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.

FMI: www.boeing.com, www.atlasair.com