Boeing tests plane for 787 supply chain
Boeing said it conducted on Saturday the first flight test of its specially modified 747-400 freighter designed to ferry wing sections and other large structures for the new 787 mid-size aircraft from suppliers in Japan, Italy and other states to the aircraft manufacturer’s assembly plant in Everett, Wash.
The plane has a wider-than-normal fuselage enabling it to carry three times the cargo volume of a standard 747-400. Boeing will have a fleet of the three large cargo shuttle aircraft supporting its supply chain. By substituting air transport for ocean transport Boeing hopes to reduce production time and save money.