Article Posted on : - Mar 09, 2011

The 747-8 Intercontinental.

EVERETT, WASHINGTON (BNS): Inching close towards flight testing its largest passenger jet, the 747-8 Intercontinental, Boeing Tuesday completed the first engine runs for the aircraft.

"The integrated airplane systems and engines performed as expected," said Elizabeth Lund, vice president and deputy programme manager of the 747 programme.

"This result allows us to continue moving forward to first flight," the official said.

Engine runs for the aircraft lasted for nearly three hours. The test began with the Auxiliary Power System providing power to start the first of four GE GEnx-2B engines of the airplane. The remaining three engines were started using the cross-bleed function, the company said.

The new passenger jet was officially unveiled at Boeing’s Everett facility in Washington last month.

The wide-body 747-8 intercontinental jetliner belongs to the fourth generation Boeing 747 family of commercial planes. The eco-friendly aircraft has been designed with higher capacity and fuel efficiency.

Boeing has, so far, bagged total orders for 38 such jets from Air China, Korean Air and Lufthansa.