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Boeing Reveals One of Its First 747-8 Jumbo Jets to The Public

February 17, 2011 at 9:50 AM | by | Comments (0)

Boeing might be busy putting the finishing touches on all those 787s, but the company still has plenty of resources to deal with its biggest airplane to date. The 747 isn’t exactly a new kid on the block, but the latest variation, the 747-8 Intercontinental just made its public debut over the weekend. Seating can vary between 400 and 500—depending how the airlines choose to cram in the coach seats—so with its extended upper deck bump this is the biggest commercial plane Boeing has ever built.

The original design of the jumbo jet is over 40 years old, but despite the retro paint scheme, this plane is anything but vintage. It’s sharing some technology from its 787 sibling and features new designs for the wings as well as a new body and engines. All this new technology and fancy airplane stuff will allow for increased fuel efficiency and a reduction in emissions of just under 20%. Things will also be a little roomier inside, so even if you are in the back of the plane it will at least appear more spacious.

Unlike the 787 that rolled out to meet the public several years ago, this new plane is pretty much ready to take to the skies for testing. The interior is a little bit lacking as the inside of the plane is filled with testing instruments, but Boeing thinks this thing will be ready to go before 2011 is over. The company is still shopping its latest big bird around among air carriers, but it already looks like Lufthansa will be the first carrier to swipe its corporate credit card.

The only downer about the big reveal is that rival airplane company Airbus is already talking junk, as they try to rain on Boeing’s parade. Airbus wants the company to complete an updated evacuation test since the latest airplane can hold a few more passengers than its current 747-400 version. The test usually involves filling a plane with the maximum amount of passengers, and then having everyone exit as quickly as possible in complete darkness. We don’t want to sign up for that test mission, but Boeing says they’ll work with the FAA to meet all requirements.

Oh one more thing, the plane that was revealed to the public won’t be seeing truckloads of passengers anytime soon, as it’s actually being purchased by a private individual—must be nice.

Related Stories:
· The New 747-8 Jumbo Jet: Up Close and Inside [Seattle Times]
· Boeing 747-8 Needs Passenger Evacuation Tests, Airbus Says [Bloomberg]
· Airplane News coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Boeing]

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