Boeing's Intercontinental is ready to take to the skies

Boeing has completed final gauntlet testing on the first 747-8 Intercontinental jetliner. The two days of testing were completed late Sunday.

Elizabeth Lund, vice president and general manager, 747 programme, said: "The team continues to do great work to get the 747-8 Intercontinental into the air. It'll be a great day for the team when the airplane flies."

Gauntlet testing simulates flight conditions to test systems and ensure flight readiness. During the testing, Boeing test pilots put the airplane through its paces. See how extensive the testing is in this video: http://goo.gl/0cJCZ Gauntlet testing is a crucial step in the path toward first flight.

First flight of the 747-8 Intercontinental will occur after final flight readiness reviews, receipt of documentation from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and taxi testing. Both taxi testing and first flight are subject to weather conditions.