NEW UPS 747 TO MAKE GRAND ENTRANCE AT THUNDER

The Kentucky Derby Festival is pleased to announce that the 2008 Opening Ceremonies - Thunder Over Louisville - will feature UPS' new Boeing 747-400 Freighter in its first-ever Air Show appearance.  This is the largest aircraft in the UPS fleet. 

"Be sure to look up in the sky during this year's Thunder Air Show. UPS is excited to share our newest and largest addition to an already efficient and quiet fleet during this year's show," said Bob Lekites, President of UPS Airlines. "It's a beautiful airplane and will be vital to Louisville's presence as an international player for many years to come."

UPS has purchased eight new and six converted Boeing 747-400 freighters to add to its fleet.  The first jumbo freighter, which is large enough to fill up three quarters of a football field, was delivered to the company's global air hub in Louisville in July 2007.  The one appearing at this year's Thunder is brand new.  The 747-400's are used on global trunk routes between North America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. 

Since purchasing its first aircraft in 1981, UPS has become the world's 9th largest airline with 268 jets.  UPS aircraft fly into more than 800 airports, serving customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the world.  In keeping with the Kentucky Derby Festival's "Go Green!" initiative, all UPS aircraft meet strict noise requirements both domestically and abroad.

UPS is a longtime supporter of the Kentucky Derby Festival.  2008 marks the airline's 18th consecutive year as a presenting sponsor of Thunder.  UPS also provides ground support for the Festival's Marathon  and miniMarathon with its fleet of vans and tractor-trailers, delivering water and Powerade to all the stops along the route.

This year's Thunder Air Show kicks-off at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 12th, followed by a 30-minute fireworks show starting at 9:30 p.m. The theme of this year's show is "Out Of This World," and will include fireworks shells from different countries around the world, European military aircraft - including a German Tornado - as well as another impressive lineup of American military and civilian airplanes and demonstration teams. The show is sponsored by Caesars Indiana, E.ON U.S., Meijer and UPS.  
 
747-400 Fun Facts:

• 747-400 tail height is 63 feet 8 inches, equivalent to a six-story building.
• The 747-400 wing measures 5,600 square feet, an area large enough to hold 45 medium-sized automobiles.
• The Wright Brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C., could have been performed within the cargo hold of a  747-400.
• At an overall length of 231 feet, the 747-400 is nearly twice the length of the space shuttle orbiter.
• The 747-400 range is 4,445 nautical miles, which is roughly the distance between Anchorage and Hong Kong.
• The 747-400 has 171 miles of wiring, that's roughly the distance between Louisville and Nashville.