Panalpina's New Boeing 747 Freighters at Home in Huntsville

HUNTSVILLE ALABAMA- Early this summer the new Boeing 747-8F planes began replacing the 747- 400s at the Huntsville Airport. Huntsville International Airport is the smallest airport in the country to receive certification by the FAA to accommodate the Boeing 747-8F, which is part of the largest aircraft classification known as Group IV. The 747-8F has a 224-foot, 7-inch wingspan and measures 250 feet, 2 inches from nose to tail. The new model is 18.3 feet longer and 13 feet wider than the current 747 models, which are classified as Group V aircraft.

After a year of construction, the runway on the west side of the Alabama airport re-opened, looking a little bigger to accommodate the Boeing 747-8F. The Port of Huntsville includes the airport, which ranks No. 14 in the U.S. in international cargo. The $28-million expansion of the west runway and its taxiway system began because of Panalpina, which operates a hub in Huntsville and flies to Europe, Mexico and Asia.

Since Panalpina is such an important partner of the airport, Huntsville has tried to upgrade over the years to match the freight forwarding company's growth. In order to address that change, the 747-8F, Huntsville began a four-phase project to improve its two runways: first work on the west runway, the east runway, the west runway taxiway system and finally the east runway taxiway system. This four-phase runway plan is only Huntsville's latest construction project. In December 2012, the airport spent US$7 million to bring its number of 747 parking positions to 10.

Last Friday evening, the organizers and sponsors of the Wings Over Huntsville Safety Weekend had the opportunity for a guided tour on one of Panalpina's new 747-8F cargo aircraft.  It still had the intoxicating "new plane smell". Compared to the 747-400F the new model has more room:

• 4 extra main deck pallet positions
• 3 extra lower deck pallet positions
• 20 tons more payload

In addition, the -8 Freighter is more efficient, equipped with 787 technology engines and is more environmentally friendly, too:

• Double digit percentage improvements in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions
• Noise footprint reduction by 30%

Other improvements include:

• General strengthening and incorporation of advanced alloys in fuselage, wing and tail
• New wing design with raked tip (better aerodynamics)
• Larger main deck cargo door for simplified loading (nose-load capability remains)
• Revised flight deck to add new Flight Management Computer, Electronic Checklist, Multifunction Displays
• Airport and ground service compatibility
• Less downtime for maintenance  -B Meyer, FMI: http://www.panalpina.com/www/global/en/home.html