Boeing today was pleased with the performance of their new Boeing member – the Boeing 747-8 Freighter.  The newest member of the 747 family has been delayed twice, but met this first flight milestone with a three-hour test flight.

The Boeing 747-8 is 18-feet longer than the 747-400 and shares some of the new technologies of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner making it more efficient.

There are currently 108 orders for the Boeing 747-8; 76 for the freighter and 32 for the passenger version.  The freighter can carry 16% more cargo and the passenger version 51 more passengers than the next largest 747 model.

The first delivery of the freighter version of the Boeing 747-8 is scheduled for late 2010.