Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental

[S V Choong 4]

According to one of Boeing's marketers, airlines can install beds up and near the back of the hump for Economy pax who are willing to pay a bit more for a bed to sleep in. Cannot be used during take-off and landing, though. Good idea I reckon, but could come at a price

 

You are right Tony. If you check the Boeing 747-8 video, they even have a gym inside! What a wonder idea but in reality how many airlines will install it?

 

[Tony 1]

Gym equipment is rather heavy, let alone being expensive. So it burns more fuel than actual pax&cargo-carrying missions. At the end of the day, it's all about $$$.

 

On second thought, the gym might be a good place for the crew to do a bit of stretching after long hours of duty.

[Min Chun 0]

Boeing And General Electric Validate 747-8 Quiet Technologies

September 21, 2006 10:42 AM

 

 

The Boeing Company and General Electric successfully completed airplane engine ground testing on noise-reduction improvements being incorporated into the new Boeing 747-8. The test conducted by Boeing and GE indicates the 747-8 will meet its targets for noise reduction. Pix courtesy of Boeing Commercial Airplanes

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- The Boeing Company and General Electric successfully completed airplane engine ground testing on noise-reduction improvements being incorporated into the new Boeing 747-8.

 

The test conducted by Boeing and GE indicates the 747-8 will meet its targets for noise reduction.

 

The three-week ground test on a GE90-115B engine conducted at GE's test facility in Peebles, Ohio, focused on noise-reduction technologies planned for incorporation into the engine case and nacelle of GE's GEnx-2B, which will power the 747-8, Boeing said in a statement from Seattle Wednesday.

 

An elaborate array of monitoring equipment and microphones recorded engine operating conditions and noise levels at multiple locations in and around the engine.

 

The test results, combined with other noise-reduction technology applied to the 747-8, show projected reduction in noise levels on the order of 10 decibels (dB) relative to the 747-400.

 

This noise reduction puts the 747-8 10 dB below International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Chapter 4 standards.

 

"These results demonstrate our effort to design the 747-8 with the community and environment in mind," said Dan Mooney, vice president of the 747/747-8 Program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

 

"The 747-8 will be the quietest in the large airplane category. The GEnx engine will play a key role in achieving a 30 percent smaller noise footprint than its predecessor."

 

The GEnx engine nacelle will be fitted with a one-piece, sound-absorbent acoustic inlet liner, which will extend approximately one foot into the forward fan case.

 

This liner, along with the larger 104-inch fan diameter of the GEnx engine nearly doubles the noise absorption area and reduces the weight compared to current designs in production.

 

The engine nacelle also will incorporate chevrons on both the hot-core-exhaust and fan-bypass nozzles.

 

Each fan chevron will have a different size and shape to take into account the three-dimensional nature of engine exhaust flow.

 

The chevrons mix the air coming from the engine's exhaust, reducing the turbulence and noise at takeoff, as well as the low-frequency noise heard in the aft cabin during climb and cruise.

 

"These new technologies are just part of noise-reduction improvements being made to the 747-8," said Billy Glover, director of Environmental Strategy, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

 

"The engine nacelle will work in concert with the new GEnx engine, new wing design and flight-management computer to further reduce the 747-8 noise levels." Boeing is designing the 747-8 to meet the London Quota Count (QC) 2 metric, which dictates operating hours both into, and out of, London-area airports based on noise levels.

 

The 747-8 will meet the noise requirements for QC 2 classification on both Arrivals and Departures, and also has a significant chance of achieving the next lower classification level (QC 1) for Arrival.

 

This will allow operation at the major London airports without a noise-imposed curfew.

 

Additional Information 747-8 Family: The 747-8 is a family of passenger and freighter airplanes that serves the market for airplanes of 400 seats and larger.

 

The 747-8 Intercontinental passenger airplane seats 450 passengers in a typical three-class configuration and offers the lowest seat-mile cost of any passenger airplane.

 

It provides operators a 14,815-km (8,000-nmi) range, 21 percent greater cargo volume and 9 percent lower seat-mile costs compared to the 747-400.

 

The 747-8 Freighter will fly 8,275 km (4,475 nmi) with a maximum structural payload capacity of 140 metric tonnes (154 tons). It offers 16 percent more revenue cargo volume than the 747-400F with slightly greater range.

 

The 747-8 Freighter upholds its predecessor's legendary efficiency, with equivalent trip costs and 15 percent lower ton-mile costs than the 747-400F.

 

The 747-8 Freighter will enjoy the lowest ton-mile costs of any freighter, giving operators unmatched profit potential.

 

The first 747-8 Freighter will be delivered to launch customer Cargolux in late 2009.

 

Since its launch in November, 2005, four customers have ordered 31 747-8 airplanes.

 

 

 

-- BERNAMA

 

Boeing is competing with its rival for the noise reduction and to produce a quietest plane in the large airplane category

 

 

[Sanjay Thaker 0]

i think this would bring them back into the game especially with the A380's latest delays..

[Edwin P K 0]

Were they out of the game? Sales for Dreamliner has been phenomenal! It has reached 600 plus orders I think

[Isaac 0]

CX is a likely customer for the 748i. And JL and NH also.

[S V Choong 4]

Not surprised by it as the 747-8 will carry newer technology than the A380.

[Mohd Idham 0]

Boeing 748 engine's cowling look likes stealth fighter..

[Seth K 3]

CX is a likely customer for the 748i. And JL and NH also.

Ergh, that's what I'm hoping for, to see this plane off to the FL350 Hope JL will be ready to get rid of their dash 200 and 300 for 800 And CX will most likely to get 748, since they now in need for 747 which two recently came from SIA. How bout MH..............how they want to replace their 744, 773 could be the option, smaller than 744 which is fit MH criteria or 748 for some high density routes. Guys, I also has feeling that QF will order 748. No 748 pax order yet, so frustrating Quiet technology is good for big airports with residency surronding like HKG etc. Since there are no order for 748, I suggest Boeing to research more for 748 to make it top of the top such as lower cost per seat per mile or make it noise-less inside

Edited September 24, 2006 by Seth K

[Sandeep G 1]

Boeing 748 engine's cowling look likes stealth fighter..

 

 

yeah, you gotta love the sudden emphasis on noise reduction and acoustical engineering

 

I've "heard" the A380 in Singapore during the Asian Aerospace (Changi) 2006 earlier this year. I must say, it is superbly quiet

 

Sanjay,

were you referring to Boeing or GEAE? Both have performed tremendously this year.. On the topic of propulsion, I think GE has taken the edge over Rolls this year too. The GP7200 is apparently performing very well also! Not to mention that GE are the sole engine suppliers for the 777LR family That additional investment in the GE90 proved to be fruitful afterall

[Gavin Andrew David 6]

Gone are the days of the screaming engines . Sad

[Keith T 2]

Gone are the days of the screaming engines . Sad

 

I hardly notice the roar of the engines when I'm onboard these days; something must be wrong with my ears. Except for the time I went on the A330-300 for it sounded quite different to the Boeings.

[Pieter C. 5]

I've "heard" the A380 in Singapore during the Asian Aerospace (Changi) 2006 earlier this year. I must say, it is superbly quiet

 

Can confirm that, as witnessed the same at the ILA Berlin 2006 show

 

Boeing still trying to sell their 748 + 787 to Lufthansa, see below:

 

September 26, 2006

US planemaker Boeing hopes to persuade Lufthansa to buy its new long-haul aircraft after losing out on a short-haul plane order to European rival Airbus, a Boeing official said on Monday.

 

Lufthansa said again last Wednesday that it planned to make a decision on the expansion and renewal of its long-haul fleet by the end of this year after announcing 30 orders and 30 options for Airbus single-aisle A320-family aircraft and five widebody A330s.

 

Boeing was left out of negotiations for this deal, Marketing Vice President Randy Baseler said in Frankfurt on Monday. "They never really asked us to participate," he said. "It was just a follow-on order to airplanes they already have."

 

But Baseler said Boeing may yet sell its planned enlarged 747 jumbo and its new mid-sized 787 Dreamliner to the German airline.

 

"We are very much involved with our 787 and our 747-8," Baseler said. "We think those two airplanes will provide significant value for them."

 

Lufthansa has said it is looking to modernize its fleet of 30 Boeing 747-400s. It has already ordered 15 of the delayed, 555-seat Airbus A380s, which it plans to turn into its flagship aircraft.

 

The German carrier is also mulling the replacement of its 28 Airbus A340-300s.

 

It is weighing up the relative benefits of the Boeing 787, which has already notched up 397 firm orders and is due to enter service in 2008, and the planned new Airbus A350, expected to arrive four years later.

 

Baseler said the 787 would enable Lufthansa to provide more direct services between cities on different continents as it faces congestion and a lack of take-off and landing slots at its main Frankfurt hub ahead of the opening of a new runway in 2010.

 

Russian flag carrier Aeroflot said recently it would opt for both planemakers' new mid-sized aircraft and that it would buy 22 787s for delivery between 2010 and 2012 and 22 A350s for delivery between 2012 and 2016.

 

Asked if he thought the A350 orders could end up turning into additional 787 orders, Baseler said it was hard to know and difficult to comment on.

 

"We are actively working with them and we are hopeful. But we are always hopeful," he added.

 

(Reuters)

 

[Sandeep G 1]

Gee, it really makes you wonder..

 

With LH, SU, SQ, CX, QF, even TG all buying new aircraft.. Why MAS is still mulling over it.

 

I know in the BTP they said that they would be ordering new aircraft in the third year of the turnaround, but maybe they should order NOW? if the 787 is ready for delivery by 2009 and 2010, that's 3 or 4 years away... I think the 787 is ideal for MAS to replace the A330's with (They NEED replacement).. the 748s would be better than the A3UGLY and more 777 and a new family of 737NGs too! A traditional Boeing customer should learn from its history, don't you think?

 

In fact, maybe MAS could consider launching an LCC with it's exisiting A330 fleet to Regional/traditional low yield sectors like Istanbul, Cairo, Fukuoka, Cairns, Amritsar, Calcutta, Ahmedabad, Xiamen, Macau, and all those secondary Chinese and Indian cities... Heck, it's working for Qantas with Jetstar!??!?!?!?! Interline with MH services and you'd be laughing...

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Airbus too, but let's be practical for the airlines sake.. it's now a case of one way, or the other...

 

SQ has gone in both directions, but dare I say, they are going to do the same thing they did with the A340/B777 saga and evaluate the B787 and the A350XWB alongside one another and eventually go in one direction... heck, it's a business model that has worked very well for them thus far.

[Teoh Z Yao 0]

I have heard of the A380 in Singapore, too, and it was surprisingly (or not surprising) quite! The a/c industries, like the car industry, must progress towards quieter engines. These are good news!

[Brennan Raj 0]

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines, the world's second-biggest airline by market value, said on Monday it was seeking court arbitration to settle a dispute with its pilots over pay and benefits for flying its new A380 superjumbo planes.

 

Singapore Airlines has ordered 19 of Airbus' double-decker A380 aircraft and will be the first airline to fly the new plane next year.

 

"The company is seeking to have some differences with Air Line Pilots Association-Singapore (Alpa-S) over proposed pay scales for A380 pilots adjudicated. We hope that the outstanding issues can be resolved quickly," Singapore Airlines said in a statement.

 

Singapore daily The Straits Times said on Monday that Alpa-S, which it said represents 1,600 pilots, is upset because the airline is proposing to pay the pilots less than what a Boeing 747 captain makes, although the airline's A380s, with just under 480 seats, will carry about 100 more passengers than its 747s.

 

The paper added that a Singapore Airlines' 747 captain starts at about S$10,000 (US$6,300) per month excluding allowances and that according to pilots interviewed, the rule of thumb is "the bigger the plane, the higher the pay".

 

Singapore Airlines has referred its dispute with its pilots' union to the Industrial Arbitration Court, a spokesman said.

 

Declining to give further details, Singapore Airlines said its talks with the union had been constructive but that there remained areas where they did not have common ground.

 

Singapore's former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who holds the title of "Minister Mentor" in his son Lee Hsien Loong's cabinet, stepped in to end a spat between the state-controlled firm and its pilots' union in 2003, after the flag carrier cut wages, slashed capacity by a third, and furloughed nearly 600 staff.

 

Both sides reached a deal last year on salary and benefits, ending the city-state's worst labour dispute in two decades.

 

Lee, the father of the prime minister, said Singapore was determined to prevent a repeat of a 1980 dispute with pilots that disrupted flights on key routes, especially as regional competition grows in the airline industry.

 

SIA shares were unchanged at S$14.60 by midday, in line with a flat broader market.

 

© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

Guys..comments?

[Keith T 2]

If the A380 requires a higher level of skill to pilot than the 747, then yes it doesn't make sense paying pilots less. I don't wish to quantify the value of passengers' lives but, pragmatically, since the A380 is a much bigger a/c, I'm sure the pilots would be under more stress as the responsibility on their shoulders would be heavier.

[Pieter C. 5]

Boeing offering one length for 747-8

 

Tuesday September 26, 2006

Boeing is offering just one fuselage length for the 747-8 Freighter and Intercontinental models, according to two airlines that attended a 747-8 briefing earlier this month in Hong Kong.

 

Last month, ATWOnline revealed that the manufacturer was close to standardizing the length both to meet airline requirements and to take advantage of wind tunnel gains that gave the aircraft an additional 300 nm. of range.

 

Originally, the passenger variant had a 3.6-m. stretch with 450-seat capacity compared to an equivalent-layout 416-seat 747-400. With the new stretch of 5.6 m., the seating capacity lifts to 467 and when using overhead cart storage to 479, according to the airline sources.

 

by Geoffrey Thomas/ATW

 

Overhead cart storage: new and interesting development

 

 

[Tony 1]

 

Reliving this topic for an update - the reason for that gorgeous-looking engine cowling.

 

One would notice that the cowling design at the rear of 748 and 787 jet engines are different to previous types. Yes, the see-saw design, whatever you want to call it.

 

Had a lecture this morning talking about environmental issues in aviation. According to our lecturer, this design is effectively an effort towards NOISE REDUCTION. This design allows the cool air (bypass) to mix quickly and more thoroughly with hot exhaust air - and that somehow reduces the vortices around it.

 

Studies are also being carried out to investigate the need to install fairings on the undercarriage to smooth out airflow around it - yes, to reduce noise on approach (50% noise comes from engine, 50% from airframe).

 

Hope this is useful.

[Azuddin 1]

That's a good way to keep the successful legacy continue. I just saw the flash presentation of it. It's like 3 aircraft in on

 

747 frame

777 range

787 technology

 

I woud love to see that 787 wings on 777-300ER and name in 777-300LR . Sure gonna give a killer look

 

Anyone know when this blue whale will take to the sky?

 

Blue whale is just my expression. I call the A380 the sperm whale. Blue whale is much nicer look and more friendlier then the sperm whale.

Edited October 4, 2006 by Azuddin

[Pieter C. 5]

Lufthansa Orders Airbus, Boeing Jets

 

December 6, 2006

Lufthansa said it is ordering Airbus and Boeing aircraft worth about USD$6.9 billion at list prices as it expands and modernizes its fleet.

 

The airline said it was ordering 20 Boeing 747-800 aircraft worth about USD$5.5 billion in total, making it the first airline to buy the passenger version of the plane. It is also taking options to buy 20 more 747-800s.

 

Lufthansa also said it would buy seven Airbus A340-600s, of which it already has 14. These are worth about USD$1.4 billion to USD$1.5 billion, based on list prices, according to Lufthansa.

 

"The orders will ensure capacities for the anticipated growth in air traffic and also replace existing aircraft," the carrier said in a statement on Wednesday.

 

The Boeings will be delivered from 2010 and will be powered by General Electric GEnx-2B67 engines, while the Airbus aircraft will be delivered in 2008 and 2009, Lufthansa said.

 

Boeing so far has 44 firm orders for the freighter version of the 747-8 only, which was launched in November 2005. Boeing said earlier this year it expected to get an order for the passenger version by the end of the year.

 

The new 747-8 was launched some 35 years after the original jumbo jet began commercial service and will allow Boeing to keep a toehold in the market for aircraft with more than 400 seats but fewer than the Airbus A380 superjumbo's 555 seats.

 

Lufthansa Chief Executive Wolfgang Mayrhuber had said he wanted to modernize the carrier's fleet of 30 390-seat Boeing 747-400 jumbos, possibly with the larger 747-8 model, which is due to enter service in 2009. The carrier has already ordered 15 A380s, which it plans to turn into its flagship aircraft.

 

"The B747-8 underlines our strategy of graded market-specific services and capacity expansion," Mayrhuber said in a statement. "It fits perfectly in our intercontinental fleet structure and slots neatly capacity-wise between the A380 with around 550 seats and the A340-600 with around 300 seats."

 

Lufthansa's supervisory board on September 20 approved the purchase of 30 single-aisle planes from Airbus's A320 family, with options to buy a possible 30 more. In addition, Lufthansa is buying five of the larger Airbus A330-300 model to help cope with delays to the A380.

 

Lufthansa, which is Europe's second-biggest airline, is also weighing up the fast-selling Boeing 787 Dreamliner mid-sized aircraft against Airbus' A350 XWB, due to come into service five years later.

 

Mayrhuber said on October 19 that there was no time pressure to decide between the two mid-sized aircraft, which he has said could replace its 28 247-seat A340-300s. A decision could come next year, he said.

 

(Reuters)

 

[Andrew Ong 1]

News statement from Airbus:

 

Lufthansa further expands Airbus A340-600 long-range fleet

7 December 2006

 

Lufthansa German Airlines is expanding its Airbus long-range fleet with an order for seven additional Airbus A340-600 aircraft. The new order raises the total number of A340s in Lufthansa's fleet to 52. With this order Airbus passes the milestone of 1000 aircraft sales of the A330/A340 Family, reconfirming its strong position in this market segment.

 

The A340-600s will have about 300 seats in a three-class configuration and will be delivered from early 2008. The order doubles the number of three-class A340-600s in Lufthansa's fleet. Lufthansa plans to use the aircraft on high passenger demand long haul routes out of Frankfurt and Munich, to destinations like the US West Coast and Asia.

 

"When the largest operator of A340s places yet another follow-on order for seven additional aircraft it is a further vote of confidence for this highly reliable, efficient long haul machine", said John Leahy, Airbus COO Customers. "With industry leading passenger comfort, Lufthansa's many frequent fliers should certainly be pleased," he added.

 

"The additional A340-600 enable Lufthansa to underpin its growth in the long-haul sector. Furthermore, the aircraft play an active role in Lufthansa's ecological contribution to lower fuel consumption and reduced noise emissions", said Nico Buchholz, Senior Vice President Corporate Fleet, Deutsche Lufthansa AG.

 

Lufthansa is one of the longest standing and largest Airbus customers worldwide, and one of the launch customers for the A340. Currently Lufthansa has nearly 140 Airbus aircraft in its mainline fleet. These include 13 A300-600, 10 A330s, 42 A340s plus 80 A320 family aircraft in service. In addition, Lufthansa has placed orders for 15 A380s, five A330s, 30 A320 Family as well as three A340s on top of the seven announced today.

 

By increasing their fleet with the same aircraft type, Lufthansa will continue to benefit from Airbus' unique operational commonality, including shorter training times for flight crews to transition from one Airbus aircraft to another, streamlined maintenance procedures and reduced spare parts holdings.

 

The A340-600 is the largest member of Airbus' A330/A340 Family, the most modern aircraft in the 250-375-seater segment flying today. It enjoys state-of-the-art features - such as weight-saving composite structures, a fuel-saving aerodynamic design that includes wingtip-fences, and pilot and mechanic friendly cockpits, flight controls and systems. With four engines for the best economy on ultra-long-haul routes, Airbus A340s give unmatched operational flexibility on non-stop flights over remote areas - such as oceans, mountain ranges and the polar regions.

[S V Choong 4]

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews...20070907?rpc=44

 

DUBAI, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Emirates [EMAIR.UL] may decide next month whether it will choose Boeing Co (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) or Airbus (EAD.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) to fill an order for up to 100 planes, as it aims to almost double its fleet by 2013, its president said on Friday.

 

The order for 50 planes and 50 options could be worth as much as $20 billion, according to list prices.

 

Emirates, the largest Arab airline, is also considering whether to buy at least 10 of Boeing's 747-8 aircraft, Tim Clark told reporters in Dubai, an order that could be worth as much as $3 billion at list prices.

 

Emirates has for two years been studying Boeing's 787 aircraft and Airbus's rival in the same category, the A350, Clark also told Reuters.

 

"We are at advanced stages," Clark said. "In a month or two we will recommend to the chairman which way we want to go," Clark said. He would not say which maker might win the order.

 

A 787, made of composite materials that make the aircraft lighter and more fuel efficient, is worth between $146 million and $200 million, according to Boeing's Web site. An A350 goes for between $159 million and $165 million.

 

In November Dubai will host the Middle East's largest air show, where Emirates has traditionally announced orders. Asked if the government-owned carrier could announce an order at the air show, Clark said: "We're in good shape."

 

Emirates is also interested in the stretch version of Boeing's 747, the 747-8, which the U.S. maker is developing to counter Airbus's A380. The A380 can carry as many as 600 passengers, depending on the configuration, making it the world's largest aircraft ahead of Boeing's 747-400.

 

"We have been looking at this plane for months," Clark said of the 747-8. The carrier might be interested in ordering "ten and upwards" to use on routes to the west coast of the United States carrying at least 400 passengers, Clark said.

 

Still, Boeing needs to "improve" the aircraft's performance, for instance by reducing its weight to save fuel and carry more passengers, before Emirates can make an order, Clark said. "It'll fly, but it can't fly with a full passenger payload to the west coast," he said.

 

The carrier and officials from the United Arab Emirates federation, of which Dubai is the second-largest member, will hold talks with Russian authorities in January about getting rights to fly as directly as possible over Russia and the North Pole from the Gulf to the U.S. west coast, Clark said.

 

Emirates, which started in 1985 with two aircraft, has grown to be the largest Arab airline, rivalling carriers such as Qantas Airways Ltd and Singapore Airlines for passenger traffic between Europe and east Asia.

 

The airline operates 105 aircraft and plans to boost that to more than 180 by 2013, expanding its network of 85 destinations to 110, by adding destinations in south and north America, Africa and east Asia, Clark said.

[Sri Ramani K. 0]

wow..they're planning to have all the state of the art aircrafts on their back eh? this is a huge news..

[Hardeep P. 0]

The B747-8I is definately a superb plane. Its a real pity that not many airliners (apart from Lufthansa) are interested in purchasing them. I see the move might EMIRATES a good one. Perhaps other airliners like BA, JAL, KLM, SIA, Qantas, ANZ, CAL, PIA, Air India following EK foot steps. Even MAS should consider ordering a mix of 747-8I, 747-8F and 777-300ER.