Boeing has completed the final body join (loading the forward and aft fuselage sections to join with the wing) of the first 747-8 Intercontinental in Everett. The join is a important milestone in the development of the aircraft type as it completes the structural integration and building of the new interior.
Pat Shanahan, VP and GM-Airplane Programs at Boeing, says: “We now have the first real look at the size and distinctive shape of the 747-8 Intercontinental."
The 747-8 fuselage is 250 ft.-2 in. (76.3 m.) long, or 18 ft.-4 in. (5.6 m.) longer than the 747-400. "The stretch provides space for 51 additional seats to accommodate 467 passengers in a typical three-class configuration and offers 26% more cargo volume," says Boeing.
The first delivery of the 747-8I is scheduled for delivery for late 2011, while the delivery of the freighter version has been pushed back to mid-2011.