The Boeing 747-8 is the last member of the Boeing 747 family, a series of large, long-range wide-body airliners built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the largest model of the 747 and Boeing's largest aircraft overall.
Following the introduction of the 747-400, Boeing explored larger 747 versions as potential competitors to the proposed double-deck Airbus A3XX, later developed as the Airbus A380. The stretched aircraft, initially called the 747 Advanced, was officially launched as the 747-8 on November 14, 2005, with the designation reflecting its technological ties to the 787 Dreamliner. At the time, Boeing forecast a market of 300 aircraft.
The 747-8's maiden flight was made by the freighter version, the 747-8F, on February 8, 2010, followed by the passenger version, the 747-8I Intercontinental, on March 20, 2011. The freighter version was delivered in October 2011, and the passenger variant entered commercial service in June 2012.
The aircraft's fuselage was stretched by , reaching a total length of , making it the longest airliner in service. While retaining the basic structural design and wing sweep of its predecessors, the 747-8 has a deeper and thicker wing, allowing for greater fuel capacity, and larger raked wingtips for improved aerodynamics. It is powered by a more efficient, smaller version of the General Electric GEnx turbofan engine from the 787 Dreamliner (recognizable by chevron edges on the engine nacelles). As a result, its maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) increases to , making the 747-8 the heaviest Boeing airliner.
The freighter version, with a shorter upper deck, can haul over . The intercontinental version can carry 467 passengers in a typical three-class configuration with a range of .
A total of 155 aircraft were built including 107 freighters and 48 passenger airliners. The final aircraft, a 747-8F, was delivered to Atlas Air on January 31, 2023.
Development Background
Boeing had considered larger-capacity versions of the 747 several times during the 1990s (such as the Boeing New Large Airplane) and 2000s. The 747-500X and -600X, announced at the 1996 Farnborough Airshow, would have stretched the 747, but they did not attract enough interest to enter development. At the same air show, a hypothetical wider-bodied 747-700X was described by a Boeing spokesperson as being possible, but inconsistent with the future requirements identified by the company.
In 2000, Boeing offered the 747X and 747X Stretch derivatives as alternatives to the Airbus A3XX. This was a more modest proposal than the previous −500X and −600X. The 747X would increase the 747's wingspan to by adding a segment at the root."Boeing 747 Celebrates 30 Years In Service" . Boeing, January 21, 2000. The 747X was to carry 430 passengers up to . The 747X Stretch would be extended to long, allowing it to carry 500 passengers up to . However, the 747X family was unable to attract enough interest to enter production. Some of the ideas developed for the 747X were used on the 747-400ER."Boeing Launches New, Longer-Range 747-400" . Boeing, November 28, 2000.
After the 747X program, Boeing continued to study improvements to the 747. The 747-400XQLR (Quiet Long Range) was meant to have an increased range of , with better fuel efficiency and reduced noise. Changes studied included raked wingtips similar to those used on the 767-400ER and a 'sawtooth' engine nacelle for noise reduction."Boeing Offers New 747-400X Quiet Longer Range Jetliner" . Boeing, February 26, 2002."Boeing favours GE for latest 747-400 development" Flight Global, March 5, 2002. Although the 747-400XQLR did not move to production, many of its features were used for the proposed 747 Advanced.
In early 2004, Boeing announced tentative plans for the 747 Advanced that were eventually adopted. Boeing selected the designation 747-8 for the aircraft to show the technology connection between the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the new 747. The 747-8 used technology and the General Electric GEnx engines from the 787 to modernize the design and its systems."Boeing 747, the 'Queen of the Skies,' Celebrates 35th Anniversary" . Boeing, February 9, 2004. In 2005, Boeing forecast a market for 300 aircraft, split evenly between freighters and passenger variants.
Design effort
On November 14, 2005, Boeing announced the launching of the 747 Advanced as the "Boeing 747-8". The 747-8 was the first lengthened 747 to go into production and the second 747 version with a fuselage of modified length after the shortened 747SP. The 747-8 was intended to use the same engine and cockpit technology as that of the 787, including the General Electric GEnx turbofan and fly-by-wire ailerons and spoilers."Boeing Rethinks 747-8 Outsourcing". Aviation Week, April 11, 2008. In 2006, Boeing said that the new design would be quieter, more economical and more environmentally friendly than previous versions of the 747. As a derivative of the already-common 747-400, the 747-8 has the economic benefit of similar training and interchangeable parts. Boeing firmed the 747-8 Freighter's configuration in October 2006."Boeing Completes Firm Configuration of 747-8 Freighter". Boeing
The , as a new development of Boeing's largest airliner, is notably in direct competition on long-haul routes with the Airbus A380, a full-length double-deck aircraft introduced in 2007. For airlines seeking very large passenger airliners, the two have been pitched as competitors on various occasions. Boeing states that the 747-8 is more than 10 percent lighter per seat and consumes 11 percent less fuel per passenger than the A380, translating into a trip-cost reduction of 21 percent and a seat-mile cost reduction of over 6 percent.
Production of the first 747-8 Freighter began in Everett in early August 2008.Dunlop, Michelle. "Boeing: Getting 747-8 and 777 ready for production" . Heraldnet.com, August 25, 2008. On November 14, 2008, Boeing announced a delay to the 747-8 program, citing limited availability of engineering resources within Boeing, design changes and the recent strike by factory workers."Boeing Adjusts 747-8 Program Production and Delivery Schedule". Boeing, November 14, 2008.Sobie, Brendan. "Atlas seeks compensation for 747-8F delays". Air Transport Intelligence news via flightglobal.com, June 12, 2009. In February 2009, only one airline customer (Lufthansa) had ordered the 747-8I passenger model, and Boeing announced that it was reassessing the 747-8 project. Chief executive Jim McNerney stated that continuation of the project was not a foregone conclusion, and that the company was assessing various options.
On July 21, 2009, Boeing released a photograph of the first cargo airplane, its fuselage and main wing assembled."First Boeing 747-8 Freighter Takes Shape" . Boeing, July 21, 2009. In October 2009, Boeing announced that it had delayed the first flight on the 747-8 until the first quarter of 2010 and delayed 747-8I delivery. The company took a US$1-billion charge against its earnings for this delay."Boeing admits further 747-8 delay" . BBC, October 6, 2009. In response, launch customer Cargolux stated it still intended to take delivery of the thirteen freighters it had ordered; Lufthansa confirmed its commitment to the passenger version."Boeing Settles In for a Bumpy Ride". The Wall Street Journal, Marketplace Section, October 7, 2009, p. B1. On November 12, 2009, Boeing announced that Cargolux's first airplane was fully assembled and entering the Everett plant's paint shop. It was to undergo flight testing prior to delivery."First Boeing 747-8 Freighter Leaves Factory" . Boeing, November 12, 2009.
On December 4, 2009, Korean Air became the second airline customer for the −8I passenger model, with an order for five airliners."Boeing, Korean Air Announce Order for New 747-8 Intercontinental" . Boeing, December 4, 2009."KAL orders five Boeing 747-8 passenger aircraft". Air Transport Intelligence news via FlightGlobal.com, December 4, 2009. On January 8, 2010, Guggenheim Aviation Partners (GAP) announced the reduction of its −8F order from four to two aircraft."Guggenheim cancels orders for two Boeing 747-8Fs". Air Transport Intelligence news via FlightGlobal.com, January 8, 2010. In March 2011, Korean Air converted options into a firm order for two additional −8 freighters./index.php?s=43&item=1673 "Boeing, Korean Air Announce Order for Two 747-8 Freighters" . Boeing, March 18, 2011. It received its first -8i in late August 2015.
Flight testing and certification
The first engine runs were completed in December 2009.Boeing Successfully Completes 747-8 Freighter Engine Runs . Boeing Boeing announced the new model had successfully completed high-speed taxi tests on February 7, 2010. On February 8, 2010, after a 2.5-hour weather delay, the 747-8 Freighter made its maiden flight, taking off from Paine Field, Washington at 12:39 PST,Ostrower, Jon. "Boeing's 747-8F lifts off on maiden flight". Flightglobal.com, February 8, 2010. and landed at 4:18 pm PST."Boeing 747-8 Freighter Successfully Completes First Flight" . Boeing, February 8, 2010. Quote: "With 747 Chief Pilot Mark Feuerstein and Capt. Tom Imrich on the flight deck, the newest member of the 747 family took off at 12:39 p.m. local time from Paine Field in Everett and landed at Paine Field at 4:18 p.m." Boeing estimated that more than 1,600 flight hours would be needed in order to certify the . The second test flight in late February, a ferry flight to Moses Lake, Washington, tested new navigation equipment. Further flight testing was to take place in Moses Lake, conducting initial airworthiness and flutter tests, before moving to Palmdale, California, for the majority of flight tests so as to not interfere with 787 flight tests based out of Boeing Field in Seattle.
By March 11, 2010, the 747-8F had flown thirteen flights covering a total of 33 hours. On March 15, 2010, the second 747-8F first flew from Paine Field to Boeing Field, where it was briefly based before moving to Palmdale to continue flight testing with the first −8F. On March 17 the third −8F made its first flight and joined the test program.
During the flight tests, Boeing discovered a buffet problem with the aircraft, involving turbulence coming off the landing gear doors interfering with the inboard flaps. Boeing undertook an evaluation of the issue, which included devoting the third test aircraft to investigating the problem."747-8F flap buffet could force landing gear door redesign". Flightglobal.com, March 24, 2010. The issue was resolved by a design change to the outboard main landing gear doors. In early April 2010, Boeing identified a possible defect in one of the upper longerons, a main component of the fuselage. According to Boeing, the parts, manufactured by subcontractor Vought Aircraft Industries, were, under certain loads, susceptible to cracking. Boeing said that the issue would not affect flight testing, but other sources stated that the problem could impact the operating envelope of the aircraft until it was fully repaired. Two other issues found during testing were oscillation in the inboard aileron and a structural flutter, which had not been resolved as of 2010. Combined, these problems slowed flight testing and used up almost all the margin in Boeing's development schedule.