental about six months later.

Production of the current version of the plane, 747-400, will end with delivery of the 747-8 freighter.

Late last week, Boeing quietly added three 747 orders to its Web site. Two of those were for the 747-400ER freighter, according to information that was updated Thursday. The other mystery plane was the 747-8 Intercontinental.

The 747-8 will be the first ever stretch of the 747 fuselage. The bigger plane will seat about 450 passengers in three classes, or about 35 more than the 747-400.

In addition to a new and improved wing, the 747-8 will use the fuel-efficient engines being developed for the 787.

[TwinAisle]

Wonder if Air Force One is up for replacement?

[Jumbonomore]

Wonder if Air Force One is up for replacement?
A -400 would be an upgrade. Current AF One is a -300.

[vapilot2004]

Wonder if Air Force One is up for replacement?

They tend to buy 2 of these at a time. The current SAM28000 and SAM29000 VC-25s have such low utilization - not unlike the low-mileage sedan only driven by a little old (and very cool) lady to the pub on Saturday night - :} - these two jumbos will likely soldier on for many years to come.

It is odd to be an order of one airframe - some industry analysts are claiming the sale could be a blue chip carrier order with options for many more - but placing a deposit for only one - reserving the remaining order and announcement for a better time politically in their homeland.

Historically (and uniquely), Boeing will only report a sale after there is a cash deposit made. Normally the Boeing Co is relatively transparent when it comes to commercial business reporting - in this case they are bowing to the customers wishes.

I too wonder if it could be a private buyer. Mums the word thus far....:hmm:

[Sleeping Freight Dog]

Jumbonomore,

Actually AF 1 is based on the B747-200 body type. It does not have the
extended upper deck of the 300 or 400 but does have the enhanced cockpits of the later versions..

[Ransman]

I thought the upgrade to the (HS) 748 was the (BAe) ATP! No wonder Boeing kept the 1st order quiet!:)

[hetfield]

How many orders did AI get in may?

[Flight Safety]

My guess would be a private individual, or a head of state. This would probably be a "low key" order, as no airline purchase announcements could be made.

[gordonroxburgh]

or could it be an insurance job, with a write off being replaced?

[TwinAisle]

Pretty unlikely I would suggest - an airline that has, say, 3 747-400s on the books and needs to replace one would probably want another 747-400, not a new and quite different variation.

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

I thought the upgrade to the (HS) 748 was the (BAe) ATP! No wonder Boeing kept the 1st order quiet!:)

Ah yes; transformation from Land Rover to Skoda in one move.

[Sqwak7700]

I'd bet money that the customer is private and probably from the middle east. Only a private operator would place an order for only one. Any airline that could use the 748 would surely at least place an order for more than one, and probably through some options in there as well.

As stated earlier, the 89th would not buy just one. It would be embarrasing if the president had to cancel a trip somewhere because his shiny new plane had technical problems. :rolleyes:

There are many midle eastern 747SPs still flying around the world. Just the other week I saw Bahrain's in LAX's south ramp. I believe Abu Dhabi also has one. These airplanes are probably getting expensive to maintain, so a 748 replacement makes sense. God knows they have the money for it.

That would also explain Boeing keeping their mouth shutt. It just doesn't look good when the first order for your biggest passenger aircraft comes from a middle eastern customer. Who knows, maybe it is even a country with poor relations with the US. :oh: