Still Awaiting Orders For Passenger Variant
With an order that should bring the upcoming 747-8 program near
the break-even point, Boeing and Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings
announced Tuesday the carrier has ordered 12 747-8 Freighters,
making Atlas the North American launch customer for the
airplane.
At list prices, the order is valued at about $3.4 billion. Atlas
will begin taking delivery of the airplanes in 2010, and expects
all 12 aircraft to be in service by the end of 2011.
"With this order, Atlas Air remains the leader in providing the
capacity and operational flexibility required by our air cargo
customers using the state-of-the art freighter platform," said
William J. Flynn, president and CEO of Atlas Air Worldwide
Holdings.
"Worldwide air cargo traffic is projected to grow by over six
percent annually for the next two decades, tripling over current
traffic levels for our ACMI, Charter and Scheduled Service
customers," Flynn added. "With its increased capacity, greater
range at equivalent payloads, and lower operating costs, the 747-8F
gives our customers a cutting-edge aircraft to meet this growth in
global air cargo demand. We are very pleased at our customers'
enthusiasm for this next-generation freighter, and we look forward
to putting it into service for them."
Atlas operates the world's largest fleet of Boeing 747
Freighters, with 20 747-400 and 15 747-200 Freighters in service
with operators throughout the world. The 747-8F, which has a common
pilot type rating and more than 70 percent parts commonality with
the 747-400F, should allow Atlas a seamless introduction of the new
airplane into its fleet.
"We are proud to have been chosen by this great customer for its
new fleet order," said Scott Carson, president and CEO of Boeing
Commercial Airplanes. "Atlas has been instrumental in making the
747 Freighter family the industry standard and, with the addition
of the new 747-8 Freighter, Atlas continues its legacy of
delivering high value and quality customer service."
Atlas provides cargo services in Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and
Insurance (ACMI) leasing, global scheduled service, commercial
charter services and U.S. military charter services.
Boeing says the 747-8 Freighter improves on the current 747-400F
with 16 percent more payload capacity, due to a larger airframe
that allows it to hold seven additional standard pallets while
maintaining its customer-preferred nose-door-loading
capability.
Including the Atlas order, 30 747-8 Freighters have been ordered
by three customers since program launch in November 2005. While the
freighter variant of the jumbo jet has sold fairly well, Boeing has
yet to receive a single announced order from an airline for the
passenger-carrying Intercontinental variant -- Boeing's competitor
to the upcoming Airbus A380.
As Aero-News reported, the
lone order on Boeing's books for a 747-8i is for a VIP version of
the plane -- with the customer as-yet unidentified.
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