Despite Silk Way West’s 747-8 freighter order, the aircraft's prospects look bleak

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While Silk Way West has put in an order for three 747-8Fs, here an analyst suggests that it is a difficult aircraft to operate – unless you have high utilisation and are an airline like Atlas Air. Otherwise, stick with a 747-400F or 777F. Comparing it with an A380 on the passenger side, which only works in markets with exactly the right combination of passengers and range, he also notes that just two of the aircraft type were ordered last ...