IS the GE engine the exclusive engine or do PW and RR get a shot at offering a powerplant? never understood why the 777-300ER HAD to have the GE superfan rather than offer the others as well.
You KNOW that BA want it. You just know. Even though they operate 3*744 from Hong Kong over London within two hours each morning etc etc etc

Oh well!

Sounds like a good move. Freight traffic is growing at a steady clip and this is expected to continue. Boeing sold 26 747_400F last year alone so the -8 is likely to continue with this momentum.
From what I understand the 747 is better suited to freight as opposed to packages than the A380 so Boeing will likely have this market for a while.
On the passenger side it will be very interesting. I suspect the airline to watch will be SQ.
The pendulum swings back and forth and Boeing is looking very good for the moment.
Does anyone know if the 747_8 will share a type rating with the earlier variants?
20driver

Don't forget the BCF (formerly known as SF - converted -400s)...sold more then 15 and it keeps going on...

For the type cert it is quite...I guess you're flying so you have to wait a little bit for that answer...as for the FAA cert side that one is much clearer since it is a derivative...

What I mean is that too many systems will see an upgrade so to it might go both ways in terms of a type rate...

Airbus will probably rue the lack of a nose door in the 380F methinks...

now I have always thought the queen 'o the skies was a hot piece of kit but look at the new wings and engines!!!!

http://747.newairplane.com/

I'm getting all hot and bothered!

Does anyone know how much 777/787 technology there is? I can see some 777 screens and pointing devices in the cockpit but won't it still have steel cables under the floor, and bungees and bus drums and all the other mechanical bits? Or will it have 777 technology with fly by wire and back powered control columns?

Also it says small changes to the wings, with new wingtips, but the wings in Boeings ads sweep up like a 787!

How much change can Boeing make before it requires "from scratch" certification as opposed to a "variant" one? (Evac tests, etc.)

As long as they don't change the door layout or extend the upper deck anymore Boeing will never have to recert PAX EVAC and the like. They already proved over 550 PAX EVAC for the Japanese.

SwedishSteve:

A lot of 777/787, that is the whole idea...structure wise and system wise as well...wing is new, not only on the pic...


Let's wait for the PDR to see where is this heading for...and how fast...

The serrated engine casing is interesting, as is the 'organic' looking wing.

But I wonder how much of that will make it to the actual design? The 787 was similarly illustrated a while back, whereas the actual design is alot more conventional looking. It smells a bit of concept.

"Guys, it's a longer 747. How do we make it look cool and new?"

"Widdly bits on the engines and a nice floaty wing?"

"Make it so"

The freighter will not be a SUD (Stretched Upper Deck)
as depicted in the Seattle Times pic. Only the pax version will have a plugged SUD.

UT, it would make no sense to add the SUD to the freighter, it would add about 30k lbs. to the OEW.

Air NZ has 4x leased 744 and 4x owned 744... me thinks that ANZ would wait approx 7 years (to get use out of all the new refitting) then return the 4x leased jets and order 4x 748.. the owned 744s are getting on a bit now... the oldest ANZ has being about 15 years old so by then they should be ready to be retired 1 per year perhaps, while 773ER replace them. The 748s being used for the AKL-LAX-LHR routes (which ANZ will be doubling to twice daily to UK shortly). so 4x 748, 8x 772ER, 4x788, with options for another 36 mix of 772 ER/LR, 773ER and 788s. nice

Personally I think Boeing has done the smart thing.... not much to develop, similar levels of cost benefits fuelwise, common type and able to fit perfectly into just about every Intl airport...

Does anybody know if this ship is stage 4 noise?and furthermore has MR Boeing relased any numbers on how much this program is going to cost? (design and certification)