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Boeing will deliver the first 747-8 Freighter to launch customer Cargolux on Sept. 19, the company said on Friday. Cargolux will fly the airplane away from Paine Field in Everett, Wash., that morning and put the airplane into revenue service. The second freighter out of the hangar also will go to Cargolux, with delivery set for Sept. 21. The carrier has a total of 13 of the new airplanes on order. The 747-8 is 250 feet, 2 inches long, which is 18 feet and 4 inches longer than the 747-400 freighter, with the capability to carry an additional 22 tons and adding more than 4,000 cubic feet of volume. Cargolux also took delivery of the first 747-400 freighter, in 1993.
“In a sense, history is repeating itself,” said Frank Reimen, CEO of Cargolux. “We were pioneering the cargo industry when we put the first 747-400 freighter into revenue service in 1993. This is what we do once again with the 747-8 Freighter, which is ultimately a testimony of our good and long-standing partnership with Boeing.” The additional volume adds space for up to four additional main-deck pallets and three additional lower-hold pallets, Boeing said.
