The Chart:

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Look at this beautiful !@#$ing plane

Woody is the man
I mean look at it! God damn the 748I is a sexy beast. And click this link and bookmark it because this guy is always taking amazing airplane pictures up around KPAE.

This was Korean Airlines' HL7637, line 1529, delivering yesterday, their seventh of ten ordered frames.
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48 comments:

  1. charlieJune 29, 2016 at 1:02 AM

    There should b an 18+ rating on that pic you got there ;)

    Not many Intercontinentals left to build and with 4 more NTU frames stored all over the place, kinda shows where that model is headed. Iranians or not, something ought to be done about that. Maybe try something like picth it to one of the ME3 or BA/QF? Or how about looking at existing customers, and try and rein in a few top up orders. Sound unlikely, but unlikely is no guarantor of certainty either.

    Fastcar, Brickwall, Go figure.

    Then again they can always dump the price.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJune 29, 2016 at 9:14 AM

    I think the 2 ex-UN white tails will go to Iran, and any others that they order will be new build. 1435 is a possibility of course, but she is a pretty big odd-ball and may not be a good fit for any airline.

    Isn't 1495 sold as a BBJ and just looking to be re-sold at this stage?

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    Replies
    1. TurtleLuvJune 29, 2016 at 5:01 PM

      I have no idea who will ever buy 1435. No idea what's going on with 1495, or 1446 for that matter, either. I'm pretty useless as a 747-8 blogger these days :(

      Delete
    2. charlieJune 29, 2016 at 7:52 PM

      I will buy it and convert it into a cruise ship so BiG that GOD himself could not sink that ...... ahem

      Delete
  3. UnknownJune 29, 2016 at 9:19 AM

    Regarding other potential Intercontinental orders, there is the talk about Air China having included some in their order that was finalized late last year. There is still the potential of TK and some of the other Chinese airlines perhaps. There was a rumor long ago about Etihad and Saudia looking at them, and both operate the 747-8F, or at least lease them, so those are outside possibilities still.

    Maybe KE will surprise with another top-up order this year? There is the persistent rumor that LH will take at least one more, if not a few more, but at this stage I think that the "more than one" case is very much a long shot, even though I would love to see it happen.

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  4. charlieJuly 2, 2016 at 2:09 AM

    This is becoming ever more Ridiculous as time goes by. 777-10? Are these ppl frickin' serious!?

    Just, re-engine the 747-8 with an upscaled PW 1000Gs already. No need to stretch a tired tube.

    As for their exclusivity with GE, it always the case that ppl should know when 'GTF outta Dodge' Geddit.

    ReplyDelete
  5. charlieJuly 5, 2016 at 9:42 AM

    Here are some reviews articles about the Queen. One is a review by a Y class Pax on Air China, the other a comparison between the 748 vs the A388, no comments by me, and read at your own risk.

    http://thepointsguy.com/2015/08/air-china-747-8-review/

    http://planes.axlegeeks.com/compare/242-282/Airbus-A380-800-vs-Boeing-BBJ-747-8

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    1. UnknownJuly 7, 2016 at 3:05 PM

      That comparison reads as though it has been written by someone who is very good at making numerical comparisons, but has never actually seen an aeroplane. I stopped taking it seriously when it declared the 747 was the weight winner because it had a lower MTOW than the A380. I'd love to read their head to head of the Cessna 150 and the Airbus A380.

      Delete
    2. charlieJuly 7, 2016 at 11:18 PM

      Can't vouch for the accuracy of those numbers myself, but interesting reading tho.

      Delete
  6. Piotrek_July 7, 2016 at 9:59 PM

    B-LJN in new Cathay livery:
    https://flic.kr/p/JMGVTX

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    Replies
    1. charlieJuly 7, 2016 at 11:18 PM

      Looks OK.

      Delete
    2. UnknownJuly 8, 2016 at 8:31 AM

      I think that the new CX livery looks great on the 747-8F. Would be nice if we could see it on a -8i as well. :-/

      Delete
    3. charlieJuly 8, 2016 at 12:59 PM

      Yea that would look FANTASTIC!! :D

      In other very bad news tho, The Iran deal has been blocked by the House of Reps. So bye bye Iranair. Whose's next, Air Koryo? MIAT? Arik Air? (......)

      Delete
    4. UnknownJuly 8, 2016 at 1:33 PM

      Well, it is a measure passed by the House via amendments. Those amendments can very easily be stricken when the bill actually gets passed, or as part of a compromise to get the overall bill to pass. My impression is this is just politics as usual, unfortunately. Everyone knew that the order would have several hurdles to overcome before it could get firmed. It should be noted that the Airubs order will likely be subject to the same elements, since they need US approval also due to the large amount of their frames that are manufactured in the United States.

      Delete
    5. charlieJuly 8, 2016 at 9:41 PM

      Well if the order doesn't go through, that will be a BIG disappointment. All this drama and posturing for a deal that does not yield anything concrete. BCA has done these before surely, and knows that its is a massive waste of time, but they are not Angels when it comes round to the 748, and neither are the many customers that have used and abused this Twin Engine thing.

      Is this really the future of economy class travel folks? Squashed seating on planes that some pax now avoid and also cargo overcapacity because of the 'belly freight' space. It is killing the freight market and allowing Airlines like EK, QR et al to soak up the disgruntled and fed up pax with their simple easy 1 stop connections and copious amounts of Whalejet.

      And if BCA thinks that making an Anacondaliner is the answer, its no wonder there is talk of people looking to other forms of transport as the future.

      Delete
    6. UnknownJuly 9, 2016 at 12:28 AM

      Yeah, the measure are just amendments added to the House version of the bill. The senate would have to make similar amendments to add it to their version, or otherwise both bodies would need to agree to include them in the bill. At the end, the President could still veto it, since the senate does not have the 67% majority to override him anyway.

      Delete
    7. charlieJuly 9, 2016 at 12:10 PM

      Well see, and yes lets hope for the best.

      Delete
  7. charlieJuly 12, 2016 at 5:20 AM

    Heads up everybody, Volga Dnepr Confirmed 20 order as per 2015 MoU.

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    1. Piotrek_July 12, 2016 at 7:09 AM

      But 4 already delivered.

      Delete
    2. charlieJuly 12, 2016 at 8:22 AM

      yup... They also said that in the press release...

      http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2016-07-12-Boeing-Volga-Dnepr-Group-Confirm-Acquisition-of-20-747-8-Freighters-to-Grow-Upgrade-Fleet

      Just means that the order is firm (to add to the O&D page, minus 4 already delivered.) .....I think, but really I dunno if you have to use calculus to work out that total....given the complex nature of this.... (ahem) :D

      Also good to see BCA promoting the 748f this year, but probably bcos the offices of ABC are just round the corner.

      Delete
    3. UnknownJuly 12, 2016 at 11:13 AM

      Heh...the offices of ABC are waaaaayyyy over in Russia, not just around the corner from FIA. :-)

      I originally thought that the press release was mis-worded. I thought it should have said 4 already ordered. The PAS MoU was in mid 2015, and they ordered and took delivery of 2 frames in late 2015. Earlier this year, Volga confirmed they were behind 2 of the 4 unidentified orders in March. Out of those, only 3 have been delivered (1501, 1502, 1520). If that is the case, it would be 4 previously ordered, and 3 previously delivered.

      It strikes me now that they may be including the frame delivered back at the end of 2014, (1505) as part of this MoU. If that is the case, then it would be 5 previously ordered and 4 delivered.

      Either way, still good news, and a bonus since most reports had them firming only 10 now.

      Hopefully there are some more orders in the works.

      Delete
    4. charlieJuly 12, 2016 at 12:15 PM



      I thought Air Bridge was a UK company. Anyways, my badd...

      So really how many NEW frames are we looking at here on TOP of all this stuff about NTU's??

      Delete
    5. UnknownJuly 12, 2016 at 12:38 PM

      Some of that NTU talk is just people blowing hot air. The 2015 frames, 1501 and 1502, as well as the CargoLogicAir frame (1520) were 3 of the 4, notional Asiana NTUs. The 4th one went to SilkWay last year. The only other -8F NTU is 1437, an Atlas NTU from the earliest batches of 747-8s.

      If they indeed have delivered 4 (so we are counting 1505), then that means there are 4 delivered and 2 in the FAL at the moment it seems. That would mean there are 14 new frames to be delivered over the next 6 years or so?

      ABC is a Russian subsidiary of Volga-Dnepr, which is a Russian company. CargoLogicAir is a new subsidiary that they have just started, which is based in the UK. :-)

      Delete
    6. charlieJuly 12, 2016 at 1:36 PM

      So that is 14 frames NEW which is going to be good for the backlog. That is good news.

      Delete
    7. UnknownJuly 12, 2016 at 2:02 PM

      Well, 17 actually. 2 are in the FAL potentially as 1536 and 1540. Also, if you count 1505, then that was a new build as well. Or if you don't count it, then it will still have to be a new build sometime in the future. So, overall, yes some excellent news.

      Delete
  8. charlieJuly 12, 2016 at 11:27 PM

    Where is TurtleLuv, After alkl this Great news, not even a Peek.

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownJuly 22, 2016 at 12:22 PM

    Boeing have announced production will remain at 0.5 per month in 2019, rather than increasing to 1 per month as had been anticipated.

    http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2016-07-21-Boeing-to-Recognize-Cost-Reclassification-and-Charges-to-Second-Quarter-Earnings

    As a 747 fan, here's hoping this approach to extend the life of the programme leads to it still being in production when (if) orders for an aircraft of its category begin to come through in larger numbers.

    ReplyDelete
  10. charlieJuly 25, 2016 at 6:20 AM

    Sounds utterly unlikely in my view. It looks like there is only one place where this program is headed and its not more customers. If you had asked me 2 or 3 years ago I might have agreed.

    They seem to have passed a point of no return, ie there are no longer looking at the Pax version as being anything competitive.

    Although this has the same feel of BCA going overboard with their twin engine philosophy, I mostly believe that this was and is the desired intention. It is no secret that the 747 is a 45 year old design, and it was originally intended to be a truck, as a stopgap for the market. So for everything that it has achieved it is still recognized as being a truck. This latest MOU by ABC shows me that if it has any kind of future, it is, for all practical purposes, that of a Truck. In fact I have come round to the notion that the 747 now 'competes' with the AN=124 AS a Truck, if there was ever such a thing in the first place.

    That aside something has to be said about the reams and reams of regulations, some unnecessary, that have hurt its competitive edge. Watering down the capabilities by editing Wikipedia pages aside, this is a capable machine, that to me has been largely unproven. None of the airlines that bought it, operate it to the original as published spec of 467 seats in 3 class config, or even bother to try to meet or exceed that.

    Compare this to the 77W, which has a few carriers that operate examples exceeding 400 seats, making the latest 777 models on the drawing board obsolete, showing the World that Air Canada is smarter than BCA. Or are they?

    For many years Airlines could offer a Main deck freight capability to customers, without even having a dedicated freighter in the fleet. The caveat of course, was that you had to buy a 747 Combi. Then because of some accident, to which the cause was never determined, it was decided to slap some regulations on top of what already existed making that option less attractive. THAT Airline not BCA broke their own hazardous cargo rules, but in the end BCA paid the price and is still paying that price today, by having silly requirements slapped on any new design Combi.

    Today that option has been replaced by under-belly freight. which has been touted to be extremely profitable, only that it isn't what it's made out to be either, and only if the MTOW has not been exceeded, otherwise it's empty. It is killing off the main deck freight market, because it is an inherent design feature of every new build Twin, extra underfloor capacity. Whereas previously an Airline had to buy a specific model of 747 thus limiting the amount of such capacity coming on stream. This capacity exists because Airlines are talking about more seats and the easiest way to accommodate them is to stretch existing designs, thus creating the empty space underfloor to be marketed as an advantage.

    I could ramble on and on about this, but I'm no expert. It is in the End BCA's Truck and BCA can do what it likes with it.

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    Replies
    1. Pete TemplinJuly 25, 2016 at 3:57 PM

      Perhaps I'm just endlessly optimistic, but my opinion is that slowing down the production rate is a sign that there could be life beyond the current order book. I say that because the 747 program occupies a lot of valuable real estate within building 40, and they could just as easily keep motoring out frames at 1/month (or 1.3 or 2, etc.), be done with it, and reuse that space for who knows what else (future flexibility within the 767/777/787 programs, spin up a line for future MoM while Renton continues to produce 737s Oprah-style ("you get a 737, you get a 737, and you get a 737!"). Heck, additional space could allow them to build more 787s to possibly include freighter versions, something that's surprisingly absent from that product line. Something tells me the 747 has some intrinsic value that justifies keeping all of that space assigned to the program.

      Delete
    2. charlieJuly 26, 2016 at 12:05 AM

      Hi Pete,

      I would like to know what this 'intrinsic value' is just out of curiosity. Maybe it is not the program but the very space you mention, being 'modulated around' in some fashion for some as yet unknown secret 'BCA skunkworks' (Possibly MOM)

      Whatever it is BCA just took a forward loss position on that. So there must be a reason of sorts. A military version, for some undisclosed requirement might be an 'other' option I see available. Unless of course Airlines decide that this is something that they now want in droves, there is no point in producing a 'white elephant' at least that is how the reasoning goes.

      Historically the 747 was never a consistent 'hot of the heels' product that sold fantastically year after year. It has always been a slow and agonizing crawl to the next 'New Model' after all the initial sales bursts were over and maybe BCA is all too familiar with this kind of thing, which somewhat partially explains this 'intrinsic value' thing.

      There is one more possibility, and it is somewhat intangible, and that is this program is and will forever be their Flagship program and that this might be an act of defiance.

      Let me explain, From an informed perspective, that there might seem a bit awkward, but for the mass market out there, the 747 is partially what sells 'BCA' to the masses. I don't see many Toys for sale with '777' or '737' or even anything that looks approximately like those machines. I do see many incarnations with Humps, Four Engines, and Double Decks, (The best one I saw had Air Farce on the side in Air France Font and livery) but yeah, that image might just be something they are holding on to. It's a longshot, alas you and I are none the wiser.

      Whatever it is, I do hope for more sales, and perhaps more models, with more options.

      Delete
  11. telas mosquiteirasJuly 27, 2016 at 4:39 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  12. charlieJuly 27, 2016 at 11:45 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  13. charlieJuly 27, 2016 at 11:45 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  14. charlieJuly 27, 2016 at 11:45 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  15. charlieJuly 27, 2016 at 11:46 PM

    .....Somebody (TurtleLuv) please get rid of the Spam..... I don't need mosquito screens.....

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  16. charlieJuly 27, 2016 at 11:52 PM

    Also u might want to check out this report from Leehamnews (ahem).....

    https://leehamnews.com/2016/07/27/747-production-may-end-boeing/

    Says that BCA 'might cut 747 Production' Did he figure that out on his own?

    No prizes for pointing out 'THE BLATANTLY OBVIOUS'...

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  17. charlieJuly 27, 2016 at 11:52 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  18. Piotrek_August 5, 2016 at 11:02 AM

    RC566 B-LJN delivered to Cathay:
    http://flightaware.com/live/flight/CPA3335/history/20160805/2155Z/KPAE/VHHH

    ReplyDelete
  19. charlieAugust 12, 2016 at 3:30 AM

    No news for the last 2 weeks since the ABC announcement other than some trash about the 'post 747 era'.

    In other news, check out the range rings from BCA'S website:

    http://www.boeing.com/commercial/747

    The one from Singapore is rather interesting. SIN-LAX nonstop w/o TPE/HKG stopovers. Payload for this mission is 410 pax.

    http://www.boeing.com/commercial/747#/design-highlights/economy-performance/range/singapore/


    Also check out the lower fuel cost section.

    http://www.boeing.com/commercial/747#/design-highlights/economy-performance/profitability/lower-fuel-cost/

    There is also section about CASM, but this has been alluded to ad nauseum.

    BTW Where the hell is TurtleLuv???????

    ReplyDelete
  20. charlieAugust 12, 2016 at 3:34 AM

    Also check out their page about AF1.

    http://www.boeing.com/defense/air-force-one/index.page

    ReplyDelete
  21. Piotrek_August 26, 2016 at 8:00 AM

    RC643 delivered:
    http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AZG7716/history/20160826/1510Z/KPAE/UBBB

    ReplyDelete
  22. Pete TemplinAugust 30, 2016 at 5:37 PM

    Joe Sutter has passed away. http://www.boeingblogs.com/randy/archives/2016/08/remembering_joe.html Such a great man...

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  23. Piotrek_August 30, 2016 at 10:41 PM

    LN1536 is now painted in ABC livery with reg VQ-BBL:
    https://flic.kr/p/KLUMvk

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    1. Piotrek_September 1, 2016 at 11:15 AM

      LN1536 is RC652, engines attached, delivery scheduled for 19th September.
      LN1534 RC514 LX-VCN for Cargolux is scheduled for delivery 29th September
      source: http://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=605889&start=100#p19060065

      Delete
  24. Piotrek_September 3, 2016 at 6:28 AM

    LX-VCN for Cargolux has engines attached:
    https://flic.kr/p/LLQDQy (frame on left, right is LN1535)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Piotrek_September 7, 2016 at 3:31 PM

    LN1534 LX-VCN first flight today:
    https://twitter.com/mattcawby/status/773615433970704384

    ReplyDelete
  26. Piotrek_October 7, 2016 at 4:47 PM

    LN1536 RC652 VQ-BBL delivered today:
    http://flightaware.com/live/flight/ABW101/history/20161007/1910Z/KPAE/KSEA

    ReplyDelete

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