Category: Boeing

Photos – Second 787 Dreamliner Makes First Flight

The second Boeing 787 Dreamliner, ZA002, completed its first flight today. The airplane, which features the livery of the Dreamliner’s launch customer, ANA (All Nippon Airways) of Japan, took off from Paine Field in Everett, completed a two-hour flight and landed at Boeing Field in Seattle.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner ZA002 ANA (All Nippon Airways) Livery

Boeing 787 Dreamliner ZA002 First Flight ANA (All Nippon Airways)

The airplane reached an altitude of 13,000 feet (3,962 m) and an airspeed of 200 knots, or about 230 miles (370 km) per hour. The airplane took off at 9:09 a.m. PST and landed at 11:10 a.m. PST.

This is the second of six 787s being used in the airplane’s flight-test program. Each of the airplanes will be used for a specific set of tests, with this airplane focusing on systems performance. Like its predecessor, ZA001, the airplane is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines.

Source: Boeing
Photos: Boeing

Video – Boeing 787 Dreamliner First Flight

Today the Boeing 787 Dreamliner successfully completed its first flight! At 10:27am local time the Dreamliner took off into the rainy sky of Paine Field, Everett (Washington).

The flight marks the beginning of a flight test program that will see six airplanes flying nearly around the clock and around the globe, with the airplane’s first delivery scheduled for fourth quarter 2010. Powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, the first Boeing 787 will be joined in the flight test program in the coming weeks and months by five other 787s, including two that will be powered by General Electric GEnx engines.

After approximately three hours, it landed at 1:33 p.m. at Seattle’s Boeing Field.

Videos – Takeoff

Takeoff and Landing

… more videos and pictures to come …

Boeing 787 Dreamliner – Date of First Flight

Boeing today finally announced the date of the first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner!

The maiden flight is scheduled for December 15, 10am (18:00 GMT). The first flight will occur from Paine Field in Everett, Washington. This date is dependent upon final internal reviews, taxi test and receiving the final experimental ticket from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

This event will be broadcasted live, including takeoff, landing and post-flight press conference, at www.boeing.com or www.newairplane.com. A special website will go live 24 hours prior to takeoff. The flight may last as long as three to five hours.

Update: The official 787 first flight website: http://787firstflight.newairplane.com/ffindex.html

Boeing 787 Dreamliner on Runway

Source & Photo: Boeing

Korean Air orders 747-8 Intercontinental

Boeing announced an order for five 747-8 Intercontinental jetliners by Korean Air. Korean Air is the first Asian airline to order the passenger version of the new 747-8.

The airplanes have a total average list price value of $1.5 billion. Korean Air already has arrangements to operate seven 747-8 Freighters. Korean Air plans on flying the 747-8 Intercontinental on long-haul routes to the Americas and Europe.

The new 747-8 Intercontinental is stretched 18.3 feet (5.6 m) from the 747-400 to provide 467 seats in a three-class configuration, an additional 51 seats. It also offers a range of 8,000 nautical miles (14,815 km). Using the new GEnx-2B engines, the 747-8 provides airlines a quieter, more fuel-efficient airplane. The 747-8 also provides nearly equivalent trip costs and 13 percent lower seat-mile costs than the 747-400, plus 26 percent greater cargo volume.

Korean Air Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental

The 747-8 also features a new wing design and an upgraded flight deck. The airplane interior incorporates features from the 787 Dreamliner, including a new curved, upswept architecture that will give passengers a greater sense of space and comfort, while adding more room for personal belongings. The architecture will be accentuated by lighting technology that provides smooth transitions for a more restful flight.

The 747 program is in the later stages of the 747-8 Intercontinental design phase. Assembly on the airplane is set to begin around mid-2010, with the first delivery of the passenger version scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2011.

The Korean Air order only marks the second 747-8i order of a commercial airline. Lufthansa, the launch customer of the 747-8 Intercontinental, has 20 planes on order. The remaining orders for 8 planes come from several unidentified VIP customers. One (or two) of these VIP orders could be a replacement for the aging “Air Force One” Boeing 747-200B (Boeing VC-25)

Image: Boeing

Photo – First Boeing 747-8 Freighter Leaves Paint Hangar

On Tuesday night, Boeing moved the first 747-8 Freighter out of the paint hangar, sporting a special “light” livery.

Painted white with blue accents, the 747-8 Freighter unveiled a new twist on the Boeing Commercial Airplanes livery. It features an oversized “8” on the background of the tail as well as “747-8” on the belly.

Boeing 747-8 Freighter Special Boeing Commercial Airplanes Livery

The light livery, which saves time and expense compared to the full Boeing livery, will remain on the airplane until the flight-test program is completed. After flight test, it will be refurbished and delivered to a customer.

The first freighter will begin preparing for the necessary tests leading up to first flight in early 2010.

Source: Boeing
Photo: Boeing

Dubai Airshow 2009 Orders Update

Following orders have been announced by Airbus, Boeing and Embraer at Dubai Airshow 2009 so far:

Airbus

  • Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350 XWB
    Ethiopian Airlines confirms order for 12 Airbus A350 XWBs
    Ethiopian Airlines has ordered 12 Airbus A350 XWB aircraft, bringing total orders for the A350 XWB family to 505.
    In selecting the A350-900 to operate from their hub in Addis Ababa on routes to Europe, the US and Asia, Ethiopian Airlines becomes a new member in Airbus’ family of over 300 customers.
  • Yemenia Airlines Airbus A320
    Yemenia Airlines to acquire 10 Airbus A320s
    Yemenia, the official carrier of the state of Yemen, based in Sanaa, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 10 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. Yemenia’s A320s will be configured in a comfortable two-class configuration with seating for 12 passengers in Business Class and 138 in Economy. The aircraft will be deployed to enhance and expand services on regional, African, Indian and European routes. It will enable Yemenia to demonstrate its role as a growing regional carrier and contributor to the growth of Yemen’s economy.
  • Comlux orders 10th Airbus corporate jet
    Comlux has ordered a third Airbus’ Corporate Jetliner (ACJ), taking its total orders for Airbus corporate jets to ten aircraft – 4 A318s, 3 Airbus ACJs, 2 A320 Prestiges and one A330-200 Prestige – and making it the largest Airbus ACJ Family customer.
    Some of the aircraft are managed for private customers and some are used to provide VVIP charters – as will the newly ordered aircraft.
  • Air Austral signs firm order for two single class A380s
    Air Austral, based in Saint Denis, La Réunion, has ordered two A380s, the most advanced, spacious and eco-efficient airliner in service today. Powered by Engine Alliance engines and seating around 840 passengers in a single-class configuration, the aircraft will be operated on the high-density route from La Réunion to Paris, France.
  • Nepal Airlines signs Memorandum of Understanding for A320 and A330
    Nepal’s national carrier, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) is modernising its international fleet with one A330-200 wide-body and one Airbus A320 single aisle aircraft. The new Airbus aircraft will be deployed on international services to Japan and will for the very first time connect Nepal to Europe with direct flights.
    The two class, A330-200 will be deployed on routes to Europe and North Asia and will play an instrumental role in developing Nepal’s tourism industry especially around to country’s ‘Visit Nepal 2011’ tourism campaign to attract foreign tourists.

Boeing

  • Air Algerie Boeing Next-Generation 737-800
    Air Algerie orders 7 737-800s
    Boeing and Air Algérie announced an order for seven Next-Generation 737-800s.
    The airplanes will grow the Air Algérie Next-Generation 737 fleet to 22 airplanes. ir Algérie ordered its new 737s with Blended Winglets, which further reduce fuel burn by approximately four percent.
    A Boeing customer for nearly 40 years, Air Algérie operates a Boeing fleet that includes 10 737-800s, five 737-600s and three 767-300s.
  • Tassili Airlines Next-Generation 737-800
    Tassili Airlines orders 4 Next-Generation 737-800s
    Tassili Airlines of Algeria placed its first order for Boeing airplanes with a signed deal for four Next-Generation 737-800s.
    Tassili Airlines, a 100-percent-owned subsidiary of government-owned Sonatrach Petroleum Corporation, will use the 737-800s to transport employees and cargo between large Algerian cities and Sonatrach work sites. Tassili plans to put its 737s into commercial passenger service on domestic and regional routes in the near future. (Great livery btw!)

Embraer

  • Oman Air EMBRAER 175
    Oman Air orders 5 EMBRAER 175
    Four of the jets will be operated by the airline and one will serve with the Royal Omani Police. The newly ratified deal also includes purchase rights for another five aircraft. The first delivery is scheduled for the first quarter of 2011. Oman Air’s EMBRAER 175 will be configured with 72 seats in a full-service, dual-class layout, with 12 seats in business class and 60 in economy.
  • Air Astana EMBRAER 190
    Air Astana orders 2 EMBRAER 190
    The airline will operate two EMBRAER 190 jets out of Almaty, Kazakhstan, under a newly ratified agreement with the U.S. aircraft leasing company Jetscape, Inc., based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This deal is already included in Embraer’s firm order backlog for the third quarter of 2009. Both EMBRAER 190s – configured in a dual-class layout, featuring nine seats in first class and 88 in economy – are scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2011.

Sources: Airbus, Boeing, Embraer
Photos: Airbus, Boeing, Embraer

First Boeing 747-8 Freighter Rolls Out of Factory

On Thursday afternoon, November 12, the first Boeing 747-8 Freighter has left the factory in Everett. The airplane, destined for Cargolux, will be painted and begin preparations for flight test.

First Boeing 747-8 Freighter Roll Out of Factory
Photo: Boeing
Boeing 747-8 Freighter Roll Out of Factory
Photo: Bernardo Malfitano – More photos at fencecheck.com

The 747-8 Freighter is the new high-capacity 747 that will give cargo operators the lowest operating costs and best economics of any freighter airplane while providing enhanced environmental performance. It is 250 feet, 2 inches (76.3 m) long, which is 18 feet and 4 inches (5.6 m) longer than the 747-400 Freighter. The stretch provides customers with 16 percent more revenue cargo volume compared to its predecessor. That translates to four additional main-deck pallets and three additional lower-hold pallets.

Boeing has secured 105 orders for the 747-8 from Cargolux, Nippon Cargo Airlines, AirBridgeCargo Airlines, Atlas Air, Cathay Pacific, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Emirates SkyCargo, Guggenheim and Korean Air.

Source: Boeing

Boeing 787 – Modifications Completed

Boeing today announced that they have completed installing reinforcements within the side-of-body section on the first 787 Dreamliner.

The modification entails installing new fittings at 34 stringer locations within the joint where the wing is attached to the fuselage. Installations were completed yesterday.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner modification on side-of-body section

Boeing 787 Dreamliner new fittings on side-of-body section

Boeing expects to complete the installations on the static test airframe and the second flight-test airplane in the coming days.

After airplane No. 1 is restored, the flight-test team will perform another set of gauntlet and taxi tests to ensure that all systems are ready for flight. Fancher noted that with the exception of a single high-speed taxi test, all remaining first flight activities have been successfully completed on the first flight-test airplane.

First flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is still scheduled for the end of this year.

Source: Boeing
Photo: Boeing

Guggenheim Receives First 777 for Lease to Korean Air

Boeing today announced that the plane maker recently delivered one of the first 777 to Guggenheim Aviation Partners. The Boeing 777-300ER will be operated under lease by Guggenheim customer Korean Air.

The 777-300ER is Guggenheim’s first leasing arrangement with Korean, as well as the first new Boeing passenger airplane delivery to Guggenheim. The delivery is the 25th 777 for Korean.

Guggenheim Aviation Partners - Korean Air Boeing 777-300ER

Guggenheim is scheduled to take delivery of additional five 777s.

Guggenheim Aviation Partners is a leading participant in commercial aircraft leasing with offices in Seattle, London and Singapore.

Source: Boeing
Photo: Boeing

Norwegian Air Shuttle Orders Additional Next-Generation 737s

Boeing and low-cost carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle today confirmed an order for additional six Next-Generation 737-800s. With this order, Norwegian has a total of 48 Next-Generation 737 airplanes on order from Boeing as well as 22 airplanes from leasing companies.

The new 737s will feature advanced-technology Blended Winglets, an environmental innovation that reduces drag, resulting in less fuel consumption and a decrease in carbon emissions of 3.5 to 4 percent.

6000th Boeing 737 - Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA (LN-NOL)

The Oslo-based carrier is one of the first airlines in Europe that will incorporate the spacious new 737 Boeing Sky Interior starting at the end of 2010. Inspired by years of design research on the 787 Dreamliner, airlines with this new interior will feature the soft, blue-sky-like lighting overhead, contemporary sculpted sidewalls and window reveals designed to draw passengers’ eyes to the airplanes’ windows, enhancing the passengers’ overall flying experience.

Norwegian’s aircrafts are equipped with state-of-the-art Recaro seats which offer increased legroom without compromising capacity. Norwegian has opted for a 186-seat configuration in its aircraft contrary to a full capacity 189-seat configuration.

Source: Boeing
Photo: Boeing