On May 23, Boeing and Cathay Pacific Airways celebrated the delivery of the airline's first 747-400ERF (Extended Range Freighter).

The airplane, the first of six Boeing 747-400ERFs to be delivered to Cathay Pacific, was unveiled last week at a pre-flight ceremony at the Boeing Delivery Center in Everett, Wash.

Among those present were Cathay Pacific's Ron Mathison, director and general manager for Cargo; senior managers from Cathay's North America and Hong Kong cargo team and invited senior cargo industry executives.

Cathay Pacific currently operates 115 airplanes, 18 of which are freighters, including six 747-400BCFs (Boeing Converted Freighters), six 747-400 and six 747-200 Freighters.

The airline has remaining orders for two 747-400BCFs to further expand its freighter fleet. Cathay Pacific also has an order for 10 747-8F freighters.

The 747-400ER Freighter, which entered service in October 2002, has a maximum takeoff weight of 910,000 pounds (412,770 kg).

This takeoff weight increase over existing 747-400 Freighters allows the 747-400ER Freighter to fly an additional 525 nautical miles (972 km), or it can carry an additional 22,000 pounds (9,980 kg) of payload on long-range flights at maximum takeoff weight.

The new aircraft is powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4062A engines and will be deployed on trunk routes to North America to take full advantage of the airplane's superior payload range capability.