And that was 2013

Boeing delivered 24 747-8s in 2013, down from 31 last year.

Line 1488 (RC549) HL7624 for Korean Air Cargo slipped out just ahead of the bell, flying off to Seoul on the 30th.

Photo thanks to moonm.

One delivered 747-8F, line 1479 (RC525) JA15KZ for Nippon Cargo has yet to fly away.

What's to look forward to in 2014? Well, the new 1.5 frame per month assembly rate should slow things down, and I estimate only 16-20 deliveries for the year. The 1500th 747 should be rolled out and delivered to Lufthansa. Air China and Korean Airlines should be the second and third operators of the 747-8I this year. And hopefully, some more orders!

Here's to an auspicious new year for the 747.

Second 747-8 PIP Delivery

Today, Cathay Pacific took delivery of line 1484 (RC562) B-LJL, marking the second delivery of a 747-8 with PIP engines. Deja vu, two deliveries in two days. The third should happen in the next few days.

Line 1479 (RC525) JA15KZ also paper delivered to NCA two days ago, and should fly away soon. On deck for 2013 still are lines 1483 (RC605) VQ-BRJ for ABC and 1488 (RC549) HL7624 Korean Air Cargo, but the latter is looking like a stretch with only one test flight so far.

You might notice the bottom of the chart has four new Intercontinentals added. Two of those are for Lufthansa, which gave me a sigh of relief. I was a bit paranoid they were going to cancel the last four orders and stick with 15 747-8Is, after they cancelled a few A380s earlier this year. Now it looks like they're going ahead with all 19 747-8Is, and possibly 20 if they end up taking line 1435 (RC021) D-ABYE back. I say add another five to fill up the alphabet (D-ABYZ?). Not including that extra letter in the German alphabet of course (D-ABYß?).

First Flight for HL7624

Line 1488 (RC549) HL7624 for Korean Air Cargo finally got up in the air today for a first flight. Meanwhile older frame line 1481 (RC548) HL7623, also for Korean Air Cargo sits unpainted and without engines at the tower apron for over six months now. Fair? No! Line 1488 should deliver before year's end.

Photo by Matt Cawby

Bonus pictures of 787 line 26 VT-ANB returning from her first flight after sitting over three years from rollout off the FAL. And as you guys may know by now, that just floats my boat.

Happy 1/10th Birthday, Line 1416

Some good pictures of line 1416 LX-ECV for Cargolux in action have popped up at Widebodies. She's one tenth of a year old (at least in in-service years) now. Not much of a livery but at least there's something. Even if they park her again after three months, I can die knowing the frame wasn't totally wasted.

Pic 1

Pic 2 

And here just last week in Brazil.

Video of takeoff from Afonso Pena International Airport. (ruined by youtube's smoothing algorithm but better than nothing).

Paine Field activity isn't exactly electrifying right now. Cathay's new triplets are still being tested, but it's getting late for them to really contribute to the holiday rush. Korean Air Cargo's line 1488 (RC549) HL7624 is pending a first flight. It's strange that this frame is in flight test while line 1481 (RC548) also for KAC has been sitting unpainted and un-engined for six months.

Block Change (?)

Line 1488 (RC549) for Korean Air Cargo rolled out from the final assembly line yesterday or today, which means line 1492 (RC031) D-ABYL started final assembly. This is the frame that I believe signals a block change for

• Lower weight
• Tail tank enabled
• 1.75 frames a month

among other things. We'll have to watch the roll out dates to verify.

Here's Matt Cawby's pic of line 1488: