Boeing is intending to fly a promotional 747-8F on 30 January in support of Seattle’s bid to win the American football Super Bowl title.

The aircraft carries a scheme in the colours of the Seattle Seahawks, who will line up at Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos on 2 February.

Eleven players make up an American football team. The 747-8F features the number 12 on the vertical fin, representing the “twelfth man” – the collective name given to the Seahawks’ fans.

The General Electric GEnx-powered aircraft is registered N770BA, and was formerly assigned to Atlas Air.

Boeing owns the aircraft and is using the four-engined jet for flight tests, the airframer says. General manager for the 747 programme Eric Lindblad says the aircraft is a “tribute” to the football team’s success and a “rallying cry” as its player prepare for the Super Bowl.

Source: FlightGlobal.com