Well, it looks as if the rumours about the -8 are true. It will not make HKG-ANC with 134T. The Boeing website has been changed. Whereas it used to show the -8 making it, it now depicts it coming up short of ANC. This is consistent with what I heard off the 3rd floor. They said it looks like about 125T to ANC. This is a definite disappointment and takes the -8I off the HKG-JFK route with full pax and cargo. They even hinted that CX would rather have purchased the 777F if this were known back when they ordered.
Perhaps the era of 4 engined aircraft will end sooner than we hoped. Without range and economics that compete with big twins, the downside risk during recessions is likely to limit their longterm viability in significant numbers.
