Background and 747-500X concept. The 747-500X fuselage would have been stretched by 18 ft (5.5 m) to 250 ft (76.2 m) long. The 747X and 747X Stretch derivatives were also proposed.
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. 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 . 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. 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. In 2005, Boeing forecast a market for 300 aircraft, split evenly between freighters and passenger variants.
Design effort at
Paine Field, originally built for the 747 program, is the site of 747-8 assembly. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. On December 4, 2009,
Korean Air became the second airline customer for the −8I passenger model, with an order for five airliners. On January 8, 2010,
Guggenheim Aviation Partners (GAP) announced the reduction of its −8F order from four to two aircraft. In March 2011, Korean Air converted options into a firm order for two additional −8 freighters. It received its first -8i in late August 2015.
Flight testing and certification The first engine runs were completed in December 2009. 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, and landed at 4:18 pm PST. 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. 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. On April 19, 2010, the second flight-test aircraft was moved from Moses Lake to Palmdale to conduct tests on the aircraft's engines in preparation for obtaining a
type certification for the aircraft. The remaining aircraft in the test fleet were scheduled to move to Palmdale during May. It was reported on June 3, 2010, that an engine on the second 747-8F was struck by a tug during a ground move. The engine cowling was damaged, but there was no damage to the engine itself. After repairs, the aircraft moved into fuel-efficiency testing. It was announced on June 14, 2010, that the 747-8 had completed the initial phase of flight-worthiness testing and that the
Federal Aviation Administration had given Boeing an expanded type-inspection authorization for the aircraft. By the end of June 2010, the three 747-8Fs that composed the flight-test program had flown a total of over 500 hours and had completed hot-weather testing in Arizona. In June 2010, Boeing determined that a fourth −8F aircraft was needed to help complete flight testing. It was decided to use the second production aircraft, RC503, to conduct the non-instrumented or minimally-instrumented tests, such as
HIRF and Water Spray Certifications. The aircraft, painted in delivery customer
Cargolux's new livery, first flew on July 23, 2010. On August 21, 2010, a 747-8F proved the variant's capability by taking off from the runway at Victorville, California weighing 1,005,000 pounds (455,860 kg). Its design
maximum take-off weight (MTOW) is 975,000 pounds (442,253 kg). The fifth 747-8F joined the flight-test effort with its first flight on February 3, 2011. On September 30, 2010, Boeing announced a further postponement, with the delivery of the first freighter to Cargolux planned for mid-2011. The 747-8 passenger version took to the skies over Everett, Washington, for the first time on March 20, 2011. The second 747-8I flew on April 26, 2011. Three 747-8 Intercontinentals had taken part in flight testing by December 2011. 's first 747-8F The 747-8F received its amended
type certificate jointly from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on August 19, 2011. Freighter deliveries were to begin on September 19, 2011. Then, on September 17, 2011, Cargolux announced that it would not accept the first two 747-8Fs scheduled for delivery on September 19 and 21, 2011, due to "unresolved contractual issues between Boeing and Cargolux" with the aircraft. It entered service in . On October 25, 2011, a 747-8 flew to
Grantley Adams International Airport in
Barbados to begin flight testing in the
tropical climate of the
Caribbean, to determine its effects on the aircraft. One test −8i was used for an evaluation by Lufthansa in early December, 2011 before first delivery in early 2012. The
aircraft noise from the 747-8 has earned it a
Quota Count of 2 for takeoff and 1 for landing at London's three major airports, a significant improvement over the . In February 2015, the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental was given 330-minute
ETOPS approval, the first time that ETOPS-330 approval was given to a four-engined aircraft.
Into service and further development On April 21, 2010, Boeing chief executive officer
Jim McNerney announced that the company would be accelerating the production of both the Boeing 747 and
777 to support increasing customer demand. Boeing handed over the first 747-8F to Cargolux in Everett, Washington, on October 12, 2011. The first 747-8 Intercontinental was delivered to
Lufthansa on May 5, 2012, which began operating the version on flights from Frankfurt to Washington, D.C., on June 1, 2012. In 2014, Boeing embarked on an improvement program for the 747-8 named "Project Ozark", with the goal of improved range and lower fuel burn. With all improvements implemented, the resulting aircraft would have a maximum takeoff weight of greater than . The company slowly introduced aspects of Ozark over time. An engine Performance Improvement Package resulted in a 2% lower fuel burn. Boeing also improved the tail fuel tank's function and improved the flight management software. Aircraft produced beginning in 2014 weigh less than the first 747-8 coming off the production line and burn 3.5% less fuel. Other improvements include revised fairings next to the tail and wing-to-body-fairings. The chevrons on the trailing edge of the GEnx-2B nacelle were made thinner. Boeing hoped that these improvements, which benefit both the passenger and freighter version, would help improve sales.
Sales prospects 747-8F In early 2014, the director-general of the
International Air Transport Association noted that slower economic growth, following the
Great Recession of 2008, had led to lower demand for air freighters. The world's air cargo fleet in 2012 was smaller than it was in 2003. However, the proportion of very large freighters in that fleet has increased, and Boeing's dominant position in large, fuel-efficient freighters has offered the company an opportunity to protect its market share and its product line despite the market weakness. Demand has been chiefly for the 747-8F, which accounts for the majority of 747-8 aircraft ordered. The larger capacity of the 747-8 is of particular advantage for the freighter version, because the freighter has no direct competitor, as Airbus' competing
A380 freighter version was canceled during development. Airlines including
Emirates and
British Airways considered ordering the passenger version, but opted to purchase the Airbus A380 instead. In 2013,
Arik Air converted its order for two 747-8s to two 777-300ERs. At the 2013 Paris Air Show, Korean Air agreed to order five 747-8 passenger versions, in addition to five ordered in 2009. Korean Air and Boeing finalized the new -8 order in October 2013. The overall demand for the 747-8 turned out to be well below Boeing's initial projections as well, which led to several reductions in production rate. Production was initially decreased from 2 to 1.75 aircraft per month in April 2013 and then reduced further to 1.5 aircraft per month in October 2013. On June 25, 2015,
The Wall Street Journal reported that the order backlog was down to 32 and Boeing had decided to reduce production to one aircraft per month in 2016. In January 2016, Boeing confirmed that it was reducing 747-8 production to 0.5 per month beginning in September 2016, incurring a $569 million post-tax charge against its fourth-quarter 2015 profits. The chief reason given was that the recovery of the air cargo market had stalled, resulting in slowed demand for the 747 freighter. In April 2016, Boeing took a $70 million pre-tax charge for the program against its first-quarter's result. Boeing cited the 747-8F as the main driver behind potential future 747-8 orders. To help reduce production costs in the meantime and maintain the 747 production line's viability, the company plans to integrate the 747 and 767 production lines more closely with each other. Boeing expected the cargo market to improve by mid-2019 and was planning to increase the 747's production rate back to 1/month from then on. However, in July 2016, this production rate increase was cancelled, i.e. 747 production remained at 0.5 per month. At the same time, the company announced another after-tax charge of $814 million, reflecting a lower estimation of airframes to be produced and revenue realized. In an
SEC filing submitted at the same time, Boeing stated that if it was "unable to obtain sufficient orders and/or market, production and other risks cannot be mitigated, [...] it is reasonably possible that we could decide to end production of the 747." The Boeing 747-8I was intended to fill a niche between the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 777-300ER. The future for the 747-8 passenger version appears limited. Airlines bought the original 747 primarily for its range, not its capacity. The advent of long-range twin-engine jets, notably Boeing's own 777, took away the 747's range advantage. Compared to the 747-8I, the upcoming
777-9X "mini-jumbo jet" is projected to have a lower fuel cost per seat mile and greater cargo capacity, though it has a lower passenger capacity and higher list price; consequently, the 777-9X has totaled more orders than the 747-8I due to airlines placing a high value on fuel efficiency. For operators that require high capacity on routes, such as
Emirates, most have preferred the Airbus A380 as it is an all-new design. At the same time, the 747-8's lineage is 40 years old, although some have criticized the A380's looks and complimented the 747-8I's appearance.
Volga-Dnepr Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Boeing for the purchase of 20 more 747-8Fs at the 2015 Paris Air Show. This acquisition was finalized at the 2016 Farnborough Airshow. On October 27, 2016,
UPS Airlines announced an order for 14 747-8Fs with options for an additional 14. The 14 options were then converted to official orders on February 1, 2018. Deliveries are scheduled from 2017 through 2022. On September 7, 2017, it was reported that
Turkish Airlines was in negotiations with Boeing to purchase 8 747-8Is. In 2019, list-price unit cost of a 747-8I was US$418.4M and a 747-8F US$419.2M. By early 2019, the backlog and production rates were sufficient to sustain production until late 2022.
End of production On July 2, 2020, media reports stated that Boeing intended to end 747 production in 2022 after the 16 outstanding orders had been built and delivered. The demand for four-engine airliners had been flat for several years, with most orders going to the freighter version. On January 12, 2021,
Atlas Air ordered four additional 747-8Fs. These were to be the final four 747-8s built. The last aircraft built, a 747-8F freighter for Atlas Air, rolled off the production line #1574 (1,574th 747 built) on December 6, 2022, and was delivered on January 31, 2023. ==Design==