Renaissance jet

In these pre-dawn hours, Hoey walks around the outside of his Boeing, while Carr attends to his duties on the flight deck. As the last of the pallets are loaded through the vast side door aft of the wing, its nose door has already been closed and secured. Amongst its massive payload, some treasured works of art are making their way on this inaugural flight to Australia. Escorted by a gallery official, he informs us that they are by an Italian renaissance artist, but that is all. So the mystery remains.

With its shortened upper deck, the freighter is reminiscent of the earlier 747s, but really, its profile is almost where the similarity ceases. This is a modern aircraft with fly-by-wire technology, powered by the latest evolution in engine development underslung from a wing that has to be seen to be believed. It shares all the technology of the 787s Dreamliner’s wing including the slightly upswept raked wingtip. Where the wing meets the fuselage is far more efficiently faired than on earlier models of the 747. The leading edge is phenomenally clean and the whole wing is void of the joins, caps and protrusions that normally occupy the surface. The same applies to the underside of the fuselage; there are no drain posts or vents and only the occasional flush-mounted antenna. It is a true clean-skin and the enemy drag has been all but vanquished. Also, the sound of roaring air conditioning packs beneath the aircraft is absent and a normal conversation can be comfortably maintained in an area that is normally confined to yelling.

Unlike, the 747-400, there are no tail tanks to carry fuel; the ‘Dash Eight’ carries it all in the wings. Today, a generous 115 tons will be carried within a series of wing and centre wing tanks that will see around 90 tons burnt over the next eight hours and twenty minutes by the four GEnx engines. Each engine boasts a bypass ratio of 8.5:1 and is highly de-rated to 67,500lb of thrust. Featuring the same low noise profile, reduced emissions and economy of the 787, the powerplants are another area where the new and old collide.

Re-boarding the giant jet via a set of air stairs, cargo and floor rollers offer a greeting in the absence of flight attendants. Climbing a steep set of stairs, which are more closely related to the ladder family, and access to the upper deck is through a solitary door. The upper deck is furnished with six extremely comfortable leather chairs for supernumerary crew, or people escorting valuable cargo. Behind these seats are two of the most generous crew rest beds you’ll find, although under-utilised on the Hong Kong to Sydney sector as there are only two crew members. Ahead is a fully equipped galley with brewers, chillers and ovens which the pilots happily operate on a do-it-yourself basis. Before stepping into the flight deck, there is a bathroom to one side and an escape hatch and slide to the other. The entire upper deck is very well equipped and spaciously laid out, but it is the workings of the flight deck that hold the greatest interest.

Taking Flight.

Entering the flight deck one is immediately struck by the apparent similarity to its predecessor, the 747-400. However, looks can deceive. In order to maintain the 747 certification and the associated reduced training costs of ‘differences’ training, the flight deck must appear and function very much like the ‘400’. However, while the nature and positioning of switches may seem identical, the functionality of the system behind the panel may be very different. For instance, on the surface, the environmental control system switching is the same, but behind it lays a fully automated system that precisely controls the temperature of individual zones and routinely performs integrity checks of its own performance, only signalled to the crew by the momentary increase of airflow through the flight deck outlets. And should the crew make an incorrect switch selection during an emergency that will compromise the system, it will ignore the switch position and command the appropriate valves to the proper position.

The flight management system also appears similar to the -400F, but whereas the older model had the ability to carry 2Mb of data, the -8F has the ability to carry 512Mb of data and that’s a lot of navigational waypoints. Furthermore, the aircraft is linked to an onboard Network system (ONS) that gives access to gigabytes of data.

There are numerous instances of these modified systems that are activated by old-style switches to maintain consistency for the crew. However, there are new switches such as the selector for a ram-air turbine (RAT) on the 747-8F. This air driven source of hydraulic power extends from the starboard wing root when commanded. Communications have also come a long way in recent years and the 747-8F can possess VHF, HF, Satcom, Iridium, CPDLC and even Wi-Fi as needed, so there’s never a reason to be out of touch.

This commonality simplifies the training process for crews converting from the -400. Currently they are called to undertake two days of computer-based training, one day of technical ground school and a further two days in the procedural trainer familiarising themselves with the subtle differences, particularly when selecting the different instrument approaches and the associated flight mode annunciations.

Accessing the performance figures through a communications unit on the centre console, tonight’s take-off will be made at 422,000 kg with an amazing zero fuel weight of 307,000kg. At this weight, the Flaps 20 take-off will call for a V1 of 140 knots, VRotate at 164 knots and the critical V2 at 175 knots. With the briefing completed, the paperwork submitted and the hatches closed it is time to start the four GEnx engines and it couldn’t be simpler.

As with the -400F, the start is initiated by selecting switches on the overhead panel, although the internal light is not present on the -8F. The fuel levers are selected to run by the pilot, but otherwise the start sequence is fully automated and self monitoring with the phase of the engine operation annunciated on the synoptic display on the lower screen. Captain Hoey comments on the residual thrust of the engines and the aircraft is champing at the bit when the brakes are released. With the lengthened fuselage, the geometry of taxiing the aircraft has changed somewhat and accordingly care must be taken. Behind the scenes a ‘phase of flight’ system is self-monitoring the aircraft’s performance and configuration. The system will even display a message to warn of incomplete checklists that require attention.

Cleared for take-off on runway 07L, Hoey stands up the thrust levers and the engines slowly accelerate and stabilise. He then gives them the go-ahead by selecting the TOGA switches and the engines respond crisply, accelerating the heavily laden craft at an impressive rate. Even on the flight deck, the noise levels are significantly lower and in no time the aircraft is rotated, the gear is selected up and the flight is underway. The Flap 20 setting is associated with a significant amount of drag, but once it is retracted to Flaps 10, the climb performance at this weight is spectacular.

Climbing through FL170, the sun is just starting to peek above the horizon as traffic is detected on the TCAS four miles to the right and descending. At this stage the ‘Hong Kong Trader’ is indicating 352 knots and climbing at in excess of 2,000 feet per minute on its way straight to FL330. Wind changes on climb are handled without any great fluctuations in airspeed and Hoey puts this down to the new sensitive ADIRUs that have replaced the older Air Data Computers.

Approaching FL330 there is a roar of air through the outlets as the ECS system conducts a self-test and ensures positive pressure on the upper deck in the event of smoke from below. Established in the cruise, the flight deck is a very quiet place and the crew go about their tasks and calculations. Impressively, to date, the 747-8F is performing at better than book figures in terms of fuel burn. There is currently zero performance correction in the flight management system, but the reality is looming that a negative figure will be required to reflect the fact that the aircraft is more fuel efficient than promised.

Sitting with about two degrees higher nose attitude than the -400, the ‘Dash Eight’ is cruising at 0.835 Mach and doing it easily with greater margins on the buffet boundary by virtue of such a superior wing. In fact, in Hoey’s opinion it is the wing that makes the aeroplane and I can’t help but agree with him. It not only looks good, but it is highly efficient in conjunction with the fly-by-wire technology utilised on the -8F.

In fact, the numbers stack up impressively for the 747-8F in all areas. While the GEnx engines offer greater fuel efficiency, lower emissions and a quieter noise footprint. It possesses 16 percent more revenue cargo volume than the -400F meaning it can accommodate four additional main-deck pallets and three additional lower-hold pallets. Compared to the Airbus A380F, its empty weight is 80 tonnes lighter, resulting in a significantly lower fuel burn per tonne. Furthermore, it achieves all this with a smaller wingspan to lift it.

Over the next few hours I learn more and more about the new technology employed on this aeroplane and the plans that are held for it, such as certification to operate into some of the higher airfields in China. Such an approval will see the -8F approved to operate into airports up to 13,200 feet AMSL. This comes with all manner of systems and performance issues to meet the requirements, but undoubtedly the aircraft is more than capable.

I decide to descend into the hold and fit myself with an oxygen cylinder and mask as a back-up in case depressurisation should occur while I am down below. There are no drop-down masks for freight, although wall mounted flashing lights will tell me to fit my mask and hurry back upstairs. Down below, the freight just seems to go on forever as I walk down a narrow pathway beside the sidewall. Void of windows, I stop to look out to small inspection portals that offer a wonderful view of that impressive wing. It is absolutely clean except for some mid-span vortex generators designed to keep the airflow from breaking away on approach. Beneath my feet the maze of tracks and rollers disappear below the pallets, but even this system is an improvement. More than two tonnes lighter than the previous design, this Telair system is also GPS tracked and the health of each motor is monitored to give a warning of an impending and inconvenient freight handling failure.

Down to Earth.

After around seven hours and a good deal of self-catering the crew prepares for the descent. With a landing weight of 329 tonnes, it is only a little way off the maximum take-off weight of the 777-300ER! With a Vref on approach of 158 knots for a Flaps 30 landing the performance data suggests a landing distance of 2100 metres with maximum autobrake or 3600 metres with them set back at a setting of two. Even so, Captain Hoey is confident that the aircraft is once again performing better than these book figures and credits the undercarriage’s torque limiting system and its titanium components for the effective braking and lower brake temperatures that are forthcoming.

The descent profile is closer to four times the altitude than most airliners three times, and given the possible longer landing roll, First Officer Carr gives ATC a ‘heads up’ of the slightly different performance of the -8F. Even so, the aircraft possesses the landing Attitude Modifier (LAM) technology that uses the FBW technology to present the pilots with a similar landing attitude, regardless of the aeroplane’s weight.

Sadly the flight is drawing to a close and Sydney Harbour is looming out to the left as Hoey makes his approach to Runway 16R. He has managed his drag carefully on approach as this wonderful wing would rather accelerate than slow down and well before 1,000 feet we are fully configured, stable and in the slot with the checklists completed. Over the fence the radio altimeter calls out the height above the ground and the flare is commenced with the aircraft settling smoothly on the runway. As predicted, the ground roll is well below the book figures and the brake temperatures are as cool as you could wish for. Hoey has flown all manner of approaches in this aeroplane during its acceptance testing in Seattle, so this must seem like just another day at the office, but the presence of flashing cameras as he parks on the bay indicate otherwise. The ‘Hong Kong Trader’s’ first flight to Australia has come to a close.

Old Meets New.

The ‘Dash Eight’ was always going to have a solid foundation to build upon in the form of the 747-400F. The trick lay in maintaining enough commonality, whilst still making a significantly better aeroplane. The folks at Boeing have certainly achieved their goal.
They have applied the best new technology to a trusted form, increased its commercial capacity and fitted a wing and engine pairing that is beyond comparison in the freighter world. They have seemingly eked out every ounce of efficiency and yet Hoey is confident that there is still a little more to be squeezed out of it at a future date.

The 747-8F is an impressive aeroplane that looks like its predecessor, but offers so much more. We never did find out the identity of the Italian master whose art was stowed on board, however there is little doubt that a master’s hand has also guided the brush over the design of the 747 and created its very own Renaissance.

By Owen Zupp