Cargolux announcement sparks speculation that US manufacturer’s board is near to decision on stretched -400
Boeing’s efforts to launch the 747 Advanced – a stretched, re-engined, longer-range passenger and freighter variant of the 747-400 – appear to have taken a giant leap forward with an announcement by Cargolux that it intends to start negotiations for a minimum of 10 aircraft.
Boeing welcomed the statement from the Luxembourg-based cargo carrier last week, but declined to define it as a launch. In broad terms, the formal launch of the programme is still expected to be some time in September.
“We are thrilled that Cargolux has identified the 747Adv as the successor to its 747-400, but it doesn’t mean we are launching,” says Boeing, adding it remains hopeful of a firm go-ahead within months.
Cargolux says it chose the 747Advanced Freighter after a three-way evaluation that also included the Boeing 777F freighter and Airbus A380. The airline’s board authorised its managers to enter talks with Boeing after “a thorough analysis, during which we assessed which aircraft was best suited to our fleet renewal in the next decade”, says chief executive Uli Ogiermann.
The airline adds that it took the unusual step of going public with its intentions to prevent speculation about its fleet plans. Should Boeing decide not to go ahead with the 747Adv, then it would re-open its evaluation around the 777F and A380, says Cargolux.
Boeing is proposing two versions of the 747Adv, comprising a freighter, which Cargolux has selected, and a passenger version. Both incorporate slight fuselage stretches, as well as General Electric GEnx engines and wing improvements . Target entry into service for the 747Adv is March 2009.
Assuming a go-ahead decision this year on the 747Adv programme, GE plans to make the first test runs of the GEnx engine for the new model around February 2007, with evaluations on the company’s 747 flying testbed in the third quarter of that year, and type certification in April 2008. Other operators showing strong interest in the 747Adv include British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines.
The chances for a successful launch of the 747Adv, the first stretched version of the aircraft, have grown considerably with the gradual restoration of the firm-order backlog for current 747 versions. This has reached 28, believed to be sufficient to bridge the production gap until the start of 747Adv manufacturing in 2008. The backlog consists of 15 -400Fs, nine -400ERFs and four -400 passenger models.
GUY NORRIS/LOS ANGELES & MAX KINGSLEY-JONES/LONDON
Source: Flight International
