747-8 freighter is ready to fly after completing the taxi-tests well on Saturday at Paine Field in Everett, north of Seattle, reaching a top speed of 103.5 mph.

"Based on early indications, the airplane is ready to fly", said Mo Yahyavi, 747 program Vice President and General Manager, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Boeing Company told that it will make its first flight on Monday. At 250 feet long, the plane is the largest; Boeing has ever built and about 18 feet longer than the existing 747-400 jumbo jet.

Boeing also is developing a passenger version of the plane. It listed 76 orders for the freighter and 32 for the 747-8 passenger jet. The jet has a list price of more than $301 million.

The company claims that the jets will be much quieter, more fuel efficient and have lower emissions than current 747-400 models. Boeing's European rival Airbus had planned a freighter version of the Airbus A380. The 747-8 freighter and passenger jets are much smaller than their A380 counterparts.