Article Posted on : - Apr 20, 2010

The 747-8 Freighter took off from Everett's Paine Field and returned after a 3-hour, 39-minute successful debut flight. Photo: Boeing

PALMDALE (BNS): Boeing has started the second 747-8 Freighter, RC521 flight-test in Palmdale at Southern California on Monday.

The entire flight-test program will be performed on three airplanes, RC501, RC521 and RC522 for about 3,700 hours of ground and air testing.

RC521 has performed more than four-hour flight, from Boeing Field in Seattle included testing on avionics and cruise performance.

"Taking the airplane to Palmdale is a big step, the team is focused on ensuring a seamless transition into the next phase of the flight-test program as we prepare to expand testing of the 747-8 Freighter's performance characteristics," said Mo Yahyavi, vice president and general manager of the 747 program said in a Boeing press release.

747-8 Freighter will undergo many flight-test program at Palmdale. Its crew will conduct several other test, with fuel-mileage and engine-performance testing as key focus areas.

"Palmdale provides an excellent test environment for the 747-8 Freighter. It allows us to take full advantage of one of the world's premier experimental test flight facilities and the excellent weather conditions to meet our flight-test requirements on the road to obtaining our amended type certification, �said Andy Hammer, 747 test program manager.

The two other 747-8 airplanes of the flight-test fleet will join the RC521 in Southern California in coming weeks.