Airplane manufacturer Boeing has launched their highest passenger capacity aircraft to date, the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental.
The airplane is 18 feet longer than its predecessor, allowing it to accommodate 467 passengers in a single flight. Aerodynamic improvements to the wing and a more fuel-efficient engine allow the aircraft to travel further than ever before.
"It flies further. It flies faster. It’s more economical and it carries more passengers than ever before. It really is a fabulous airplane," said Elizabeth Lund, vice president and general manager of the 747-8 program.
The airplane underwent its first test flight on Sunday (March 20). According to the chief pilot, Captain Mark Feuerstein, the aircraft was so well-prepared that it could handle conditions usually reserved for later in the test program.
"Doing not only the functional tests we often do on a first flight, but we also stepped out and did some important stability and control conditions that we wouldn’t ordinarily do. That’s basically a testament to how prepared the airplane was," said Feuerstein.
Boeing 747-8 Intercontinentals are expected to begin making commercial flights some time later this year.
Video footage of the test flight is available on Boeing’s website here.