The B787 isn’t Boeing’s only new airliner, there’s also the B747-8. Yes, the B747-8. I know the B747 is hardly new, but the latest member of the family, the -8, is a radical redesign. The fuselage is a fairly direct evolution from the B747-400, albeit with a 220 inch stretch, but it has many enhancements. However the wing is all new, and the engines are brand new GEnx-2b turbofans, derived from the GEnx-1b of the B787. Boeing has released the following video highlighting the new design features of the B747-8:
The engines aren’t the only thing the B747-8 gets from its little brother, it also uses B787-derived avionics and some cabin features such as LED lighting. The B747-8 may no longer be the largest airliner flying, that honor now belongs to the A380, but it is the longest – taking that crown from the A340-600. And it remains to be seen if the A380 has as long and illustrious a career as the B747 has had, and continues to enjoy. Even if you’ve never flown on one you’ve probably benefited from it – over half of the world’s airfreight is carried by a B747 Freighter.
