Weeks after Cargolux left Boeing officials red-faced with a last-minute decision nixing delivery of the first 747-8 Freighter, the Luxembourg-based freight hauler flew the plane home on Wednesday with no fanfare whatsoever.
Cargolux Boeing 747-8F takes off on delivery flight. (Photo by NYCAviation Staff)
PHOTO GALLERY: First Boeing 747-8 Freighter Delivered to Cargolux >>
Though Cargolux and Boeing publicly referred only to “contractual issues,” it was the fuel efficiency of the new aircraft that Cargolux reportedly objected to when notifying Boeing of their intention to postpone the delivery just three days before an array of long-scheduled late-September celebration events. At the heart of those issues was the amount of compensation Cargolux expected from Boeing and engine-maker GE for the performance shortfalls, reportedly about 3% short of what was promised when Cargolux ordered 13 of the planes in 2005.
With only a couple of hours worth of media notice (a couple extra to those who saw the flight plan filed on FlightAware) and no public events on the schedule, on Wednesday Cargolux flew their new state-of-the-art cargo carrier from the Boeing factory at Paine Field in Everett, Wash., to Seattle, where it would unceremoniously enter service by picking up its first load of freight.
The second Cargolux 747-8F is scheduled to be delivered on Thursday.
