AIRCRAFT INVESTIGATION >>>>>>> HOME PAGE

weight and performance calculations for the Boeing 747-8I

Boeing 747-8I

role : jumbo jet

importance : ****

first flight : 20 March 2011 operational : May 2012 (Lufthansa)

country : United States of America

ICAO aircraft type designator : B748

production : 47 aircraft

general information :

Enlarged 747-400, to compete with the Airbus A380. It is 5.74m longer than the 747-

400 giving space for 51 additional passengers. The new efficient GEnx engines give it

a range of 15.000km with 420 passengers.

It has a bigger wingspan, with new airfoil and raked wing tips, replacing the

winglets. Next generation advanced alloys have been used in the construction.

Boeing 747-8I first flight, taking off from Paine Field

primary users : Lufthansa, Korean Air, Air China

Accommodation:

flight crew : 2 cabin crew : 15

passengers : seating for 468 in two class : 68 business class and 400 coach class seats

( 34 -in pitch). exit limit : 605 passengers, high density seating for 581 passengers

engine : 4 General Electric GEnx-2B67 turbofan engines of 296.0 [KN] (66542 [lbf])

Measured chord at root : 14.57m, at tip : 1.90m tail angle : 11°

dimensions :

wingspan : 68.5 [m], length overall: 76.25 [m], length of fuselage : 74.22 [m] height :

19.4 [m] wing area gross : 554.0 [m^2] fuselage exterior width : 6.5 [m]

weights :

operating empty weight : 220128 [kg] max. structural payload : 75161 [kg]

Zero Fuel weight (ZFW) : 295289 [kg] max. landing weight (MLW) : 312072 [kg]

max. take-off weight : 447696 [kg] weight usable fuel : 187309 [kg] (238610 [litres])

performance :

Max. operating Mach number (Mmo) : 0.90 [Mach] (960 [km/hr]) at 10667 [m]

critical Mach speed : 0.91 [Mach]

max. cruising speed : 933 [km/hr] (Mach 0.88 ) at 10670 [m] (33 [%] power)

economic cruising speed : 920 [km/hr] (Mach 0.86 ) at 10670 [m]

service ceiling : 13715 [m]

range with max fuel and MTOW : 14445 [km] (ATA domestic fuel reserves - 370.0 [km]

alternate)

description :

cantilever low-wing monoplane with retractable landing gear with nose wheel

engines attached with pylons to the wing, main landing gear attached to the wings, fuel

tanks in the wings and fuselage

Wings : tapered multi-cellular fail safe wing with improved 2324 and 7150 aluminium

alloy stressed skin, with carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer composite material wing

surfaces and Kevlar fairings with triple slotted trailing edge flaps with Kruger flaps

on the LE wing root and variable-camber LE flaps on outer wing ,with spoilers and

with raked wingtips. airfoil : Boeing airfoil with supercritical cross-section

average thickness/chord ratio : 10.7 [%], sweep angle 3/4 chord: 37.5 [°]

incidence : 2.00 [°], dihedral : 7.0 [°]

calculation : *1* (dimensions)

wing chord at root : 14.57 [m]

wing chord at tip : 1.90 [m]

taper ratio : 0.130 [ ]

mean wing chord : 8.09 [m]

wing aspect ratio : 8.47 []

Oswald factor (e): 0.692 []

seize (span*length*height) : 101329 [m^3]

calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)

oil consumption : 3.6 [kg/hr]

fuel consumption (econ. cruise speed) : 11631.7 [kg/hr] (14817.5 [litre/hr]) at 21 [%] power

distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.08 [km/kg] at 10670 [m] height, sfc : 47.0 [kg/KN/h]

total fuel capacity : 238610 [litre] (187309 [kg])

calculation : *3* (weight)

weight engine(s) dry : 22492.0 [kg] = 19.00 [kg/KN]

weight 101.3 litre oil tank : 8.61 [kg]

oil tank filled with 7.5 litre oil : 6.7 [kg]

oil in engine 14.5 litre oil : 13.0 [kg]

weight all fuel lines and pumps containing 144 litres fuel : 419.9 [kg]

weight engine cowling : 3078.4 [kg]

weight thrust reversers : 1776.0 [kg]

total weight propulsion system : 27795 [kg](6.2 [%])

***************************************************************

Accommodation cabin facilities:

typical 2-class cabin layout for 468 passengers : economy : pitch : 86.4 [cm] 34.0 [-in]

( 3+4+3 ) seating in 49.7 rows

with upper deck space for 32 first class sleeper seats or 69 economy class seats

weight passenger seats : 2800.7 [kg]

weight cabin crew seats : 75.0 [kg]

weight flight crew seats : 42.0 [kg]

weight 2 jump seats in the cockpit :14.0 [kg]

high density seating passengers : 581 [pax] at mainly 10 -abreast seating in 60.2 rows,

pitch 73.4 [cm] 28.9 [-in]

pax density, normal seating : 0.83 [m2/pax], high density seating : 0.66 [m2/pax]

passenger cabin luxurious spaced for good service, enough space for galleys and toilets

even at HD seating

weight 15 lavatories : 461.9 [kg]

weight overhead pilot crew rest : 160 [kg]

weight 12 galleys : 1819.6 [kg]

weight staircase : 120 [kg]

Korean Air Boeing 747-8B5 HL7636. The 747-8I has a redesigned interior.

weight overhead stowage for hand luggage (total : 50.4 [m3]) : 172.4 [kg]

weight 7 wardrobe closets : 46.8 [kg]

weight 468 entertainment LCD screens in back of seats : 234.0 [kg]

weight 101 windows (41 x 28 cm) made of acrylic glass : 277.1 [kg]

weight 12 (1.93 x 1.07 [m]) Type A main entry doors : 1099.2 [kg]

weight 3 (main door size : 1.73 x 2.64 [m]) freight doors (belly) : 801.6 [kg]*

total usable belly baggage/cargo hold volume : 217.5 [m3]

747-8I belly capacity : 38 half-width containers (LD1), 6 more then the 747-400.

underfloor belly hold can accommodate : 38 LD1 containers, netto volume : 186.2 [m3]

and : 18.1 [m3] bulk cargo

cabin volume (usable), excluding flight deck : 981 [m3]

passenger compartment volume : 749 [m3]

passenger cabin max width : 6.13 [m] cabin length : 62.59 [m] max cabin height : 2.54

[m] floor area : 386.5 [m2]

weight cabin facilities : 8124.4 [kg]

safety facilities:

evacuation time with 634 passengers : 51 [sec]

weight 21 hand fire extinguisher : 64 [kg]

weight cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR): 20.0 [kg]

weight oxygen masks & oxygen generators (deploy cabin alt.>4267m): 304.2 [kg]

weight emergency flare installation : 10 [kg]

weight 12 emergency evacuation slides : 691.4 [kg]

weight safety equipment & facilities : 1090 [kg]

fuselage construction:

fuselage aluminium frame : 48567 [kg]

floor loading (payload/m2): 194 [kg/m2]

weight rear pressure bulkhead : 647.0 [kg]

fuselage covering ( 1259.1 [m2] duraluminium 3.69 [mm]) : 12415.1 [kg]

weight floor beams : 9681.0 [kg]

weight cabin furbishing : 6472.0 [kg]

weight cabin floor : 5802.6 [kg]

weight (sound proof) isolation : 841.2 [kg] TO-noise level : 92.0 [EPNdB]

weight 64973 [litre] main central fuel tanks empty : 1299.5 [kg]

weight empty 1546 [litre] potable water tanks : 136.8 [kg]

weight empty waste tank : 75.2 [kg]

weight fuselage structure : 85937.5 [kg]

Avionics:

weight VHF radio and Selcal : 9.0 [kg]

weight flight and service attendants intercom : 5.0 [kg]

weight monochromatic weather X-band (3.2cm wavelength) radar system : 25.0 [kg]

weight VOR/ILS,RMI,DME,radio altimeter, ASI, time clock : 20.0 [kg]

digital air data computer meeting ARINC 576 requirements : 33 [kg]

weight Cat IIIB auto-landing system : 10.0 [kg]

weight EFIS (4 LCD screens PFD+ND displays) : 16 [kg]

weight ground proximity warning system (GPWS) : 6 [kg]

weight reserve ADI, ASI, alti-meter, compass, engine temp.and rpm indicators : 15 [kg]

weight avionics : 167.0 [kg]

Systems:

Air-conditioning and pressurization system maintains sea level conditions up

to 6975 [m] and gives equivalent of 2200 [m] at 12600 [m]. pressure differential :

0.61 [bar] (kg/cm2). pressurized fuselage volume : 1670 [m3] cabin air refreshment

time : 3.6 [min]

weight air-conditioning and pressurization system : 788 [kg]

weight APU / engine starter (also driving 60KV generator for primary electrical power):

189.0 [kg]

weight lighting : 154.4 [kg]

weight four independent 207 bar hydraulic systems : 428.3 [kg]

weight four engine-driven 60kVA 400Hz 3-phase AC electricity generators : 117.0 [kg]

weight integrated drive generator (IDG) : 25 [kg]

weight ram air turbine for emergency electric power : 5.0 [kg]

weight one 24V 30Ah nickel-cadmium battery : 42.2 [kg]

weight controls : 30.4 [kg]

weight systems : 1774.2 [kg]

total weight fuselage : 97093 [kg](21.7 [%])

***************************************************************

total weight aluminium ribs (2647 ribs) : 14948 [kg]

weight engine mounts : 592 [kg]

Wing fuel tanks : 110155 l + 42026 l + 12378 l = 164559 litre + centre fuel tank : 64973 litre + tail tank 12492 litre = total 242024 litres, useful fuel = 238610 litre > difference of 3414 litre.

weight 6 wing fuel tanks empty for total 161584 [litre] fuel : 2424 [kg]

weight 954 [litre] vent surge tanks : 115 [kg]

weight wing covering (painted aluminium 4.47 [mm]) : 13360 [kg]

total weight aluminium spars (multi-cellular wing structure) : 20987 [kg]

weight wings : 49295 [kg]

weight wing/square meter : 88.98 [kg]

weight thermal leading-edge anti-icing : 75.4 [kg]

weight high & low speed ailerons (22.2 [m2]) : 791.3 [kg]

weight fin (87.1 [m2]) : 3883.5 [kg]

weight rudder (24.2 [m2]) : 1034.2 [kg]

weight 12492 [litre] tail fuel trim tank empty : 624.6 [kg]

weight tailplane (stabilizer) (147.7 [m2]): 7240.4 [kg]

weight elevators (32.8 [m2]): 789.1 [kg]

weight flight control hydraulic servo actuators: 168.9 [kg]

weight triple slotted trailing edge flaps (99.3 [m2] extended) : 2874.3 [kg]

weight leading edge Kruger flaps and slats (46.3 [m2]) : 1218.8 [kg]

weight spoilers made of CFRP (29.8 [m2]) : 572.3 [kg]

total weight wing construction : 71698 [kg] (32.6 [%])

*******************************************************************

tire pressure main wheels : 15.54 [Bar] (nitrogen), ply rating : 36 PR

tire speed limit : 374 [km/hr]

total tyre footprint : 1.90 [m2]

Runway LCN at MTOW (0.76m radius of rigidity) : 69 [ ]

Aircraft Classification Number (ACN), MTOW on rigid runway and medium subgrade

strength (B) : 72 [ ] Can only operate from paved runways subgrade A

wheel pressure : 24623.3 [kg]

wheel track : 11.02 [m] wheelbase : 29.67 [m]

Lufthansa Boeing 747-830 D-ABYF at Sao Paulo

weight 16 Dunlop 52 x 21 main wheels (1320 [mm] by 533 [mm]) : 4224.2 [kg]

weight 2 nose wheels : 264.0 [kg]

weight carbon wheel-brakes : 295.3 [kg]

weight Duplex anti-skid units : 16.2 [kg]

weight oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers : 393.7 [kg]

weight wheel hydraulic operated retraction system : 3800.5 [kg]

weight undercarriage struts with axle 9818.5 [kg]

total weight landing gear : 18812.5 [kg] (4.2 [%]

*******************************************************************

********************************************************************

calculated empty weight : 215294 [kg](48.1 [%])

weight oil for 18.6 hours flying : 68.6 [kg]

unusable fuel in engine and tanks 439.0 litre fuel : 344.6 [kg]

weight lifejackets : 210.6 [kg]

weight 8 life rafts : 292.5 [kg]

weight catering : 991.4 [kg]

weight water : 1368.1 [kg]

weight crew : 1377 [kg]

weight crew luggage, nav. chards, flight doc., miscell. items : 181 [kg]

operational weight empty : 220128 [kg] (49.2 [%])

********************************************************************

weight 468 passengers : 36036 [kg]

weight luggage : 7488 [kg]

weight cargo : 31637 [kg] (cargo + luggage/m3 belly : 171 [kg/m3])

zero fuel weight (ZFW): 295289 [kg](66.0 [%])

weight fuel for landing (1.4 hours flying) : 16783 [kg]

max. landing weight (MLW): 312072 [kg](69.7 [%])

max. fuel weight : 407437 [kg] (91.0 [%])

payload with max fuel : 433 passengers + luggage 40259 [kg]

published maximum take-off weight : 447696 [kg] (100.0 [%])

calculation : * 4 * (engine power)

power loading (Take-off) : 378 [kg/KN]

power loading (Take-off) 1 PUF: 504 [kg/KN]

max. total take-off power : 1184.0 [KN]

calculation : *5* (loads)

manoeuvre load : 0.8 [g] at 9000 [m]

limit load : 2.5 [g] ultimate load : 3.8 [g] load factor : 1.0 [g]

design flight time : 7.20 [hours]

design cycles : 11400 sorties, design hours : 82080 [hours]

max. wing loading (MTOW & flaps retracted) : 808 [kg/m2]

wing stress (2 g) during operation : 151 [N/kg] at 2g emergency manoeuvre

calculation : *6* (angles of attack)

angle of attack zero lift : -1.84 ["]

max. angle of attack (stalling angle, clean) : 11.32 ["]

max. angle of attack (full flaps) : 14.82 ["]

angle of attack at economic cruise speed : 3.98 ["]

calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios

lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° : 0.16 [ ]

lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.50 [ ]

lift coefficient at max. angle of attack (clean): 1.14 [ ]

max. lift coefficient full flaps : 2.23 [ ]

drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0361 [ ]

drag coefficient at econ. cruise speed : 0.0360 [ ]

induced drag coefficient at econ. cruise speed : 0.0139 [ ]

drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0222 [ ]

lift/drag ratio at econ. speed : 13.80 [ ]

calculation : *8* (speeds

take-off decision speed (V1) : 272 [km/u] (147 [kt])

take-off rotation speed (VR) : 301 [km/u] (163 [kt])

minimum unstick speed (Vmu) at TO angle 13.0 ° : 309 [km/u] (167 [kt])

lift-off speed (VLOF) : 340 [km/u] (183 [kt]) at pitch angle : 10.8 [°]

take-off safety speed (V2) : 342 [km/u] (185 [kt])

flap retraction speed (V3) at 500m (OW loaded : 436064 [kg]): 401 [km/u] (217 [kt])

steady initial climb speed (V4) : 368 [km/u] (199 [kt])

climb speed (to FL150 with 56 [%] power) : 646 [km/hr] (349 [kt])

max. endurance speed (Vbe): 614 [km/u] min. fuel/hr : 11321 [kg/hr] at height : 5791 [m]

max. range speed (Vbr) = economic cruise speed : 920 [km/u] min.fuel cons. : 12.643

[kg/km] at cruise height : 10670 [m]

max. cruising speed : 933 [km/hr] (504 [kt]) at 10670 [m] (power:21 [%])

max. operational speed (Mmo) : 960 [km/hr] (Mach 0.90 ) at 10667 [m] (power:22 [%])

airflow at cruise speed per engine : 546.6 [kg/s]

speed of thrust jet : 1343 [km/hr]

initial descent speed 10000 - 7315 [m]: Mach 0.72

descent speed 7315 - 3048 [m]: 550 [km/u] (297 [kt])

approach speed 3048 - 500 [m] (clean): 463 [km/u] (250 [kt])

minimum control speed (MCS) Vmca (clean): 360 [km/u] (195 [kt])

stalling speed clean at 500 [m] height at Max.Landing Weight : 312072 [kg]): 328

[km/u] (177 [kt])

Korean Air 747-8B5 HL7642 c/n 60409 at finals at Prague airport (PRG), Juli 2017

final approach speed (landing speed) at sea-level with full flaps VREF (max. landing

weight): 271 [km/u] (147 [kt])

ICAO Aircraft Approach Category (APC) : D

stalling speed at sea-level with full flaps VSO (max. landing weight): 209 [km/u]

(113 [kt]

rate of climb at sea-level ROC (loaded, 56 % power) : 1003 [m/min]

rate of climb at sea-level ROC (loaded, 75 % power) : 1714 [m/min]

rate of climb at 1000 [m] with 1 engine out (PUF/MTOW, 100 % power on remaining

engines) : 1410 [m/min]

rate of climb at 1000 [m] with 2 engines out (2xPUF / MTOW) : 574 [m/min]

rate of descent from FL240 to FL100 (7315m > 3048m): 914 [m/min] (2999 [ft/min])

rate of descent during approach with landing gear extended, with use of spoilers: 457

[m/min] (8 [m/s])

calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)

high wheel pressure, can only take off from paved runways

ICAO Aerodrome Reference Code : 4F

Brake kinetic energy capacity : 3918 [KW]

Take-off runway length (standard day +15°C) at sea level, MTOW 447696 kg (986985 lbs) : 10600 ft (3230m), for standard day +0°C : 3078m, Wikipedia : 3100m

FAR TO balanced runway length (TOFL) requirement at TOW 447696 [kg] standard

day at SL (distance to 10.7m height x 1.15): 3109 [m]

+++ FAA certification landing distance : +++

landing weight : 312072 [kg], TE flap setting : 30 [°]

runway condition : dry , landing over 50ft (15m) at threshold at sea-level

with use of thrust reversers

Landing field length at MLW 312072 kg , standard day, dry runway, sea level, flaps 30° : 6500 ft (1980m)

FAA approved landing field length at SL, dry runway : 2013 [m] (6605 [ft])

landing distance (C.A.R.) from 15 [m] at SL, wet runway: 2317 [m] (7600 [ft])

max. lift/drag ratio : 14.41 [ ]

climb to 5000 [m] with max payload : 4.61 [min]

climb to 10000 [m] with max payload : 14.19 [min]

descent time from 10000 [m] to 250 [m] : 24.33 [min]

max. ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 60 min.fuel): 436064 [kg] ) : 13800 [m]

ceiling limited by max. pressure differential 15775 [m]

max. theoretical ceiling (OWE + 60 min.fuel) : 17200 [m] with flying weight : 231760

[kg] line 6179

calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)

range with max. payload: 11603 [km] with 75161.0 [kg] max. useful load (81.4 [%]

fuel)*

range with high density pax: 13519 [km] with 581 passengers (92.6 [%] fuel)*

range with typical two-class pax: 14505 [km] with 468 passengers (98.3 [%] fuel)*

Range with max payload : 5900 nm (10925km)

Range with max fuel : 8000 nm (14815 km)

Ferry range with zero payload : 9000nm (16668 km)

range with max.fuel : 14815 [km] with 17 crew and 433 passengers and 100.0 [%]

fuel*

ferry range (calculated): 16271 [km] with 2 crew and zero payload (100.0 [%] fuel)*

max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks total 294449 [litre] fuel : 19168

[km]*

* calculated ranges without fuel reserves

Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) : 7746703 [paskm]

useful load with range 1000km : 75161 [kg]

useful load with range 1000km : 634 passengers

production (theor.max load): 70125 [tonkm/hour]

production (useful load): 70125 [tonkm/hour]

production (passengers): 522620 [paskm/hour]

oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.166 [kg]

calculation *11* (operating cost)

fuel cost per hour (14817 [litre]):8890 [eur] (35 [pax-km/litre fuel])

fuel cost per seat 1000km flight (560 [pax] 2-class seating): 17.01 [eur/1000PK]

oil cost per hour: 15 [eur]

Cabin crew of Lufthansa 747-8I D-ABYA at Frankfurt

crew cost per hour : 2400 [eur]

list price 2024 : 248 [mln USD]

average flying hours in 1 year : 4335 [hours] technical life : 19 [year]

real average service life : 19 [years]

depreciation : 24 [years] to 10% residual value

economic hours (expected total flying hours) : 104040 [hours]

financing interest per flying hour : 1285 [EUR]

write off per flying hour : 2497 [EUR]

Air China B747-89L B-2481 c/n 41847 at New York

time between engine failure : 7482 [hr]

can continue fly on 3 engines, low risk for emergency landing for PUF

workhours per day : 13.11 [hr]

no fatalities during service life > 100%% safe

average flight hours till crash : 2.23 [mln hr] (515 service years)

safe flight hours till fatality : 2231008 [hr] (514.7 service years)

reservation pax liability/flying hour : 0.06 [SDR*] (0.07 [eur])

insurance cost per hour : 511 [eur] insurance rate : 2.4 [%]

engine maintenance cost per hour : 2480.4 [eur]

wing maintenance cost per hour : 169.3 [eur]

fuselage maintenance cost per hour : 48.58 [eur]

tire life (time till worn out) : 100 [cycles]

maintenance cost per hour (excluding engines): 6068 [eur]

direct operating cost per hour: 24146 [eur], DOC per km : 26.25 [eur]

DOC per seat 1000km flight (560 [pax] 2-class seating): 46.20 [eur/1000PK]

DOC per seat 1000km flight (high density seating): 40.81 [eur/1000PK]

DOC per kg cargo for a 1000km flight : 0.34 [eur/kg] (= DOC/tonkm)

passenger service charge (depart at Schiphol): 11.34 [eur]

security service charge (depart at Schiphol): 10.08 [eur]

airport take-off fee / passenger : 5.01 [eur/pax]

airport landing fee / passenger : 5.01 [eur/pax]

retour ticket price 1000km trip : 170.82 [eur/pax]

price retour ticket Schiphol-Barcelona : 196.23 [eur/pax]

accidents with fatalities > there have been no fatal accidents with an 747-8I

Literature :

Boeing 747 - Wikipedia

Boeing 747-8 - Wikipedia

Aircraft Performance Database > B748 (eurocontrol.int)

https://www.boeing.com/commercial/airports/plan-manuals

rescue : https://www.boeing.com/commercial/airports/rescue-fire

Aviation Safety Network > > ASN Aviation Safety Database results (flightsafety.org)

confidence rating regarding source data : medium - all information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be

regarded as indication not as facts.

Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights

and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.

Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data

is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information

so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/

content please mail to below mail address

(c) B van der Zalm 07 October 2024 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com ac jetpax 2020.py python 3.7.4

**********************************************************************************