Paris Air Show 2011: Boeing 747-8I Pilot Program

Aviation Week's Fred George talks pilot-to-pilot with Mark Feuerstein, chief pilot for Boeing's 747 program and Stephen Taylor, President of Boeing Business Jets.

[AdrianoBelinni]

What a beauty!! Not that I'm a Boeing fan or anything like that but the aesthetic look of this airplane is much nicer than the A380.

[jessevonroche]

seems a fantastic aircraft, had the privilege to have met one of the sales executives from Boeing Commercial Airplanes back in 2010 & explained to me how they didn't need to make a plane bigger than the a380 but instead would focus on practical designs relevant to customer needs, have to say the 787 technology has truly earmarked modern conventional plane making, overall i love Boeing's design principles, awesome Jet this. #B747-8

[atsyupka]

There is something magical about 747 every-time I see one its like seeing one for the first time!! (anyone know the music in the beginning of this great video?)

[andyreyes]

Boeing 747
: still the reigning queen of the skies

[gangster]

Boeing 747-8, the new Queen. The most beautiful airplane ever created. Let us bow to Her Majesty

[BlitzvogelMobius]

Another thing to consider is the cost in terms of aerodynamic drag by losing out on fineness ratio with a double decker and the need for such a huge wing at such at large size. The A380, 747-8i, and An-225 all are hitting structural and technical limitations for their style of design (tube + wings). Of course the nice aspect of the typical tube+wing design is the easy ability to add fuselage sections for longer versions. Going bigger really means moving to flying wing type design.

[bourneidenty]

@mrdiamondback1 8F is the cargo version, 747-8I is the non-cargo version meant for passengers

[BoeingvsAirbus]

Agreed. I have flown only on two occasions on an A380, although I must say even in Economy, comfort was remarkable. The ride, takeoff and landing is very smoth, even with a harsh pilot; I would expect such a huge, heavy plane to land har, but it is quite gentle. As for the down sides, it is very noisy with the flaps, the whining motors are ear pearcing. Urgh. I will fly with Lufthansa and Virgin atlantic on 747-8s and a 747-400. I have been told the -8 is very quiet. Looking forward to it.

[suerte]

I sign that. Was a fan of the 380. will fly with this one.

[NJCProductions]

@jjzhou01 There is a wing tip. It's call a raked wing tip. It's adapted from the 787 program hence the -8 designation. -8 is a 747 with innovations from that of the 787 program.

[Skippy]

Point taken, but what about a delta wing design as seen on the Sonic Cruiser concept?

[zeesh]

Credit has to be given to Boeing for coming up with the idea of such a huge aircraft at that time...but now its the era of A380 but that doesnt mean 747-8i sucks or anything both are great but A380 is truly the leader in Aviation right now.

[BlitzvogelMobius]

The engine tech for a full length double decker derived 747 (though "derived" would mean a mostly new fuselage really) has been around for a while. Boeing with the original JT-9 probably could've done a double decker within the length of the old SP model, though it would've most certainly lost some of it's cruise speed or efficiency at normal cruise. The second deck/cockpit hump, in an area-rule fashion actually contributes to the aerodynamic efficiency of 747 aircraft.

[BlitzvogelMobius]

Only inboard part of the wing between the fuselage and engines is a delta (arguably), the outer portions are more standard style supercritical airfoils. You have to worry about skin drag with a delta, and I don't know how adaptable deltas are to being something like a supercritical. Deltas will create lots of drag at higher alpha (but ALOT of lift). Deltas do have good strength and generally have a nice substantial volume for fuel storage though.

[irahunk]

what is the music playing in the beginning?

[jjzhou]

why doesn't it have wing tips, or did I not see it....

[Skippy]

Actually the 747-8 stands at 111 most of them frighters of course. And the -800 is not old and outdated, its actrually a brand new jumbo jet based on the 747 modle.

[beardmanisfv]

Any clue on what this song could be? I'm trying to get a hold of it as well but I can't seem to grasp it...

[beardmanisfv]

Great video! But That song at the beginning is just beautiful. Anyone know the track? I tried Shazaaming it but no result :(

[Skippy]

Well I tried to explain to Zeech that Boeing actually did make a full length double deck design on paper before the decided that a smaller section upper deck would be more suitable. I guess this is due to the amount of engine power form the 1st generation high bypass Turbo Fans of the 60's. “JT-9 where like 48K lbs each?”

But I agree, or at least 7/8's the length of the fuselage, if not a wider cabin.