Pilot waves goodbye ... with the whole plane! Captain dramatically dips wings from side to side just seconds after take-off in highly skilled stunt
- Pilot performed 'wing wave' manoeuvre with £222.5m Boeing 747-8F jet
- Move performed by cargo planes when leaving the airport they were made
- Aircraft was taking off on its maiden voyage from Paine Field airport, US
At a cost of £222.5million each, damaging a Boeing 747-8 freight plane is certainly not advised.
So it perhaps understandable that the crowds who gathered to watch this particular plane take off were a little shocked to see it rock dramatically from side to side as it left the runway.
But rather than losing control of the aircraft, the pilot was actually performing a highly skilled manoeuvre known as a 'wing wave'.
The pilot of the Boeing 747-8F freight plane prepares to perform a skilled manoeuvre known as a 'wing wave'
The 'wing-wave', a gentle dip of the plane from one side to another, is generally done by cargo planes to say 'goodbye' as the aircraft will never again see the home airport where it was made.
The move is also performed as a 'thank you' gesture to staff at the airbase.
The footage, which has been uploaded to the ViralVideoUK website, shows the brand new Boeing jet performing the move as it takes of on its maiden voyage.
Pilots usually wait until the aircraft has reached 2,000ft before attempting the stunt
The plane was departing from Paine Field airport in Washington, US
The plane was departing from Paine Field airport in Washington, US – the airfield which is home to the Boeing Everett Factory where the company's jets are assembled and made.
Cargo planes generally only dip each wing when they have reached 2,000ft or higher and travelling at a sufficient speed.
However, the captain of this plane, made by Boeing for Cargolux Airlines, decided to show off what the aircraft was capable of.
The plane straightens up before continuing its journey after leaving Paine Field airport in Washington, USA
Dubbed 'Queen of the Skies', it performed the 'wing-wave' straight after take-off and just yards away from the tarmac.
Paine Field is home to the Boeing Everett Factory, one of the world's largest buildings and the primary assembly location for Boeing's wide-body 747, 767, 777 and 787 aircraft.
Cargolux and Nippon Cargo Airlines were the first customers for the 747-8, placing orders for the freighter in November 2005.
Assembly first began in 2008, and the first 747-8F was delivered to Cargolux in 2011.
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