The 747 isn’t dead yet

Boeing[*1] edges toward launching an enlarged 747 to compete with the Airbus 380:

EVERETT – Package carrier UPS has ordered eight 747-400 freighters from the Boeing Co., a deal that further solidifies the future of the 747 line in Everett.

It’s the largest 747 order for Boeing since China Airlines of Taiwan ordered 13 jumbo jets in August 1999.

The UPS deal, combined with a six-jet deal announced in July, “pretty much seals the deal for the 747 Advanced, I’d think,” said Teal Group analyst Richard Aboulafia.