Clever Boeing Crew Sky-Writes "747" Across United States

A flight crew testing the new Boeing 747-8F cargo plane had 17 hours to kill during a max endurance test last night so they decided to graffiti a message across the Western United States.

Boeing's new 747-8F is poised to deliver increased cargo capability for the world's major shippers in a plane that achieves improved efficiency. Scribbling "747" in an incredibly complex flight pattern starting in Seattle's Paine Field and zig-zagging around the U.S. is a strange, but awesome way to prove it.

So it's not really "sky-writing" — but what else do you call spelling out numbers with your flight pattern?

Here's the real flight plan from FlightGlobal, who picked up on the flight's amusing trajectory:

SEA J70 MLP J36 GTF HLN DLN TWF PARZZ MVA MQO MVA PARZZ Q121 TOUGH DIK RAP J157 BFF HGO TCC VANSS TCC HGO BFF J157 RAP DIK J36 FAR J140 DLH J21 ICT SPS ICT J21 DLH J140 FAR DIK BFF PARZZ TWF DLN HLN GTF J36 MLP J136 GEG GANGS KPAE

We're guessing their next move is to write "AIRBUS SUCKS" across continental Europe.

Photo Credit: FlightAware, DaveMorris