Boeing
has announced that US based aviation investment firm
Guggenheim Aviation Partners(GAP) has placed an order worth approximately $1.12bn for four 747-8 Freighters.
An option to order an additional two aeroplanes is included in the deal, for which GAP is acting on behalf of one of its investment funds.
Investment funds managed by GAP currently own a fleet of 30 Boeing aircraft, including a fleet of seven 747-400s that will be modified through the Boeing Converted Freighter programme. The funds also ordered six 747-400ER (Extended Range) Freighters in July 2005.
According to Boeing's World Air Cargo Forecast 2006/2007, large freighters, such as the 747-8 Freighter, will comprise an increasingly large segment of the world freighter fleet.
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