First Cathay Pacific 747-8F Delivery

Yesterday, just past 1:30 pm Pacific time, Cathay Pacific took delivery of their first 747-8F – which departed Paine field for a thirteen-and-a-half hour flight to Chek Lap Kok as Cathay flight 3337. Although the colorful B-LJA (msn: 39238) was the subject of the first delivery ceremony, B-LJE (msn: 39242) had been in pre-delivery flying since August.

Though this is the first freighter delivered to Cathay this year, the passenger side of the Hong Kong carrier has taken three Airbus A330-300s and six Boeing 777-300ERs during 2011.

Further deliveries of the 747-8F are expected for Cathay in the near future, but the next 747-8F to be delivered is likely to be G-GSSD (msn: 37565), for Global Supply Systems, operated for (and in the livery) of British Airways World Cargo.

Photographer: Alex Kwanten