The 747 is a brilliant design. They’ve been able to stretch the upper deck, re-wing it twice (once on the -400, now again on the -8i), upgrade the engines multiple times...it’s a beautiful piece of engineering.
}:-)4
So, while Boeing is making leaps of 20 ft to a design that is closing in on ~40 years old; Airbus is throwing down an aircraft like the 380, 49% larger than the Boeing 747-400.
THAT is progress.
Boeing, what has happened? You used to lead the world, now you are polishing a 40 yr old design, and crowing about your achievements.
< bragging>
Best flight I ever had was upstairs on a British Airways 747 for an 11 hour flight. The sevice was wonderful and the lay flat seats mad it very easy to sleep. Because of the way the ceiling slopes, it’s very cozy up there. The bragging part is I got an unexpected upgrade at the airport. I was expecting to fly in coach!< /bragging>
Sales of the passenger version of the -8 are anemic to put it kindly. However, sales of the cargo version are strong. Lufthansa is buying some of the pax versions and described the plane as “filling a niche between their A-340’s and the A-380”. So there you have it, the latest pax version of the 747 is a niche plane.
One of the biggest mistakes the Air Force ever made was choosing the Lockheed C-5 over the 747.
