US – LUXEMBOURG – Cargolux, with Europe’s largest dedicated fleet of all cargo aircraft, has shown off the first B747-8 from Boeing in Seattle painted in the company’s new livery. The plane will be followed by the rest of the order of thirteen the airline has placed with their US suppliers. The first plane will be delivered into service later this year. Cargolux are particularly proud of their new, carefully chosen, colour scheme.
The company say the new design stands for continuity and commitment while confirming the fundamental principles that made Cargolux successful over more than 40 years. The red, white and blue stripes symbolize the company’s roots in Luxembourg, its hub and home base. The expanding red colour towards the tail is a symbol of strength and growth, power and expansion. An additional logo on the belly further promotes the brand.
The 747-8F is almost six meters longer than the 747-400F, resulting in an increased capacity of 148 tonnes of freight. Cargolux has specifically built its new maintenance hangar to accommodate the new aircraft’s increased size. The 747-8 is clean and quiet, showing a 17% reduction in specific fuel consumption over its predecessor, the 747-400F. The new GEnx engines have a 17% reduction in carbon emissions and help to reduce the noise footprint of the aircraft by 30%.
Cargolux state the new freighter will enable them to operate with dramatically enhanced efficiency and environmental improvements to their services thus upholding their green credentials.
