Boeing 747-8i first flight landing
The 747-8 Intercontinental landing after its first flight.
The Intercontinental returning to Paine Field at the end of its first flight the same day.
First flights are deliberately conservative - gear down, limited envelope, basic handling and systems checks.
Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental touching down at the end of its first flight
Related topics
Boeing 747-400 vs 747-8
The 747-8 is bigger, heavier and quieter than the 747-400, with a new wing, GEnx-2B engines and a stretched fuselage - but it sells a fraction as well.
Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental vs 747-8F
The 747-8I and 747-8F share an engine, a wing and a weight, but split on the upper deck, the nose door and what they are built to haul.
Launching the 747-8 Intercontinental
Boeing launched the 747-8 family in November 2005, and Lufthansa became the first airline to order the passenger Intercontinental in December 2006.
747-8 Intercontinental first flight video
Footage of the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental leaving Paine Field on its maiden flight on 20 March 2011.
Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental: Technical Specifications
The 747-8 Intercontinental was the passenger 747-8, with a lengthened fuselage and new wing. Lufthansa was its only major airline customer.
Boeing 747-8 Passenger Version: Cabin and Airline Demand
The passenger 747-8 offered 51 more seats and 26 percent more cargo volume than the 747-400, but found only a handful of airline customers.
More in Photo Album
Photo Album
Photographs of every major Boeing 747 variant and special-mission jumbo - airline service, freight, Air Force One, the Dreamlifter and SOFIA.
Boeing 747-8 Photos
The Boeing 747-8 in pictures - wing assembly, final construction, paint hangar roll-out, first flight and airline service.
747-400 Cargo
Japan Airlines Cargo Boeing 747-400F JA401J photographed on the ramp, showing the freighter's raised flight deck and nose door.
747-400D (Japan Airlines)
A Japan Airlines Boeing 747-400D, the high-density domestic variant built without the winglets fitted to other 747-400s.
747-8 Berths
Optional crew rest berths offered on the 747-8, tucked into the upper area of the cabin for long-haul operations.
747-8-Intercontinental forward fuselage
The first forward fuselage section of the 747-8 Intercontinental, delivered to Everett for final assembly.