Boeing has produced a virtual walkabout video for its latest widebody passenger jet, the 747-8 Intercontinental.
The 747-8 Intercontinenal is shown here with flexible interior options, including "SkyLoft" passenger suites and crew rest areas.
The US manufacturer is expecting further airline orders for the passenger version of the 747-8 this year, but it concedes the market for this variant is taking longer than expected to develop.
To date Boeing has accumulated 87 firm 747-8 orders, comprising 63 for the freighter and 24 for the passenger version, which has three-class accommodation of 467 passengers.
Boeing is still putting the final touches to the 747-8I, which is due to be wrapped up "late summer or early fall", according to Boeing's 747/747-8 programme VP Dan Mooney.
Assembly of the first aircraft is due to begin in early 2009 with entry into service due in 2010.
Mooney says Boeing is in talks with around a dozen potential 747-8 customers, covering both the passenger and freighter versions.
“We hope to have some more passenger orders by the end of this year,” he says.
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Source: FlightGlobal.com
