Boeing 747-8 Production/Deliveries - 2022 - 2023

Noshow · Wed Apr 27, 2022 9:11 am

I don't think that Lufthansa wants to sell their 747-8 early. They possibly might still do it one day for a very good priced offer of 777-9 or -8F. But for the time being they make perfect use of it. What a contrast to their A380 fleet that sits unused and is not earmarked to ever return.

Breathe · Sun May 01, 2022 10:05 pm

Does anybody know roughly when the watershed moment of the final 747 delivery will happen this year?

Boeing757100 · Mon May 02, 2022 11:42 am

Breathe wrote:
Does anybody know roughly when the watershed moment of the final 747 delivery will happen this year?

Was originally planned for October this yeaar, but some on earlier pages of this thread state that the deliveries are a bit behind schedule and we might see it around November or December.

No exact dates though.

Breathe · Mon May 02, 2022 10:05 pm

Boeing757100 wrote:
Breathe wrote:
Does anybody know roughly when the watershed moment of the final 747 delivery will happen this year?

Was originally planned for October this yeaar, but some on earlier pages of this thread state that the deliveries are a bit behind schedule and we might see it around November or December.

No exact dates though.

Thanks for the info. :smile:

Boeing757100 · Tue May 03, 2022 12:38 am

Breathe wrote:
Boeing757100 wrote:
Breathe wrote:
Does anybody know roughly when the watershed moment of the final 747 delivery will happen this year?

Was originally planned for October this yeaar, but some on earlier pages of this thread state that the deliveries are a bit behind schedule and we might see it around November or December.

No exact dates though.

Thanks for the info.

No problem!

Though we all certainly wish that the 747 can remain in production!

Anyone know if Boeing will do a special ceremony for the last queen? A special livery? Maybe name it after Joe Sutter?

Noshow · Tue May 03, 2022 9:33 am

This might be a good moment in history to announce a future products roadmap.

xms3200 · Tue May 03, 2022 2:03 pm

That would be nice for Boeing to announce a "Future Products Roadmap" at that time, unfortunately,...Boeing is having serious issues with their "Current Products Roadmap".....just look at the backlog of the 737MAX's, halting of the 787's, as well as continued delays on the 777-9 airplane. Boeing's biggest mistake was moving the HQ to Chicago...nothing beats the top level mgmt. walking through the factory floor and seeing things for themselves. Video conferencing does not cut it!!!!!

Stitch · Tue May 03, 2022 3:32 pm

Noshow wrote:
This might be a good moment in history to announce a future products roadmap.

The 777X is the de facto Yellowstone 3 / New Large Airplane.

Noshow · Wed May 04, 2022 7:09 am

True, at least it is meant to play the role, but it is only half new.
Don't get me wrong, both the 747 and 777 were landmark successes, but it is time for a new one.

Phosphorus · Wed May 04, 2022 10:20 am

Breathe wrote:
Boeing757100 wrote:
Breathe wrote:
Does anybody know roughly when the watershed moment of the final 747 delivery will happen this year?

Was originally planned for October this yeaar, but some on earlier pages of this thread state that the deliveries are a bit behind schedule and we might see it around November or December.

No exact dates though.

Thanks for the info.

Back-of-the-envelope calculation:
there are three airplanes to be built and delivered left, that never flew yet. (One more, to be delivered, has already flown, and was ferried to the paint shop about ten days ago.)
Average of two months per fresh airframe rolling off the assembly line. So (if nothing changes) six months from now -- i.e. early November -- the final airframe would be in the paint shop too.

Official statements in Atlas and Boeing press-releases said "October". But it does seem like slipping. Nevertheless, there is a more crucial point -- when the airplane is actually needed.

Cargo gurus here have a very good idea, when "the peak" hits, on the way to Christmas shipping craze. Cargo airlines of course like their fleets at full strength at that time. Boeing knows this very well. Probably they could get away fairly lightlly, if the rather arbitrary "October" slips a little. Not so much, if they are really late with a delivery, and Atlas loses serious revenue, during "the peak". So you could expect Boeing to be interested to deliver by then.

Starfuryt · Tue May 10, 2022 4:03 am

N860GT has been painted and is back in PAE, photo by Jen Schuld

https://twitter.com/JenSchuld/status/15 ... 81/photo/1

747classic · Tue May 10, 2022 10:22 am

Starfuryt wrote:
N860GT has been painted and is back in PAE, photo by Jen Schuld

https://twitter.com/JenSchuld/status/15 ... 81/photo/1

The tracking of BOE571 (other callsign than tabulation number RC701 !! ) of the ferry flight KPDX-KMWH-KPAE was also a little bit inaccurate, see : https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N86 ... /KPDX/KPSC

N860GT, KPAE, May 09th 2022

Original upoloaded by Jennifer Schuld at twitter, see : https://twitter.com/JenSchuld/status/15 ... 3897134081

Aircraft data : L/N 1571, 747-8F, RC701, Atlas Air, serial number 67147, N860GT ( UPS #28 NTU, cancelled after UPS purchase of L/N 1558, Volga Dnepr NTU), roll out April 7/8th 2022, F/F April 22th 2022, Ferried to Portland at April 24th 2022 for paint, returned at May 9th 2022.

Phosphorus · Fri May 13, 2022 3:58 pm

A user upthread alluded to a collapsing supply chain, with last aircraft (plural) to be built in "rob Peter to pay Paul" sort of situation, where younger frames risk losing components, destined for them, so older frames can be rolled out complete and in time.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall during discussions between engineers, floor management, and purchasing/procurement folks, trying to resolve all of this, and complete the program well.

With only three yet to fly left -- I gather we'll see resolution soon.

747classic · Mon May 16, 2022 10:31 am

The serial numbers for the last three (3) Atlas Air 747-8F aircraft have been added to the FAA registry.
As expected, sequential serial numbers :

N861GT >>>> C/N 67148
N862GT >>>> C/N 67149
N863GT >>>> C/N 67150

See : https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquir ... ntrytxt=US

mikeinatlanta · Mon May 23, 2022 11:00 pm

Here you go. 860 in paint. Link won't be durable, so feel free to download and use.

747classic · Tue May 24, 2022 1:24 pm

N860GT, KPAE, returning from a test flight (C1) , May 22th 2022, a C2 test flight was made one day later.

Original uploaded by Baqir at twitter, see : https://mobile.twitter.com/Baqir_KPAE/s ... 3040112641

747classic · Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:09 am

N860GT, just airborne for a delivery flight towards Incheon (RKSI /ICN) with callsign 5Y8053, see : https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N86 ... /KPAE/RKSI

Departure was at 02.43 PDT at June 02th 2022, so probably no departure pictures.

747classic · Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:21 am

The wings for the final 747-8 freighter, line number LN 1574, were loaded on the line almost 54 years after the final body join of the first aircraft in the summer of 1968 and comes 54 years and 8 months after the initial wing skin/stringer riveting machine began work on the first units at Everett in September 1967.

All four of the final aircraft are due for delivery to Atlas Air by the end of 2022. The first of the group, which were ordered by Atlas in January 2021, is LN 1571, which made its first flight on April 22 and has been delivered today (June 02th.)

The second aircraft, LN1572, is undergoing final body join on the production line in Everett’s Building 40-22. The wing set for LN1573 is meanwhile being prepared for mating with the center fuselage section prior to transfer to the final body join position. Systems installation for the forward and aft fuselage sections of the second-to-last 747-8 is meanwhile underway in the adjacent build-up area on the north-west side of 40-22.

With the end of 747 production Boeing is preparing to bolster spares provisioning for the in-service fleet through Boeing Global Services, as well as clearing out space in 40-22 and the adjacent wing build-up area in 40-21. Following the consolidation of the 767/KC-46A and 747 line functions in 2016, and the transition of the 787 to Charleston, South Carolina, in 2021, the clearance of the 747 line will open up even more spare capacity in Everett. Boeing says no decisions have yet been taken on what to do with the space.

See : https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/ ... -wind-down

747classic · Fri Jun 03, 2022 1:48 pm

747classic wrote:
N860GT, just airborne for a delivery flight towards Incheon (RKSI /ICN) with callsign 5Y8053, see : https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N86 ... /KPAE/RKSI

Departure was at 02.43 PDT at June 02th 2022, so probably no departure pictures.

N860GT operated PAE-ICN-HKG-ANC

N860GT, First revenue flight arrival at HKG from ICN, June 03th 2022, see also : https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N86 ... /RKSI/VHHH

adv40624 · Fri Jun 03, 2022 5:13 pm

Atlas Air has taken delivery of the first of four new Boeing 747-8 freighters, the last remaining aircraft from the Boeing 747 program to be built. The 747-8F will operate on behalf of Cainiao, the logistics arm of Alibaba Group.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/o ... a23261c262

Phosphorus · Sat Jun 04, 2022 4:52 pm

N860GT / LN 1571 emerged from the factory door on the night of April 7/8.
If 2 months/frame schedule is upheld...
Looking forward towards the next plane / LN 1572 coming out in the next few days?

karungguni · Mon Jun 06, 2022 12:57 am

The yellow color of the word 'Air' appears different on the left side to the right side. Posts 162 vs. 166. Are they really different or is it an issue of lighting?

CX Flyboy · Mon Jun 06, 2022 1:40 am

karungguni wrote:
The yellow color of the word 'Air' appears different on the left side to the right side. Posts 162 vs. 166. Are they really different or is it an issue of lighting?

I think its the lighting. I looked at my photos of it from the left side and the AIR is a darker yellow same as it is in the photos above from the right side.

Sooner787 · Mon Jun 20, 2022 3:48 pm

Has L/N1572 rolled out of the factory yet?

747classic · Fri Jun 24, 2022 6:26 am

Sooner787 wrote:
Has L/N1572 rolled out of the factory yet?

Final body join of L/N 1572 was at May 12 2022, progress shown at June 15th 2022, so a little more patience.

L/N1572, KPAE, June 15th 2022

Orinal uploaded by Guy Norris at twitter, see : https://twitter.com/AvWeekGuy/status/15 ... 0643256320

Aircraft data : L/N 1572, 747-8F, RC702/906?, Atlas Air (Volga Dnepr NTU), serial number 67148, N861GT , final body join May 12 2022

Sooner787 · Fri Jun 24, 2022 1:25 pm

747classic wrote:
Sooner787 wrote:
Has L/N1572 rolled out of the factory yet?

Final body join of L/N 1572 was at May 12 2022, progress shown at June 15th 2022, so a little more patience.

L/N1572, KPAE, June 15th 2022

Orinal uploaded by Guy Norris at twitter, see : https://twitter.com/AvWeekGuy/status/15 ... 0643256320

Aircraft data : L/N 1572, 747-8F, RC702/906?, Atlas Air (Volga Dnepr NTU), serial number 67148, N861GT , final body join May 12 2022

Appreciate the update. Gonna be a sad day when the final frame rolls off the line

747classic · Wed Jun 29, 2022 8:14 pm

Another picture of L/N1572 at the Everett FAL, also at June 15th 2022

Original uploaded by Leo Barnier at twitter, see : https://twitter.com/LeoBarnier/status/1 ... 2017573893

Boeing757100 · Thu Jun 30, 2022 12:44 am

747classic wrote:
Another picture of L/N1572 at the Everett FAL, also at June 15th 2022

Original uploaded by Leo Barnier at twitter, see : https://twitter.com/LeoBarnier/status/1 ... 2017573893

I've never seen this many pictures of the FAL. How come these are becoming more public? Is it because production is finally wrapping up on the Queen for good?

747classic · Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:23 am

Boeing757100 wrote:

I've never seen this many pictures of the FAL. How come these are becoming more public? Is it because production is finally wrapping up on the Queen for good?

AFAIK there were some media events (e.g. 777 ecoDemonstrator) at June 15th and 27th. at Everett, so the invited journalists also got a factory tour. Boeing had to do some PR to regain the lost confidence.

747 and 777 FAL pictures taken during these tours are now emerging at the socialmedia (twitter)

747-8I pictured at the hangar doors of the 747 FAL (Building 40-22)

Original uploaded by Leo Barnier at twitter, see : https://twitter.com/LeoBarnier/status/1 ... 2017573893

747classic · Thu Jul 14, 2022 7:07 am

Sooner787 wrote:
Has L/N1572 rolled out of the factory yet?

According Matt Cawby's Paine Field blog of July 13th, L/N 1572 is scheduled to be rolled out at July 28th 2022.
See : http://kpae.blogspot.com/2022/07/paine- ... ly-13.html

twiley1967 · Fri Jul 15, 2022 12:03 am

N861PA has rolled out of the factory -

747classic · Fri Jul 15, 2022 10:23 am

twiley1967 wrote:
N861PA has rolled out of the factory -

???
You meant N861GT ? If so, at what date did she roll-out ?
Or has N861GT only left building 40-22 (747 FAL) and is parked in another hangar for travelled work ?

N14AZ · Fri Jul 15, 2022 2:26 pm

747classic wrote:
twiley1967 wrote:
N861PA has rolled out of the factory -

???
You meant N861GT ? If so, at what date did she roll-out ?
Or has N861GT only left building 40-22 (747 FAL) and is parked in another hangar for travelled work ?

Well, technically it’s correct. It has rolled out of the factory. Albeit about 30 years ago and on the other side of the pond…

twiley1967 · Sat Jul 16, 2022 3:00 am

747classic wrote:
twiley1967 wrote:
N861PA has rolled out of the factory -

???
You meant N861GT ? If so, at what date did she roll-out ?
Or has N861GT only left building 40-22 (747 FAL) and is parked in another hangar for travelled work ?

I'll try this again, N861GT has left the factory, according to paineairport.com - http://paineairport.com/images/kpae19945qa.png

Spetsnaz55 · Sat Jul 16, 2022 3:25 am

twiley1967 wrote:
747classic wrote:
twiley1967 wrote:
N861PA has rolled out of the factory -

???
You meant N861GT ? If so, at what date did she roll-out ?
Or has N861GT only left building 40-22 (747 FAL) and is parked in another hangar for travelled work ?

I'll try this again, N861GT has left the factory, according to paineairport.com - http://paineairport.com/images/kpae19945qa.png

Read the comment below this image. It is Not out of the factory.

rbavfan · Sat Jul 16, 2022 3:56 am

karungguni wrote:
The yellow color of the word 'Air' appears different on the left side to the right side. Posts 162 vs. 166. Are they really different or is it an issue of lighting?

Different light levels & more harsh lighting on the port side picture change the look of the color.

UAEflyer · Sat Jul 16, 2022 11:22 am

How many 744 VIPs are still active?

747classic · Sat Jul 16, 2022 12:44 pm

Nine (9) "real" 747-8I/BBJ aircraft have been built. Of these 9 aircraft, eight (8) are active, only L/N 1446 -N458BJ has been purchased by Boeing again and is stored at MZJ (for spares ????)
Both Air China and Korean have one of their airline 747-8I aircraft (partly) rebuilt to VIP standard, both are also active
The first airline 747-8I was rejected by LH and has been sold to Egypt and is now located at HAM for VIP conversion.
Both future "Air Force One 747-8I aircraft are to be converted to VC-25B (VIP) standard at San Antonio.

38636 1434 Boeing 747-8JK(BBJ) 9K-GAA State of Kuwait 2 Nov 2012 Active
37544 1439 Boeing 747-8KB(BBJ) A7-HHE Qatar Amiri Flight 28 Feb 2012 Active
37500 1440 Boeing 747-8Z5(BBJ) CN-MBH Morocco Government Oct 2017 Active
37075 1449 Boeing 747-8KB(BBJ) A7-HBJ Qatar Amiri Flight 2 Jul 2015 Active
41060 1459 Boeing 747-8LQ(BBJ) V8-BKH Brunei Government 27 Sep 2016 Active
39749 1466 Boeing 747-8H0(BBJ) A4O-HMS Royal Flight of Oman 12 Dec 2012 Active
42096 1468 Boeing 747-8ZV(BBJ) TC-TRK Turkey Government 5 Oct 2018 Active
37501 1495 Boeing 747-8Z5(BBJ) A7-HHF Qatar Amiri Flight 10 Dec 2017 Active
41193 1510 Boeing 747-89L B-2479 Air China 07 Oct 2016 Active
60410 1538 Boeing 747-8B5 HL7643 Government of South Korea 8 Dec 2021 Active

37826 1435 Boeing 747-830 SU-EGY Egypt Government 12 Oct 2021 Parked
40065 1446 Boeing 747-8JA(BBJ) N458BJ Boeing 14 Apr 2022 Parked
42416 1519 Boeing 747-85M N894BA United States Air Force 9 Dec 2021 Parked
42417 1523 Boeing 747-85M N895BA United States Air Force 7 Dec 2021 Parked

I will have a look for the active 744 VIP aircraft, however no "Real" 744/BBJ aircraft have been built. All 744 VIP aircraft are conversions from airline 744 aircraft.

747classic · Sat Jul 16, 2022 2:13 pm

Active 744 VIP aircraft. (hopefully i got them all !!)

25074 862 Boeing 747-433(M) A6-COM Dubai Air Wing / Royal Flight 6 Nov 2008 Active
25880 926 Boeing 747-4J6 HZ-WBT7 Kingdom Aircraft II LLC 22 Jul 2005 Active
25629 956 Boeing 747-428 CN-RGA Morocco Government Apr 2020 Active
26903 1171 Boeing 747-422 A6-HRM Dubai Air Wing / Royal Flight 10 Sep 2003 Active
28961 1174 Boeing 747-4F6 A9C-HAK Bahrain Royal Flight 29 Oct 2015 Active
26906 1185 Boeing 747-422 A6-MMM Dubai Air Wing / Royal Flight 12 May 2003 Active
28343 1265 Boeing 747-468 HZ-HM1 Saudi Arabian Government 7 Oct 2006 Active
32445 1292 Boeing 747-430 A4O-OMN Royal Flight of Oman 30 Apr 2004 Active
33684 1324 Boeing 747-4P8 A9C-HMK Bahrain Royal Flight 27 Feb 2003 Active

UAEflyer · Tue Jul 19, 2022 11:11 am

747classic wrote:
Active 744 VIP aircraft. (hopefully i got them all !!)

25074 862 Boeing 747-433(M) A6-COM Dubai Air Wing / Royal Flight 6 Nov 2008 Active
25880 926 Boeing 747-4J6 HZ-WBT7 Kingdom Aircraft II LLC 22 Jul 2005 Active
25629 956 Boeing 747-428 CN-RGA Morocco Government Apr 2020 Active
26903 1171 Boeing 747-422 A6-HRM Dubai Air Wing / Royal Flight 10 Sep 2003 Active
28961 1174 Boeing 747-4F6 A9C-HAK Bahrain Royal Flight 29 Oct 2015 Active
26906 1185 Boeing 747-422 A6-MMM Dubai Air Wing / Royal Flight 12 May 2003 Active
28343 1265 Boeing 747-468 HZ-HM1 Saudi Arabian Government 7 Oct 2006 Active
32445 1292 Boeing 747-430 A4O-OMN Royal Flight of Oman 30 Apr 2004 Active
33684 1324 Boeing 747-4P8 A9C-HMK Bahrain Royal Flight 27 Feb 2003 Active

amazing stuff
thanks alot

747classic · Tue Jul 19, 2022 12:27 pm

Even one 747-300 VIP aircraft seems to be active :
23070 592 Boeing 747-3G1 HZ-HM1A Saudi Arabian Government 22 Dec 1983 Active

aristoenigma · Tue Jul 19, 2022 9:50 pm

747classic wrote:
Even one 747-300 VIP aircraft seems to be active :
23070 592 Boeing 747-3G1 HZ-HM1A Saudi Arabian Government 22 Dec 1983 Active

I wonder how often the Saudi 743 VIP is flown. I heard the 744 VIP (fresh updated livery) is the King's main AC.

The two USAF 742s that became Air Force Ones could fly well into the future even though soon being replaced by 748s.

WestWing · Thu Jul 21, 2022 2:30 am

Genuine question. Could someone please explain why it is being said that "N861GT has not rolled-out of the factory" when there is a photograph of her sitting outside in the open? What event/milestone qualifies as a "roll-out from the factory" for a newly assembled frame?

aristoenigma · Sun Jul 24, 2022 5:10 am

What is the likely utilization of the FAL buildings after the last 748F rolls out. Will there be a long transition usage for 747 related maintenance?

Noshow · Sun Jul 24, 2022 6:47 am

Rollout is a production milestone, the formal end of the final assembly phase before testing, paint, handover and all that. Maybe it was just parked outside for a moment before all the final assembly steps needed were completed? Like to rearrange the hangar parking or similar?

Spetsnaz55 · Sun Jul 24, 2022 2:44 pm

Noshow wrote:
Rollout is a production milestone, the formal end of the final assembly phase before testing, paint, handover and all that. Maybe it was just parked outside for a moment before all the final assembly steps needed were completed? Like to rearrange the hangar parking or similar?

The picture Matt had used was of N860GT

N861GT has not left the factory yet.

His caption says rollout us July 28th

RobertoMugabe · Sun Jul 24, 2022 2:54 pm

aristoenigma wrote:
What is the likely utilization of the FAL buildings after the last 748F rolls out. Will there be a long transition usage for 747 related maintenance?

Optimization of the 767 FAL. 767s have to be towed around the Everett building currently to reach their last FAL positions after the WBJ because they are awkwardly crammed around the 747 FAL.

Stitch · Sun Jul 24, 2022 5:34 pm

aristoenigma wrote:
What is the likely utilization of the FAL buildings after the last 748F rolls out. Will there be a long transition usage for 747 related maintenance?

RobertoMugabe wrote:
Optimization of the 767 FAL. 767s have to be towed around the Everett building currently to reach their last FAL positions after the WBJ because they are awkwardly crammed around the 747 FAL.

But that seems to have been the intention when the 767 FAL was moved to 40-32. One station for FBJ and a second station to put everything in and perform functional testing, followed by rolling it out of the FAL and either to the flight line (if commercial) or the Everett Modification Center (if KC-46A).

WestWing · Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:18 am

Spetsnaz55 wrote:
The picture Matt had used was of N860GT

N861GT has not left the factory yet.

His caption says rollout us July 28th

Thank you for the clarification that the outside photo was of N860GT. That clears up my confusion.

natc141 · Wed Jul 27, 2022 2:58 am

In UPS investor’s packet today, the spreadsheet showed 2 747-8 options. This is news to me. Any thoughts?

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