Boeing Could Test Flight 747-8 Next Week
CHICAGO (
) --
Boeing
(BA) - Get Report
is set to test flight its delayed 747-8 jumbo jet, the newest version of the 747 aircraft, a report says.
The plane could make its maiden flight from Paine Field, north of Seattle, as early as Monday, subject to weather and last-minute mechanical checks, the plane maker told the
Wall Street Journal
.
The company plans to add another two 747-8 cargo planes to the test-flight program, which is expected to last until sometime in the fourth quarter.
The new commercial jet is behind schedule by more than a year with deliveries slated to begin in this year's fourth quarter, the
Journal
says.
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Luxembourg-based
Cargolux Airlines
is the launch customer for the plane's cargo version, while German carrier
Deutsche Lufthansa
is expected to take delivery of the first passenger 747-8 in late 2011.
The newest 747 model, to be built initially as a cargo plane, is based on the two-deck 747 that has been used by airlines and cargo operators.
Boeing plans to test the three big jets from an airport in central Washington for a few months, before moving the test planes to Palmdale, Calif., for the final stages of certification, the
Journal
says.
Boeing also is testing the delayed 787 Dreamliner from Boeing Field in Seattle.
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