Boeing 747-8: Is it an answer to Airbus A380?

Filed in archive Aircraft on February 9, 2010

Airbus and Boeing, if you think of an aircraft one of these names would surely come to your mind. Over the years both these names have established a reputation in the airspace market and the intense competition between the two has resulted in a better flying experience for travelers and even today they fight head on head to establish their supremacy in the market.

The latest version of 747 - Boeing 747-8 is being touted as an answer to Airbus A380. It is expected to be a paradise for cargo operators as the company claims that it offers one of the lowest operating costs and improved environmental performance. At the end of the day it would mean 16% more revenue cargo volume compared to 747-400 freighter and 11% more fuel efficiency as compared to A380.

This is a wide bodied, high capacity aircraft and is powered with four General Electric GEnx-2B engines. Its redesigned wings and lengthened fuselage have led to improved efficiency for the aircraft. It offers a range of 8,275 km and has a total payload capacity of around 134000 kg. The company recently carried out a pilot flight for testing engine performance and basic handling qualities. During tests where it was flown over skies of Everett for over three hours it reached an altitude of 17,000 feet and clocked speed of around 426 km per hour. Boeing 747-8 development started in 2005 and the company has already received orders from around nine countries for supplying 108 747-8 Freighters.

Let's see if Boeing 747-8 can stand the test of time and kick out Airbus A380 out of the race.