Boeing unveils new 747-8 passenger jet

[markis10]

It looks weird with those extra windows on top, I wonder if QF will place an order???

BOEING has unveiled the world's longest passenger jet and its rival to the Airbus A380 - the 747-8 Intercontinental. About 10,000 people gathered to witness the premiere of the jet in a factory at Everett, Washington, US.

In pictures: Inside Boeing's 747-8 jumbo jet


At more 76m long, the 747-8 will be the world's longest passenger aircraft and is nearly 6m longer than its predecessors.


The plane can carry 467 passengers - 51 more than the current version of the 747 - and will feature the latest technologies, including an interior inspired by the famous yet troubled new Dreamliner jet.

Read more: Boeing unveils new 747-8 passenger jet | News.com.au
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[casanovawa]

hmmm, wonder how much harder and costlier it would have been to go for something more radical rather than safe like extending the top deck the whole way??? or even just longer top deck than it is at present???

reading somewhere else that only a couple of airlines had signed up for the passenger version, wonder how it will sell... maybe better for smaller airports that don't want to do all the upgrades required for the A380, but then if it becomes ubiquitus (sp) they may just have to???

 

[Nigelinoz]

It looks weird with those extra windows on top, I wonder if QF will place an order???

Nah I reckon they will stick with the A380 for long haul high capacity aircraft,I think airlines like United might be interested though,it will be interesting to see how it sells.
Cheers
N'oz

 

[codash1099]

I wonder how many rivets this one is missing .

Does it actually work (not like the first 787 rollout.)

 

[oz_mark]

Interesting colour scheme.

No wonder the wings are all a-flutter.

 

[samh004]

I guess upper deck entry doesn’t make sense when the upper deck isn’t that big, though I would have thought they’d go for the 3-way access. Perhaps it would have required a major re-design. Still, 51 more pax and 2 extra pallets isn’t bad.

I love how it’s only 3.52m longer than the A380, as if that’s going to make a huge difference when the A380-900 comes out, and will probably be longer. I didn’t realise it was so important to have the longest

 

[tuppaware]

I love how it’s only 3.52m longer than the A380, as if that’s going to make a huge difference when the A380-900 comes out, and will probably be longer. I didn’t realise it was so important to have the longest

I always thought thickness is what the A380 had over the 747

Maybe boeing is rolling out this beauty because all of the set backs its had from 787? That and it was cheap to slightly redesign the from the ground up.

There is something sexy about the 747, the A380 just looks like a blotted fish.

 

[Andyzx]

hmmm, wonder how much harder and costlier it would have been to go for something more radical rather than safe like extending the top deck the whole way??? or even just longer top deck than it is at present???

New wings, avionics, body, tail, 5m longer so I think it’s more than a facelift, maybe not radical (except for the paint job) but definitely a change. Trent engines that don't escape their cowlings. Better range and speed too, better than the A380. but i think it looks more like a whale than a plane

 

[NM]

New wings, avionics, body, tail, 5m longer so I think it’s more than a facelift, maybe not radical (except for the paint job) but definitely a change. Trent engines that don't escape their cowlings. Better range and speed too, better than the A380. but i think it looks more like a whale than a plane

but Boeing was limited in how much they could change and still be able to use the "grand-father" design approvals from previous 747 models. For example, if they could not use the grand-father approvals, they could not seat passengers in the nose section as the current design regulations mandate that all passengers must be able to use emergency exits forward and aft of their seating possitions, and of course all passengers in the nose (Zone A) only have exits to the rear. So they had to convince the regulatory authorities that it was just an upgrade to the existing 747 and not a new aircraft type.

 

[drewbles]

but Boeing was limited in how much they could change and still be able to use the "grand-father" design approvals from previous 747 models. For example, if they could not use the grand-father approvals, they could not seat passengers in the nose section as the current design regulations mandate that all passengers must be able to use emergency exits forward and aft of their seating possitions, and of course all passengers in the nose (Zone A) only have exits to the rear. So they had to convince the regulatory authorities that it was just an upgrade to the existing 747 and not a new aircraft type.

Interesting. If they were to do a BA and put all seats facing 'backwards' in Zone A, would this meet the requirements of having exits forward of seats? I would imagine so, but then again, a lot of F travellers may not like this...

Am loving the colour scheme. It's very retro!

 

[NM]

Interesting. If they were to do a BA and put all seats facing 'backwards' in Zone A, would this meet the requirements of having exits forward of seats? I would imagine so, but then again, a lot of F travellers may not like this...

The current requirement is for all passengers to have exits available BOTH forward and behind their seating position. So they would need to have an escape hatch/slide down through the nose gear or install a wardrobe with Narnia (C.S. Lewis) access up front.

 

[Skyring]

maybe better for smaller airports that don't want to do all the upgrades required for the A380

If an airport can handle a B747, it can handle an A380. There's not that much difference between the two aircraft. Harder to park the A380 with its longer wings, and the outer engines hang out a little wider, but that's about it.

 

[Skyring]

There is something sexy about the 747, the A380 just looks like a blotted fish.

The A380 is pretty ordinary in the beauty department, but when it came out, the B747 immediately looked old. The B748 is going to be recognisable, but it's still an old design.

The B787, on the other hand, has an exciting look about it, a real change in the traditional Boeing style.

 

[ntaus]

If an airport can handle a B747, it can handle an A380. There's not that much difference between the two aircraft. Harder to park the A380 with its longer wings, and the outer engines hang out a little wider, but that's about it.

Then why have airports (including Sydney) had to run upgrade programs into the millions to be able to accmmodate them?

ntaus

 

[Skyring]

Then why have airports (including Sydney) had to run upgrade programs into the millions to be able to accommodate them?

They haven't had to do anything. There's no requirement for any special handling facilities. There are things airports can do to make handling A380s on a day to day basis easier, but that's the airport's call. Seriously, they just aren't that much bigger.

Airports went through a lot more trauma in the 70s when the first B747s came in. They were a big jump up from the B707/DC8 class.

 

[ntaus]

They haven't had to do anything. There's no requirement for any special handling facilities. There are things airports can do to make handling A380s on a day to day basis easier, but that's the airport's call. Seriously, they just aren't that much bigger.

Airports went through a lot more trauma in the 70s when the first B747s came in. They were a big jump up from the B707/DC8 class.

My understanding was that it was not the size but the weight of the aircraft, at around 100 tons more than the 747-400, that necessitated an upgrade to the taxiways leading to the runways in Sydney.

An expensive task mainly as it all had to be done at night.

ntaus

 

[ntaus]

Sydney Airport Welcomes the A380

 

[nlagalle]

They haven't had to do anything. There's no requirement for any special handling facilities. There are things airports can do to make handling A380s on a day to day basis easier, but that's the airport's call. Seriously, they just aren't that much bigger.

Airports went through a lot more trauma in the 70s when the first B747s came in. They were a big jump up from the B707/DC8 class.

Melbourne had to widen the north/south runway to accommodate the A380. some works were required IIRC

 

[Skyring]

My understanding was that it was not the size but the weight of the aircraft, at around 100 tons more than the 747-400, that necessitated an upgrade to the taxiways leading to the runways in Sydney.

An expensive task mainly as it all had to be done at night.

Thanks for the link. The thing with widening runways and taxiways is that you want tarmac underneath the outboard engines so as to minimise objects being blown up from unsealed areas under the jet exhausts.

Taxiway re-alignment would likely be to cater for two A380s passing wingtip to wingtip.

Strengthening runways and taxiways isn't much of an issue, as the aircraft weight is spread over a greater number of wheels, but for bridges the entire weight has to be carried by the structure. I'd forgotten about the bridge, to be honest.

 

[straitman]

A Bright Splash Of Color At 747-8 Rollout

Another interesting article about the rollout.

A Bright Splash Of Color At 747-8 Rollout


Feb 14, 2011 By Michael Mecham [email protected], Guy Norris [email protected]
Seattle,

With a “vibrant and dynamic” orange-red livery that customers in its all-important Asian markets associate with prosperity and success, Boeing rolled out the 747-8 Intercontinental passenger jet Sunday in a celebration attended by 10,000 employees and guests.

“This is a new airplane and we wanted a new livery,” Boeing Vice President and airplane production chief Pat Shanahan said as a curtain dropped revealing the 467-passenger jet. “We wanted to be seen as vibrant and dynamic.”

Although it is the third generation of what is probably the world’s most recognized jet, the 747-8 is the first time the four-engine aircraft has been stretched. It is now 250 ft. 2-in. long, – 18 ft. more than the 747 “classics” or 747-400, and carries 51 more passengers in a nominal three-class seating. Flight testing is expected to start in late March with FAA certification and first delivery in the fourth quarter.