Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental Starts its Engines

The new 747-8 Intercontinental ran all four engines for the first time on March 8, 2011, completing a key milestone in preparing Boeing's largest-ever passenger jet for its maiden flight.

One started spinning, then the other three followed suit. Soon, all four roared to life, effortlessly displaying its powerful 67,000-lb thrust rating.

"These are the most technologically-advanced engines produced today," said 747-8 Propulsion Director Jim Petersen as he watched the General Electric engines operate for the first time while attached to Boeing's largest-ever passenger airplane.

The "engine runs" test is a key milestone in preparing the 747-8 Intercontinental to take its inaugural flight.

"We get to check out all the computing systems, the backup systems, pneumatics, electric systems," Petersen said.

"The engines will be easier to maintain, more fuel-efficient, quieter and they'll be able to fly more passengers and packages around the world." Jim Petersen, 747-8 Propulsion Director

As the test progressed, Boeing technicians raised the power settings, allowing the GEnx-2B engine to show off its raw power. The performance came as no surprise. Over the last year, the same engines have powered the Intercontinental's sibling, the 747-8 Freighter, providing the thrust for a series of extreme flight tests, including a one-million-pound takeoff.

But the power output is just one part of the story. The GEnx has 30% fewer parts, so it's lighter and requires less maintenance. More importantly, the GEnx will use 15% less fuel than the engine it replaces, which also means 15% lower emissions.

"This result allows us to continue moving forward to first flight." Elizabeth Lund, 747-8 Vice President and Deputy Program Manager

After nearly three hours of running through systems checks, technicians powered down the engines. Initial data show the test went according to plan.

"The integrated airplane systems and engines performed as expected," said Elizabeth Lund, vice president and deputy program manager of the 747 program. "This result allows us to continue moving forward to first flight."

Boeing engineers will now perform a technical review and prepare for the next milestone, which involves a simulated flight out on the flight line in Everett, Wash.
"It'll be easier to maintain, more fuel-efficient, quieter and they'll be able to fly more passengers and packages around the world," said Petersen.

The GEnx-2B's big leap in propulsion technology is a big reason why the 747-8 Intercontinental can accommodate 467 seats in a 3-class configuration, 51 more than its predecessor, while offering airlines the lowest operating costs and best economics of any large passenger airplane.

Category:

Science & Technology

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[atami210]

They should have the engines from 77L and 77W..

100,00 x 4 pounds of thrust!

[Altumkell]

@atami210 what if they use the GE-90 engines that they use on their 777-300ER more than 100000 pounds of thrusts!

[airboy1997]

what's the difrence between the 747-8 and the 747-8 intercontinental?

[Altumkell]

@airboy1997 747-8 is the new series of the 747

[Sooksawaspakdee961]

I dont think the GE-90-115B engines will fit under the wings without scraping the ground. They are huge i real life.

[mcco0480]

@airboy1997 747-8 is the freight version, 747-8I is commercial passenger version.

[redrider45038]

@airboy1997

The Intercontinental is the passenger version, not the freighter

[voodas]

100,000 or 67.500 per engine?

[singleproppilot]

@airboy1997 The 747-8F is a freighter. The Intercontinental is a passenger version. The freighter has the short upper deck (small hump), which is ideal for a freighter because of its lighter weight and because there's more room for tall cargo on the main deck. The freighter also has the main deck cargo doors on the right side and the nose. The Intercontinental has the stretched upper deck (SUD) to accommodate a larger number of passengers and has no main deck cargo doors.

[03Wale]

@camerongoll @airboy1997 They are the 747-8F(freighter/cargo) and the 747-8I - intercontinental aka passenger version

[camerongoll]

@airboy1997 i think the intercontinental has more seats or a longer hump

[atami210]

@Altumkell

Umm those are the same engines I mentioned...