747-800 Cargo test flight

It's officially a 747-8.

Here is the article of it's record breaking lift in August. 8/23/2010

747-8 Freighter makes Herculean lift
- Record takeoff weight for a Boeing airplane


The 747-8 Freighter did something last week that would impress Hercules himself. Piloted by Boeing Capt. Paul Stemer and U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Capt. Bob Stoney, RC521 lifted off the runaway in Victorville, Calif., carrying more than one million pounds (454,500 kg). The flight set a record for the heaviest takeoff completed by a Boeing airplane.

The previous record was held by another 747-8 Freighter, RC501, which recently conducted a flight with a takeoff weight of 975,000 pounds (442,253 kg).

"This record is a tribute to the airplane's design and our team," said Mo Yahyavi, vice president and general manager of the 747 program. "A lot of hard work went into preparing for this takeoff and it paid off."

Capt. Stemer agreed. "The airplane and engines performed flawlessly under the burden of the record weight," he said. "It was a very special day for RC521's flight and ground crews. Everyone enjoyed witnessing a special first for The Boeing Company."

Weighing 1,002,000 pounds (454,500 kg), the 747-8 Freighter took to the sky with 4,500 feet (1,372 m) of a 15,000-foot (4,572 m) runway to spare. The flight concluded with a picture perfect landing at around 875,000 pounds (396,900 kg).

"We continue to expand the testing envelope for the 747-8 Freighter," said Andy Hammer, flight test manager for the 747-8. "In flight test, we test the airplane's capabilities above and beyond the normal operating conditions."

It took several hours to load and fuel the airplane for the record flight. The airplane's taxi weight was 1,005,000 pounds (455,860 kg).

The 747-8 Freighter boasts a designed maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 975,000 pounds (442,253 kg), compared to the 875,000 pound (396,900 kg) MTOW of its predecessor, the 747-400 Freighter.

RC521 lifts off the runway in Victorville, Calif., weighing 1,002,000 pounds (454,500 kg).

 

.......and the 747 was designed from the beginning with a flip up nose back in the late 60's.
They all don't come with it but the heavy lift planes usually do for oversized pallets.

Lots of head room in there.

 

And I was there. Working 12 hours a day or more to get number one out the door. From the beginning it was an inspired design and those who built the original were indeed driven to make it a success. The timing was off , however, and it came too near to failure due to another economic collapse. BUT in two years the design proved itself to be spot on and look what happened. It will go down in history as one of the greatest airplanes as it continues to maintain its position as a favored passenger jet and one of the best freighters in the business, with the 777 right on it's heels.

 

Show off!

 

Does the -8 still have 16 main wheels? I know that at one time in Boeing's studies, it was proposed to replace two of the units with 777-style six-wheel bogies, but I don't know if that was actually done.

 

It's public as of 8/24/10 in the Tacoma News Tribune, http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/08/24/1312293/748-freighter-sets-record-for.html

 

Same configuration, beefed struts and forgings.
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As if they didn't look big enough already.

It's a proud sight though isn't it.

 

A little over 18 feet longer than the -400. Just as fast with better fuel burn.

 

I think it's the AN225 lifting a 190 ton generator in 2009. That's all I could find on Google so far.

Wiki:
On 11 August 2009, the heaviest single cargo item ever sent via air freight was loaded onto an Antonov 225. At 16.23 metres (53.2 ft) long and 4.27 metres (14.0 ft) wide, the consignment–a generator for a gas power plant in Armenia and its loading frame–weighed in at a record 189.09 tonnes (416,900 lb).

From this site, http://www.vectorsite.net/avantgt.html
ANTONOV AN-225 MRIYA ("COSSACK"):
Since it was not intended for any tactical role, it was not designed for short-field operation, and has a takeoff length of 3,500 meters (11,500 feet) with maximum payload.
_____________________ _________________ _______________________

spec metric english
_____________________ _________________ _______________________

wingspan 88.4 meters 290 feet
wing area 905 sq_meters 9,742 sq_feet
length 84 meters 275 feet 7 inches
height 18.2 meters 59 feet 9 inches

empty weight 175,000 kilograms 385,800 pounds
max takeoff weight 600,000 kilograms 1,322,275 pounds

max speed at altitude 850 KPH 530 MPH / 460 KT
cruising altitude 10,000 meters 33,000 feet
range, max payload 4,500 kilometers 2,795 MI / 2,430 NMI
range, max fuel 15,400 kilometers 9,570 MI / 8,310 NMI
_____________________ _________________ _______________________

 

I was driving to Las Vegas this last Monday (Nov 1) for SEMA. I saw a huge plane take off from somewhere as I was driving through the California desert. I lost sight of it for a while but then it circled around a few times at a pretty low altitude. I then could see it was a 747. My last sight was as it passed right over the highway and I read the 747 lettering on the tail. I was wondering why a pure white 747 would be flying out of Edwards (that was the sign on the road)... but now I know it was Palmdale. It certainly perked me up after 7 hours of driving.

 

Lots of runway at Edwards for testing, possibly crosswind stuff, also Palmdale could be used for "velocity minimum unstick testing".

A poor description of how it's done on the 787,
Boeing 787 Dreamliner N787BA ZA001,

Boeing's lead 787 flight test aircraft, ZA001, is bound for Edwards Air Force Base in southern California on Monday to begin a phase in the flight test campaign that will see the new composite jetliner conduct some of its most arduous flying.

The aircraft is slated to depart Boeing Field for Edwards around 8:00 AM PT for the hour and forty-five minute flight to California. While at Edwards, ZA001 will conduct velocity minimum unstick testing (Vmu) to establish the minimum flying speeds for the 787 at various weights and flap settings.

For these tests, ZA001 will rotate as soon as the aircraft's elevators become aerodynamically effective, pitching the 787's nose upward, striking the tail - affixed with a specialized tail dragger - on the runway. Flight test crews will establish the minimum performance for the aircraft, as the aircraft picks up speed and the aircraft begins to fly.

Can't find any pictures of a 747 doing this.

Nice video of an A380 doing it . Notice the yaw at lift off. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F88oRypxreM&p=0CA52E4C5CDACCD3&playnext=1&index=50
Very old video of the 777 VMU but really good shots. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VqG2WRe0CA
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