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© Boeing/Paul Weatherman
The B747-8 was a dramatic improvement over the B747-400 lower-hold containers. Cargo could also be
which entered service in 1989. While the B747-8 was externally loaded and unloaded on the 747-8F using
similar to the B747-400, it had a higher gross weight, a longer both the nose and side doors for maximum
fuselage, a new higher-aspect-ratio wing, and new higher-by- speed and efficiency.
pass-ratio engines. In fact Boeing designed the B747-8 to have
as much commonality as possible with the B747-400 while also As compared to the 747-400, Boeing stretched
incorporating advanced technology from the B787. the B747-8I passenger airplane by 3.6 m (11.7
ft) to accommodate 34 additional seats in a
The B747-8 would be powered by GE’s advanced 787-technology typical three-class configuration. The B747-8I
GEnx engines which were 30 per cent quieter as compared to offered 21 per cent more lower-hold revenue
the B747-400. The new GEnx engines met Stage 4 and QC2 noise cargo volume than the 747-400 and cost
requirements, in addition to reducing emissions. The new engines about 8 percent less per seat mile to operate.
along with aerodynamic enhancements and an improved wing
meant that the B747-8 offered lower trip costs. It also featured The B747-8I could travel 1,000 nautical miles
an upgraded flight deck. farther with the same 416 passengers as com-
pared to the B747-400 or travel 750 nautical
The 747-8 had about six million parts manufactured by more than miles farther with 467 passengers. It could
550 suppliers in almost 30 countries, including the United States, also carry 467 passengers and 30,000 pounds
China, Germany, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom. of cargo the same distance as the B747-400.
In the U.S., more than 450 suppliers across almost 40 states
contribute to the 747-8 programme. Boeing had delivered the 1,500th B747 (a
B747-8I) to come off the production line to
Boeing offered the B747-8 in two variants, the 747-8I Lufthansa in June 2014. The German carrier
(Intercontinental) passenger airplane and the 747-8F airplane. was the launch customer of the 747-8I and
Luxembourg based Cargolux and Japan’s Nippon Cargo Airlines had taken delivery of its first airplane in April
were the first customers for the B747-8F. Cargolux Airlines took 2012. Lufthansa had also taken delivery of
delivery of the first 747-8F in Oct. 2011. Boeing ended production the 50th 747-8 in May 2013.
with total orders for 107 B747-8Fand 48 B747-8I aircraft, about
half of the 300 orders Boeing had projected for the programme. © BOEING

The B747-8F was 5.6 m (18.3 ft) longer than the B747-400
Freighter. Both models accommodate 3.1-meter (10-foot) high
pallets, providing operators with maximum flexibility. The B747-8F
had a total payload capacity of 137 tonnes allowing customers
to access 20 per cent more payload capacity while using 16 per
cent less fuel compared to previous-generation 747s.

The B747-8F also offered additional 117m3 (4,124 ft3) from the
longer fuselage offered space for four additional main-deck
pallets, two additional lower-hold pallets and two additional

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