Granted, the 747-8F serves the high-capacity segment of the air cargo market, so a marginal number of sales is inevitable. Operators AIR International has spoken with in recent years such as Cargolux and UPS have praised the 747-8F’s ability to serve their milk-runs between the main air cargo hubs worldwide, where the aircraft’s high capacity comes in useful.īut the low orders number and declining backlog raises an inevitable question about the 747-8’s sustainability. There were also flight management computer upgrades and a 330-minute extended-range operations clearance. Tweaks to the airframe reduced operating weight which, in combination with a performance improvement package from General Electric for the GEnx-2B engines, reduced fuel burn by 3.5%. A further 21 747-8Fs are in the backlog, including 17 more for UPS.īoeing introduced several enhancements to the 747-8 after service entry.

It can transport a payload of 292,400lb (132,630kg) in its 30,288ft3 (857m3) of cargo volume using its 34 main-deck pallet positions and 12 lower-deck positions, with the distinctive upwards-swinging nose door off ering loading flexibility.Īt the time of writing, 86 747-8Fs were in service comprising aircraft for AirBridgeCargo (seven), Atlas Air (ten), Cargolux (14), Cathay Pacific (14), Korean Air Cargo (seven), Nippon Cargo Airlines (eight), Silk Way Airlines (five), UPS Airlines (11), Volga-Dnepr Airlines (six) and four 747-8Fs with customers officially listed as unidentified but who include Saudia and Qatar Airways Cargo. The 747-8F entered service in October 2011 with Cargolux. The same underlying reason that led to the A380’s demise as a current-production model explains the low number of 747-8I sales: the increased capability and efficient economics of twin jets making quad-jets far less competitive. Eight other 747-8Is are with VIP customers (including three with the Qatar Emiri Flight) and one with an operator that remains officially undisclosed but is widely rumoured to be the Saudi Government.īoeing has only two remaining 747-8I orders, both for the US Air Force for the VC- 25B conversion to operate as Air Force One, replacing the current VC-25A. The only other airline operators are Korean Airlines (ten) and Air China (seven).

Most 747-8Is (19 aircraft) are used by Lufthansa, which has used it since May 2012. Of these, only 47 are the passenger variant, the 747-8 Intercontinental, with the 747-8 Freighter variant accounting for the other 86. At the time of writing just 133 747-8s had been delivered. There’s no mistaking the Boeing 747, especially not the 747-8, the longest 747 ever produced at 250ft 2in (76.3m) in length, which with the famous humpback fuselage and four large engines creates an imposing sight.

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