First 747-8 in final assembly rig

[Kerosene Kraut]

The longest 747 ever. 76,3 Meters long.
The front and tail fuselage sections have been loaded in the final assembly rig now. The first one will be a freighter. Later Lufthansa will get the pax version too.

pic:
Erste Boeing 747-8 in Endmontagevorrichtung - FLUG REVUE (http://www.flugrevue.de/de/zivilluftfahrt/fluggeraete/erste-boeing-747-8-in-endmontagevorrichtung.12667.htm)

[Dani]

what? Already? If they hurry up, they will overtake the 787!

[glad rag]

Later Lufthansa will get the pax version too.

Dream on!!

Lufthansa A380 - Startseite (http://a380.lufthansa.com/#en/galerie/p1/foto/kanal1)

[Kerosene Kraut]

Dream on?
This is from today's Boeing order website:

Customer Name
Customer: DLH
Model: 747-8

Customer Name Country Region Model Engine Order Date Total
Lufthansa German Airlines GERMANY Europe 747-8 GE 06-Dec-2006 20
Total 20

[BOEING777X]

Randy's Journal:

All together now (http://boeingblogs.com/randy/archives/2009/07/all_together_now.html)

:ok:

[glad rag]

How many ways of spelling C_A_R_G_O boys?? :ok:

[BOEING777X]

Neat video of final body join here (http://bit.ly/12revk). :ok:

[Kerosene Kraut]

Now it got it's engines installed.

picture:
Erste Boeing 747-8 mit Triebwerken ausgestattet - FLUG REVUE (http://www.flugrevue.de/de/zivilluftfahrt/fluggeraete/erste-boeing-747-8-mit-triebwerken-ausgestattet.13674.htm)

[BOEING777X]

Bigger pics here (http://is.gd/2NOOw). :ok:

[mutt]

Last time i checked there were 7 or 8 aircraft purchased by VVIP customers, I wonder if Boeing have considered building these before the Cargo version, especially considering that the cargo market is in the doldrums and the VVIP machines are destined to countries, not individuals......

Mutt

[SMOC]

Hi-res pic here

http://blog.seattlepi.com/aerospace/library/7478enginesbig.jpg

[Kerosene Kraut]

First flight of the 747-8 is now delayed to early 2010 this source claims: Boeing: 747-8 fliegt erst Anfang 2010 - FLUG REVUE (http://www.flugrevue.de/de/zivilluftfahrt/fluggeraete/boeing-747-8-fliegt-erst-anfang-2010.14449.htm)
And the program got a billion bugs more expensive.
First delivery now:
-8F: End 2010
-8I: End 2011

fast translation by google:
The American aircraft manufacturer announced today that the Boeing 747-8 is now only start in early 2010 on its maiden flight. For additional production costs of the program, the additional burden lies, according to Boeing in the 3rd Quarter of 2009 at around one billion dollars before taxes.

The production costs and difficult market conditions had a negative impact on the Boeing 747-8-program, said the manufacturer announced today. Therefore, increasing the cost by about one billion U.S. dollars before taxes.

Of these, approximately 640 million dollars on accounting for the higher production at Boeing and the suppliers. Because had belatedly asked the final design plans already produced components must be reworked. This has also disrupted the flow of production requires additional resources and increased costs at the suppliers.

The remaining 360 million U.S. dollars would be obtained by the decision to keep the production rate of 747-8 two years longer at only 1.5 planes a month, rather than, as originally planned, boot, fast to two aircraft per month. This could be the fixed costs are distributed among fewer aircraft and also would have to compensate the suppliers for the lower production.

The company expects the previously planned maiden flight before the end of 2009 only now beginning of 2010. By the end of 2010, the first 747-8F freighters should be approved and delivered. The first delivery of the 747-8 Intercontinental passenger version is planned in the fourth quarter of 2011.

[BOEING777X]

Couple of pics from the 747-8 line (http://is.gd/40IuA) I visited last week. Cant understand this delay since everything seemed to be "okay" - alas, another Boeing undoing...

[BOEING777X]

For anyone that's interested, I had a chat with Yahyavi prior to the delay news and here's a few excerpts of that here (http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/2009/10/12/yahyavi-747/).

[BOEING777X]

First 747-8F is now airborne (http://is.gd/7XLHC)!

:ok: