JetCheck.net

Boeing did it again! Today, the new Boeing 747-8 freighter took to the sky for the very first time. The day started off with fog and the usual Seattle / Washington-esque weather. Yet, it did clear up, and the airplane lifted off at 12:39 PM PST.

So what’s different about this 747? It’s longer, beating the previous 747 by 18 feet, has new engines, outfitted with the same type of engines available for the 787, and has brand new wings. The freighter can carry 30 more tons of cargo than the previous version, and has a range of 4,390 nautical miles – just 55 shorter of the 747-400.

Yet the range isn’t a huge issue – it’s only 55 nautical miles – which isn’t far at all. However range isn’t a critical problem for a cargo plane. “Cargo doesn’t care if it stops for gas,” said Thomas Crabtree, a regional marketing director for The Boeing Company.

The order-book for the 747-8 consists of 108 orders. 76 are for the freighter and 32 for the 747-8 Intercontinental passenger variant. While the 747-8I only has 32 orders, Boeing is confident that as airlines retire 747-400s, a market will open for the airplane.

While I wish I could have been there, a few friends went and captured phenomenal video / pictures. Here is AirlineReporter.com‘s David Parker Brown’s video of the 747-8F first flight’s takeoff and landing.