Article Posted on : - Mar 21, 2011

The 747-8 Intercontinental takes off from Paine Filed in Everett, Washington. A Boeing photo

EVERETT (BNS): US aircraft maker Boeing’s new commercial jumbo jet, the 747-8 Intercontinental, underwent its first successful flight test in Washington Sunday.

The new passenger jetliner took to the skies at 9:59 am local time from the Paine Field in Everett, Washington in the presence of thousands of employees, customers and other officials.

The airplane, courting the ‘Sunrise’ livery of red-orange paint – a deviation from the Boeing's standard blue hue – reached a cruising altitude of 19,000 feet (5,791 meters), and a speed of up to 250 knots (463 kilometers) per hour.

The maiden flight lasted for four hours and 25 minutes with the aircraft landing at Boeing Field in Seattle.

“The 747-8 Intercontinental’s first flight marks the beginning of a flight test programme that will finish in the fourth quarter,” Boeing said.

The aircraft was officially unveiled at Boeing’s Everett facility in Washington in February this year.

Sunday’s flight was the first of more than 600 flight hours in the test programme for the new 747-8 Intercontinental, the aviation major said.

The new wide-body 747-8 intercontinental belonging to the Boeing 747 family of commercial airplanes has been designed with higher capability and fuel efficiency to fly in long-haul routes. The eco-friendly aircraft features a new wing design and an upgraded flight deck. It can accommodate over 450 passengers.

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

First delivery of the 747-8 Intercontinental is scheduled for the fourth quarter this year, according to the company.