Aircraft
Boeing 747-8 Production Rate Cut But Prospects Still OK
A 747-8F destined for Saudi Arabian Airlines undergoes preparation for delivery in Everett, Washington.
A 747-8F destined for Saudi Arabian Airlines undergoes preparation for delivery in Everett, Washington.

The oft-critiqued Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental (747-8I) program appears finally to have found its stride following a series of development delays and struggles with performance shortcomings. Needing to adjust to soft demand in the very-large widebody market, however, Boeing (Chalets A324 and B321) recently cut 747-8 production rates from two to 1.75 per month and its 20-year projection for the large widebody market segment by 4 percent, leading to inevitable questions about the long-term viability of the latest iteration of the Queen of the Skies.