Nippon Cargo Airlines line 1487 (RC527) JA17KZ went up for a first flight today after six months since rolling out of the factory. Her older sister is stored in the desert awaiting delivery, and her younger sister is awaiting engines and paint. No word on when 1487 will deliver, but it should be sometime this year. Full take off roll after the break.
Atlas wasn't kidding when they said that they had work lined up for the ex-GSS frames that were coming back. I believe they ran a few flights of their own, but now 2 of them have been placed with Polar for DHL.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140501005739/en/Atlas-Air-Worldwide-Announces-Placement-Boeing-747-8#.U2KjKVcvB6o
Laddie on anet also commented that they were LN 1445 and 1446, which would make sense since the third GSS frame was only supposed to be returned at the end of April I believe.
I'm trying to figure out how best to track changes like this in the chart.
DeleteIt looks like RC528 JA18KZ is going through refurb process? I wonder what they are doing with this frame.
ReplyDeletehttp://i.imgur.com/8RmGypr.jpg
Perhaps they delayed some final configuration until prior to delivery? Perhaps this is a sign that NCA will be taking her up soon?
DeleteA cool tweet by @Lufthansa_USA regarding the 2 year anniversary of them receiving the 747-8i.
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/Lufthansa_USA/status/461928053371719680/photo/1
Also, a nice pic of D-ABYO departing on her delivery flight!
http://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/395673/d-abyo-lufthansa-boeing-747-8/
NO special livery for #1500.
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yet!
DeleteYep. Not delivered yet. :-)
DeleteNow, let's hope that Air China has decided to update their livery for the 747-8i!!
Oh come on people wake up!!
DeleteWith the way they've marketed the 748, I would be surprised if anything did happen. And if special titles appeared in FRA instead of PAE, it would just confirm what I've been saying all along. They are not interested in making the 747 into their 21st century flagship. The handling of this is very Sloppy, pure and simple. They could have had a small ceremony celebrating the fact with which you invite reporters and potential customers (because they did that with #1000). None of this happened.
We ONLY heard the news when Matt Cawby blogged it!!
If I was a prospective Airline CEO, The handling of this, would make me think twice about buying, because Boeing are basically saying that they've no confidence in it whatsoever. You could argue that their going to do this before they deliver it, because they better or else no one is going to believe that the 747 is credible anymore and then you can kiss all it goodbye.
Well, I'm pretty sure these milestones are all usually tied to delivery. Just look at the 1000th 777, or the 8000th 737, which was just a few weeks ago. All of those elements are tied to the actual delivery of that specific frame.
DeleteSo, I would say that we have until it is delivered to see what they end up doing.