Neida.
The
LCF fleet will ferry 787 wings and fuselage parts from partners in Wichita, Kan.; Charleston, S.C.; Grottaglie, Italy; and Nagoya, Japan, to Boeing's Everett factory for final assembly. A cargo loader will be based at each facility. The first loader, and a second to be completed this month, will be disassembled and delivered by ship to Nagoya and Grottaglie for reassembly.
To date, 29 airlines have logged 403 orders and commitments worth more than $56 billion at current list prices since the 787 launch in April 2004, making the Dreamliner the most successful commercial airplane launch in history.
Two of the three LCFs are undergoing modification at Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp. in Taiwan. The third will follow later. The freighter will make its first flight this summer and be certified by the end of the year. The first two airplanes begin supporting 787 final assembly in 2007.
747
LCF Cargo Loader Fun Facts:
Length: 118 ft., 1 inch (36 meters)
Width: 27 feet, 6 inches (8.4 meters)
Overall height in full "down" position: 13 ft., 9 inches (4.2 meters)
Height of cargo deck in full "down" position: 5 ft., 10 inches (1.78 meters)
Overall height in full "up" position: 33 ft., 1 inch (10 meters)
Height of cargo deck in full "up" position: 25 ft., 4 inches (7.7 meters)
Loader Weight Empty: 220,000 pounds (100 tons, 100,000 kilograms)
Loader Weight Capacity: 150,000 pounds (68 tons, 680,000 kilograms)
Maximum speed: 10 mph (16 kilometers)
Number of tires: 32
Number of steerable axles: 16
Number of steering modes: 6