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Boeing’s Biggest Bird Leaves the Nest

• ohashi 17y ago
  >Boeing says the 747-8 will have 16 percent more cargo capacity, 17 percent lower fuel costs and 16 percent lower operating costs than the 747-400. How do you think this is calculated? Does fuel costs get included in operating cost? Is the 17% lower fuel costs absolute or per unit?
  • hga 17y ago
    As far as I know, by looking at things that can be modeled and measured, e.g. drag and engine output per unit of fuel. Also, a better autopilot can run the plane in a more lean fashion while cruising at high altitude. Operators are acutely aware of fuel costs, it's the biggest and most unpredictable variable cost they face. They will often use the futures market to lock in acceptable prices for fuel. Hmmm, I'm not sure about the operating costs, but I'd guess they're separate from the fuel costs. The decrease would represent things like less people overall needed to run the craft, lower maintenance due to newer and more reliable components (for example, when you go from direct linkages to fly by wire there's many less moving parts), better technique from lessons learn applied to all of the above, etc. etc. I'd expect the 17% lower fuel costs would have to apply to each plane, measured for equivalent flight profiles (X cargo transported from X to Z).