The maiden voyage of the Boeing 747-8, which is the 15th version of the jumbo jet that first appeared in 1969 was due for takeoff on Monday at 10am PST but due to unfavorable weather, the jet has yet to leave the ground. It has been a number of hours now since the jet was scheduled to take off.

The 747-8 had a “taxi test” on Saturday, and went successfully. Mo Yahyavi, 747 program vice president and general manager said that “the airplane performed well.” He also said that “based on early indictations, the airplane is ready to fly.”

The new 747-8 Freighter can carry up to 154 tons more than the 747-400, which is a massive 16 percent increase. It also features new redesigned wings, high-efficiency Genx 2B engines, and advanced noise reducing characteristics according to the Boeing website.

Source: Entertainment & Showbiz