Almost 41 years to the day since the first flight of the first 747 on Feb 9, 1969!
This is the official news release posted on the Boeing website:
Boeing Completes 747-8 Freighter Taxi Tests
EVERETT, Wash., Feb. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) completed taxi tests on the first 747-8 Freighter today. With Chief Pilot Mark Feuerstein at the controls, the airplane reached a top speed of approximately 90 knots (103.5 mph, 166.6 kph).
"The airplane performed well," said Mo Yahyavi, 747 program vice president and general manager, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Based on early indications, the airplane is ready to fly."
This was the last functional test planned before first flight. The first flight of the 747-8 Freighter is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 8.
Also there is some video of the taxi tests on:
http://kpae.blogspot.com/ including a high speed run with a stop using brakes only (no thrust rev) that ends with smoking tires as the brakes are locked up.
With the expanded wingspan and new technologies in their construction, I'm guessing there will be some impressive wingflex!
@highflyer: LOL! Don't most people spend their day surfing the web instead of working or doing schoolwork anymore?
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