Boeing (NYSE: BA) achieved another significant milestone for the first 747-8 Intercontinental Sunday night with the assembly of the airplane's forward fuselage. The 89-foot, 2-inch (27.2 meters) fuselage section, featuring the airplane's signature upper deck, was moved from the assembly tool for sealing and testing before beginning systems installation.

The 747-8 features a stretched fuselage compared to that of the 747-400. It is 18 feet, 4 inches (5.6 meters) longer than its predecessor. Much of the stretch -- 13 feet, 4 inches (4.1 meters) -- is located in the forward fuselage. The remaining additional 5 feet (1.5 meters) are located aft of the wing. The 747-8's stretched fuselage provides for 51 additional seats to accommodate 467 passengers in a typical three-class configuration and 26 percent more cargo volume.

The Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental is the new, high-capacity 747 that offers the lowest operating costs and best economics of any large passenger airplane, while providing enhanced environmental performance.