From 2010 (YouTube Edition): Chief Pilot Feuerstein and Captain Imrich Successfully Complete Flight Plan On February 8th, 2010, almost two months after the Dreamliner’s historic first flight, Boeing made history once again as the new 747-8 Freighter took to the skies for the first time. Over 5,000 Boeing employees, customers, suppliers, and community leaders gathered in Everett, Washington, as the 421,200lb aircraft (empty weight) lifted from the Paine Field runway. 747 Chief Pilot Mark Feuerstien and Captain Tom Imrich commanded the flight deck as the Freighter took off at 12:39 p.m. local time on its first of more than 1,600 flight hours in the test program. Reaching a cruising altitude of 17,000 feet and a speed of up to 230 knots, the 747-8 underwent tests for basic handling qualities and engine performance.
