Boeing Completes Tests Of New 747 Cargo Plane

February 7, 2010 12:43 p.m. EST

Seattle, WA, United States (AHN) - Boeing says it completed the last functional test flight of its new 747-8 Freighter jumbo cargo plane last week.

"The airplane performed well," Mo Yahyavi, 747 program vice president, said in a statement. "Based on early indications, the airplane is ready to fly."

The plane's first flight is scheduled for Monday. During last week's test, the craft reached a top speed of 90 knots, or 103.5 miles per hour, Boeing said in a statement.

Company officials told the Seattle Times that the target customer for the plane is the high-capacity, long-haul market. Demand for the passenger version of the plane isn't expected to be more than 12 planes a year, the paper reported.