Seattle, May 15 (AP): Even as Boeing Co. touts its sleek new 7E7 as the future of flying, the airplane maker is yet again considering whether to revamp its fabled workhorse, the 747 jumbo jet.
In the past decade, Boeing has floated many such plans for updating the 34-year-old 747, as it seeks to counter arch rival Airbus’ super-jumbo A380. But most ideas have been shelved as customer interest failed to materialise.
This time, Boeing is gauging interest in the 747A — for “advanced” — that would be slightly larger and more technically advanced than the most current model, the 747-400ER.
The plane would blend technology from the 7E7 with the 747’s size in a package Boeing claims would be far cheaper to fly than the A380.