747-8 flight track draws a massive "747" over the United States

8======D

@guy -- agreed, and it works!

gotta love the manufacturers doing this kind of stuff to create PR

They cut some of the better shots, but here is a basic view
http://www.kirotv.com/video/28794768/index.html

Just saw the same 747-8f on tv doing TIGHT (more than 45 degree bank, looked like 60º+ but the camera angles make it weird) turns over lake washington, above the seattle seafair hydroplane race (part of an annual between races airshow tradition.
VERY awesome sight, I'l post video/pics links once the local stations put them up.

I wish people would stop talking about the cost of the flight when it was part of the certification program and not just a sightseeing trip! That they decided to do something different then just flying a test pattern was a nice idea to also get some free advertising! but again, the primary purpose was to finish the flight test for certification.

Very cool, but they could take some handwriting lessons from Gulfstream and Cessna!!

I'd like to fly it...!!!

Cessna Logo Flight track:
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N750CX/history/20080307/1757Z/KICT/KICT

Gulfstream V flight track:
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/GLF17/history/20070206/1538Z/KATW/KATW

The flight the day before (8/1) was impressive as well.

It was done because it was the final test flight for the freighter version (that is they are ready to submit test results to the FAA for certification, when they (FAA) get back to work next week) the passanger version still has some passenger safety systems and other model specific tests but alot of the F version flights apply to it also.
and 15-17 hour flights won't be unusual in freight service

I want to see the futuristic Boing model 911 Commemorative multi-sonic inter galactic passenger shuttle. Since they raised the debt ceiling.

or an Immelman ;-)

!!!

@ Diavid Daughtery - Nah, they did a split-S at the bottom of the "4". :)

Not as neatly done as the G4 - and the Gulfstream did it in a much tighter space - but still pretty cool. Anything to sell the 8i at this point.

Boeing had a similarly slow start to selling the 737 back in the 60s and nearly axed the program. Coincidentally, the only large customer order for the first 737 was, again, Lufthansa. The Lufties raved the aircraft, more customers were sold, and the rest is history. Here's hoping the 8i has similar success.

SWEET!!! :D

I'll bet whoever planned it has never piloted an aircraft. A pilot would never have filed a flight plan like that when there is so much more to see and be seen in the open skys. 17 hours of show off and sightseeing???? Maybe a few wing overs too? Boeing really does make some nice aircraft. It would have been nice to get more press and visibility from their test flight.

You know, I wonder if the pilots, or any of the flight planners actually planned this out, or if this was just out of luck!

I would have loved them to fly over Hawaii. It would be really cool to see them break protocol and buzz the beach and wag their wings on the North Shore. What a surf they would have created for everyone here.....

that's a pretty tight turn he pulled at the bottom of the 4.

However you look at it, that is cool.

Anybody know the link to the cessna logo brad mentioned?

Man. Wish I'd thought of it!

You have 787-8, but this is really and 747-8 test flight departing from Everett, as indicated by the company. Both new airplanes are currently being tested. Also 787 test flights typically depart Boeing Field.

Awesome it just looks more like 799 lol

preacher: you got it right since they had to do it anyway! Good for them!

Well, they had to do it anyway for the testing. A 17 hour stretch ain't a joyride for anybody. Might as well get some publicity out of it

definately a couple hundred K for that fuel bill

I see that one company isn't hurting financially in this economic downturn. How much does it cost to run a 747 in the air for 17 hours? Maybe they raised the debt ceiling at Boeing.

That's pretty sweet.
The outline of the plane would be a neat trick too like nagol2013 was thinking.

it was a long duration test flight. Just needed the 17hours :).

nice flight and like robert hand the pilot or engineer hand map to child and plans flight path

I thought it was actually going to be the shape of a 747... Still pretty cool though!

Cool, thanks

It was the -8F BOE523 is a plain white B748F.

Does anyone know if it was the pax or freight version of the -8?

Ultra cool!!

Well, as quickburn said, it was still 17 hours wheels up, but as far as alterenate routes, you will note that there was no real congested airspace in what they traveled so they could concentrate on any testing rather than dodging traffic.

i like it! Boeing presents the map of the lower 48 to the child of a flight test
pilot or engineer, tells the child to scribble a bold flight route on it, and then they fly it! ;)

Awesome stuff.

Yeah, they cut a few corners there...Even with the shortcuts, it was still 17 hours wheels up.
They messed up when planning the "4"... What they should have done:
KPAE- GTF/TWF/ELY/BLD/ELY/TWF/DIK/DLH/ICT/IFI/ICT/DLH/DIK/BFF/TCC/BFF/TWF/GTF -KPAE
or
KPAE- GTF/TWF/ELY/BLD/ELY/TWF/BFF/TCC/BFF/DIK/DLH/ICT/IFI/ICT/DLH/DIK/TWF/GTF -KPAE

OK I think this one is even better

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE523/history/20110729/0600Z/KPAE/KPAE

WOW! But why not go Pacific to Atlantic, and maybe to Arctic, if you want to put on that many miles?

Good thing they were not in a Lockheed Constelation, they would still be up there.

This is very cool indeed waiting to see how the 4 comes out.

That's pretty cool... Looks like they cut a corner instead of coming back up to DLH and retracing the 7 if the page here is correct.

I take that back.. I see it coming together now. When I looked at it, I didn't catch it heading over to DLH down J21 to complete the last 7.

Would be better if they had enough fuel to make a crown over the top of it (Queen on the skies, anyone?)..

Sloppy handwriting!

They at least could have "747" as their flight track, similar to how Gulfstream wrote "GV" or Cessna wrote their logo for their respective flight tracks.

Wow, wouldn't it be cool to tag along on those 12-15 hour flights! Check out Aug 1 as well.

Over the top? nahhh just awesome.

Wow...cool, but ultra ridiculous!!