Things are going well for the venerable Boeing 747 jumbo jet.The newer and more importantly, the 747-8, is set to reach the sky on its maiden flight on Monday, one day shy of the 41st anniversary of the first 747 to take off in 1969.And inside the Everett factory, after months of delay the process of constructing massive jets finally seems well oiled and ready to roll.The original 747 jumbo jet has been delivered up to the 1970s, the infamous “Boeing Bust” with the ridiculous order ahead. But the airplane, a gamble that could bankrupt Boeing endscatapulted the company a world leader in the aviation industry.The latest version is set to take off during another crisis in the industry and strong again faces customer demand slack.Unlike the lightning speed of the original Jumbo development, the 747-8 has been delayed for over a year past its original schedule. And the plane-maker rival Airbus 747 rejects the latter as “old technology”, overshadowed by the A380 superjumbo which made its first flight there are just five years.However, Joe Sutter, the veteran Boeing engineer who led the legendary team of “Incredibles” who built the first 747 and remains a consultant on the program, believes the 747-8 can rejuvenate the iconic brand.Said the engineer, now a Spry 88, “This is a brand new airplane where it should be again.”The aircraft has a new aerodynamically efficient wing, flight status control avionics and new engines from GE services on the Dreamliner.Although the market for a passenger version can not be more than 12 aircraft per year, Sutter believes Boeing could sell twice as many 747-8 freighters with virtually no competition in the high-capacity long-haul air freight market.The 747 “will be there for another 20 years because of that,” Sutter said.Relief to the programAs it was for the Dreamliner’s maiden flight in December, 747-8 first flight came as a relief to a struggling program.It has been delayed by significant changes to the wing, the differences between the older parts and newer design, issues of software integration and supply chain glitches.Two employees working on production 747-8 describes the assembly of the three test plans because the parts from suppliers were late or did not fit. But the two workers stated that these issues have diminished on follow-on aircraft now in the factory.A sign that the immense logistics of the production chain are clicking up: On January 27, after the third and final test aircraft moved outside the line of flight, the aircraft giant sections of aircraft behind the plant have all progressed to the next station assembly in a single night.As head of the program 747-8 Mohammad “Mo” Yahyavi gave the tour the next day, the workflow streamlined look.Neat tool kits and parts have been put in place exactly where needed on a factory floor uncluttered. Mechanics, electricians and plant experts worked on aircraft with a spring in their step.“Things happen almost overnight. Everyone knows exactly what to do. Coins come in time. It fits. It works” Yahyavi said. “This will be a good aircraft.”Impressive viewThe first flight should be an impressive sight. The massive cargo jet is 250 feet long with a wingspan of 225 feet.In the update the largest jumbo jet, since 747-400 maiden flight in 1991, the new aircraft has a fuselage lengthened by 18 feet long and a wingspan of 13 feet wide.Boeing promises that the 747-8 Freighter are 16 percent more cargo capacity, 17 percent lower fuel costs and 16 percent lower overall operating costs than the -400.The aircraft has a list price of $ 300 million. But with large standard discounts on new jets, an airline could probably buy one for almost half.Expected lossesBoeing projects losses of over 2 billion dollars because of production problems and delays in addition to development costs that analysts estimate at about $ 4 billion.Boeing can make a profit on these investments?The company recognizes large commercial aircraft are a shrinking market niche that the airlines make more frequent flights using smaller jets like the 777 or the 787 Dreamliner. So the plan now assumes 747-8 modest sales.After two cancellations last month, sales have stalled at just 108 total orders.Boeing Chief Executive Jim McNerney last month offered an assurance that if Boeing can achieve a target of approximately 350 sales total of 747-8, “there will be no problem with profitability.”But the Singapore Airshow last week, Boeing, Marketing Vice President Randy Tinseth told Dow Jones news agency that, given the fee, for a profit on the 747-8 will have “an enormous challenge.”If Boeing is selling a large number of jets, the aircraft will perform well in flight tests.The 747-8 on the inaugural flight, weather permitting, is set at 10 pm Monday Paine Field in Everett. A few days later, the first test aircraft flying in Moses Lake in Eastern Washington where he was based for about a month until it reaches the initial airworthiness. After that, the other two test plans can fly.Then, to stand out flight tests of the Dreamliner based at Boeing Field, all the three test aircraft will be moved 747-8 in Palmdale in Southern California for nine or 10 months remaining flight tests.Flight-test programDennis O’Donoghue, who directs all operations test Boeing said it is “very optimistic” that the flight tests will be completed in time for the first plane can be delivered to Luxembourg-based cargo operator Cargolux year-end.Most of the delay on the program to date is finally due to a lack of engineering resources, which accounted for the 787 program.A final hitch came last fall.Boeing has not invested in the multi-laboratory integration for the 747, as it did for the Dreamliner. So when the first plane has been completely assembled its engineers could test all systems. They quickly discovered that the flight controls and software that would require more integration than expected.After an embarrassing last-minute postponement of the first flight in October, Boeing has worked to correct these problems.Since then, field tests have comprehensive conditions of simulated flight with the engines running around the clock to 11 straight quarters and three teams of drivers to bike on the plane.These tests turned out some issues, but they were easily handled, Yahyavi said.He said the plant should make about three jets every two months this year, and when the first delivery, he expects to have about 20 jumbo jets, built wholly or in final assembly.Boeing began clearing timber to build the plant in Everett in May 1966 and completed the first 747, with its instantly recognizable bump forward, just 32 months later, February 9, 1969.On the flight line Paine Field late last month, engineers prepare the test aircraft initially painted on its nose landing-gear doors the initials JW in big letters. In memory of Jack Waddell, the pilot of the maiden flight in 1969.747 Chief Pilot Mark Feuerstein, Tom Imrich as co-pilot, flight control this week’s planned 747-8.“I think she is ready to go,” Sutter said.