Boeing 787 Dreamliner

[flee 5]

It would take a cast of hundreds and locations across the globe. Scientific photographers on the ground and in chase planes would capture much of the action. In the end, in addition to rich test data, the Boeing 787 would complete flight testing with incredible images of its journey captured on video. Take a behind the scenes look at flight testing the 787.

 

http://youtu.be/BBmxFWfX1YQ

[Ikman Ikreza 0]

According to Etihad Airways is official FB..

 

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways and airberlin have announced plans to integrate their Boeing 787 Dreamliner programs, affecting a total of 56 firm aircraft – which is more Dreamliners than are on order with any other airline. A combined Etihad Airways-airberlin team will oversee the integration program, which will see the two airlines share infrastructure, pool maintenance, develop joint training programs, and streamline purchasing activity for engines, rotables, avionics and inflight entertainment systems, as well as work jointly on product development for the new aircraft type. Etihad Airways is scheduled to begin taking delivery of the B787 in 2014, and airberlin will take delivery of their aircraft in 2015.

 

Source :

[flee 5]

http://youtu.be/b76l-iYpphM

[michgyver 0]

 

 

 

[Johan Z 0]

CZ livery doesn't look right. They should just stick to their normal livery.

[S V Choong 4]

Actually that livery looks better than CZ's normal livery

[michgyver 0]

 

 

 

 

[Cire 0]

Gentex has expanded its product line and business by creating interactive windows for use in commercial and business aircraft. Designed to replace conventional plastic pull-down shades, our dimmable window systems afford operating efficiencies for airlines while allowing flight crews and passengers enhanced control of their environment. Marketed by PPG Aerospace under the brand name “Alteos™ Interactive Window Systems”, the world’s first electrochromic window shades for commercial and business aircraft passenger cabins easily switch from a bright, clear state to an extreme dark state, or to a comfortable intermediate level in between, all at the touch of a button.

Gentex dimmable aircraft windows are being premiered in commercial aircraft on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and in business aircraft on the new Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350i.

[michgyver 0]

[BC Tam 2]

Ouch !

 

 

23 August 2012 Last updated at 00:21 GMT

 

Qantas cancels plane orders amid mounting losses

 

 

 

Australian airline Qantas has cancelled orders for 35 Boeing Dreamliner jets worth $8.5bn (A$8.1bn: £5.5bn) in a cost-cutting drive.

 

The company also reported a full-year loss of A$244m.

 

It is the first loss since Qantas, Australia's largest airline, was privatised in 1995.

 

Qantas is axing 2,800 jobs and splitting its loss-making business from its profitable domestic operations as part of a five-year turnaround plan.

 

from the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19352412

[ingwen 0]

Might be the PERFECT timing for MH to pick up some of the cancelled orders.....since the first bird is to be delivered next year......

[alberttky 0]

United details 787 international routes

 

 

 

 

 

United Airlines will fly its Boeing 787-8s to Amsterdam, Lagos, London Heathrow, Shanghai and Tokyo Narita beginning 4 December.

 

The Chicago-based Star Alliance carrier will fly its 787s between Houston Intercontinental and Amsterdam daily from 4 December to 29 March 2013, Los Angeles and Tokyo daily from 3 January 2013, Houston and Lagos five-times per week from 7 January 2013, Houston and London daily from 4 February 2013 to 29 March 2013, and Los Angeles and Shanghai daily from 30 March 2013, according to an employee bulletin today. It operates all of the routes on other aircraft currently.

 

The airline will begin previously announced daily service between Denver and Tokyo on 31 March 2013.

 

"The 787 is the right aircraft for these routes because of its many passenger-friendly amenities and superior operating economics," says Greg Hart, senior vice president of network at United, in the bulletin.

 

United says that it will fly the 787 within the USA before international flights begin, in the bulletin.

 

The airline has 50 787-8s on order with delivery of the first (N20904) due before the end of September. Boeing will deliver six of the type to United by the end of the year, according to the Flightglobal Ascend database.

 

The first test flight of United's first 787 occurred on 19 August.

 

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/united-details-787-international-routes-375732/

[KC Sim 2]

Yet another dubious decision by Alan Joyce ... the B787-9 would have been a saviour to Qantas and it could not have them early enough. At least, this was what Alan Joyce was alluding to just earlier this year. Perhaps this will be the perfect excuse to turn more routes over to Jetstar Airways ...

 

Those lost B787-9 positions will quickly be snapped up by other airlines awaiting them ... and provide some relief to Boeing and perhaps sparing it further compensation payouts.

 

Qantas is in deep trouble ... and I suspect it does not know what it is getting into by tying up with Emirates. Perhaps it is time for Virgin Australia to begin singing "I still call Australia home."

 

KC Sim

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

Might be the PERFECT timing for MH to pick up some of the cancelled orders.....since the first bird is to be delivered next year......

 

MH would have to fork up a premium to leapfrog a whole lot of airlines and get the 787 before the others. Boeing would undoubtedly want to recoup some of the delay penalties they would have to pay due to the Delayliner's slipping schedule.

[Geoff R. 0]

Flightglobal.com

Qantas cancels order for 35 Dreamliners

By: Siva Govindasamy Singapore 10 hours ago

 

Qantas has cancelled an order for 35 Boeing 787-9 aircraft to reduce capital expenditure.

Deliveries of 15 787-8s to Jetstar, its low-cost subsidiary, will continue as planned, adds Australia's flag carrier.

The 787-8s will allow the transfer of Airbus A330s from Jetstar to Qantas Domestic, and the eventual retirement of Qantas's Boeing 767 fleet.

The group will retain and bring forward 50 787-9 options and purchase rights by two years, with the aircraft available for delivery from 2016 if needed.

The Oneworld carrier says that the cancellation will help it to reduce capital expenditure commitments by $8.5 billion.

Total cash inflow from the restructuring will be $433 million, with $355 million coming in the 2012/13 financial year alone. These will result in a net impact on underlying profit before tax (PBT) and statutory PBT of approximately $140 million, to be recognised in the first half of 2012/13, says Qantas.

"Qantas continues to practice disciplined capital management and, in the context of returning Qantas International to profit, this is a prudent decision," says chief executive Alan Joyce.

He adds that Qantas has "always maintained flexibility in its fleet plan and made changes when required".

 

The carrier says that it has "substantially completed" its fleet renewal programme, with 114 new aircraft delivered over the past four years. The average scheduled passenger fleet age is 8.3 years, the lowest since privatisation in 1995.

Qantas has 12 A380s in service across its long-haul network and will complete the reconfiguration of nine Boeing 747-400s by late 2012. Boeing 737-800s will continue to enter the Qantas Domestic fleet, and A330s will be transferred from Jetstar as the 787-8s are delivered to the low-cost carrier.

Jetstar's domestic and Asian fleet requirements will be met over the long term by the existing A320 order book and the arrival of the 787-8s, says Qantas.

[Cire 0]

(Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) said on Monday it was moving ahead with plans for a stretched version of its fuel-efficient 787 Dreamliner but added that more work is needed before it obtained company approval for an official launch.

 

Boeing has said it has been talking with airlines and leasing companies to define specifications for the 787-10, which would be the biggest version of the plane built mostly of composite materials and a powerful rival to the Airbus (EAD.PA) A330.

 

"We've got a lot of support all the way through the company including our board of directors," Larry Loftis, vice president and general manager of the 787 program, said when speaking of the 787-10 during an investor call hosted by RBC Capital Markets on Monday.

"We still have some more work to do before we'd be ready to launch the program and/or be given authority to launch the program," Loftis added.

The expected longer, biggest version of the 787 would be pitched to airlines for long-haul travel.

 

Loftis said the backlog of 787 orders was currently split at about 60 percent for the 787-8 model, which can carry 210 to 250 passengers, and 40 percent for the 787-9, a slightly bigger version that is designed to seat up to 290. Boeing said final assembly of the 787-9 version would likely start in late spring or early summer next year, with first delivery seen in early 2014.

 

"Clearly our customers have told us ... that they would prefer us to focus on fuel-burn economics versus extending range" should the company launch a 787-10 version, Loftis said. He said the stretch plane, should it be rolled out, would likely enter service toward the back end of this decade.

Boeing said it was still looking to raise 787 production rates to 10 a month by the end of 2013. Pat Shanahan, Boeing senior vice president for airplane programs, said a rate of seven a month would likely be reached in mid-2013. The company in November reached a five-per-month production rate for the 787, which is built in Washington state and South Carolina.

Shares of Boeing closed up 0.7 percent at $74.27 on Monday.

(Reporting by Karen Jacobs; Editing by M.D. Golan and Tim Dobbyn)

[flee 5]

 

* FAA to call for inspection of fuel line connectors

* Inspection affects entire in-service fleet off 33 jets

* United emergency 787 landing unrelated to fuel issue

 

By Alwyn Scott

 

NEW YORK, Dec 4 - On the same day that one of its new 787 Dreamliners made an emergency landing because of a mechanical problem, Boeing said that U.S. regulators would require the entire fleet of 787 jets to be inspected for a possible fuel line problem.

 

The twin mechanical issues, while not necessarily uncommon, were yet another headache for Boeing, a company still working to overcome the negative perception of production problems that delayed delivery of the 787 by 3-1/2 years.

 

The company said the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is requiring inspections of all 787s in service to confirm that fuel line connectors have been properly installed.

 

The FAA requirement, due to be issued Wednesday in an airworthiness directive, "makes mandatory inspections already recommended by Boeing," the company said in a statement.

FAA officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

 

Boeing said improperly installed fuel line connectors could lead to fuel leaks, loss of engine power or fire. But at the same time, it said there were "multiple layers of systems to ensure none of those things happen."

 

Boeing advised airlines flying the 787 to make inspections last month, and it said about half of the 33 jets in service have already been inspected.

 

The biggest 787 customers so far are Japan's All Nippon Airways Co, which was the launch customer and has 16 of the jets. Japan Airlines has four and Air India has three.

 

The inspections were recommended after two non-U.S. carriers experienced fuel leaks. Boeing declined to name the carriers.

 

The FAA directive was first reported by Bloomberg News.

 

The agency issued a previous airworthiness directive for the 787 and 747 in September, after problems with General Electric GEnx engines on those models. Such directives alert aircraft operators to a known safety defect.

 

NO FIRE IN PLANE DIVERSION

 

Separately, a brand new United Airlines 787 Dreamliner with 184 people aboard was forced to divert and make an emergency landing in New Orleans on Tuesday after experiencing a mechanical problem on a flight from Houston to Newark, N.J.

 

The pilots of Flight 1146 declared an emergency while in the air. When the plane landed safely around 9:25 a.m. CDT, fire trucks were on the runway, a standard procedure.

 

Initial inspections showed that there was no fire in the aft electrical equipment bay, where the problem was reported, and no sign of electrical "arcing," or electricity flowing incorrectly, according to a person familiar with the situation.

 

Boeing Co is ramping up production of the 787 to help reduce a backlog of 838 orders worth more than $173 billion.

 

While concerns about its safety could affect passenger perceptions and raise issues with deliveries to other airlines, analysts said flight diversions are not unusual, especially with new aircraft.

 

"These are the typical growing pains one would expect with a new airplane as it enters service," said Carter Leake, a former military and commercial pilot who is now an analyst with BB&T Capital Markets. "No conclusions can be drawn."

 

United said the problem occurred with its third 787, delivered Nov. 27. The airline, which is due to receive two more 787s this month put the passengers on other flights to Newark.

 

"At this point, we're just looking at this specific plane, not the fleet," said Christen David, a United spokeswoman.

 

United is the first U.S. airline to put the new carbon-composite 787 into service and flew its first commercial flight with the new jet on Nov. 4.

 

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/05/united-787-diversion-idUSL1E8N4DB520121205

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

New planes have niggles. Hardly surprising to be honest.

[zamim 0]

Boeing announced today at the 2013 Paris Air Show that it has launched the 787-10 Dreamliner, the third member of the super-efficient 787 family.

Commitments for 102 airplanes from five customers across Europe, Asia and North America provide a strong foundation to support development and production of the newest Dreamliner.

Customer launch commitments for the 787-10 include Air Lease Corporation, with 30 airplanes; GE Capital Aviation Services, with 10; International Airlines Group / British Airways, with 12 subject to shareholder approval; Singapore Airlines, with 30 and United Airlines, with 20 airplanes.

The new 787-10 will fly up to 7,000 nautical miles (12,964 km) covering more than 90 percent of the worlds twin-aisle routes with seating for 300-330 passengers, depending on an airlines configuration choices. The second member of the family, the 787-9, is in final assembly in Everett, Wash., and is set to make its first flight later this year.

The 787-10 Dreamliner will be the most-efficient jetliner in history. The airplanes operating economics are unmatched and it has all the incredible passenger-pleasing features that set the 787 family apart as truly special, said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. The 787-10 is 25 percent more efficient than airplanes of its size today and more than 10 percent better than anything being offered by the competition for the future.

Design of the 787-10 has already started at Boeing, and international partners will be involved in detailed design in the months ahead. Final assembly and flight test of the 787-10 are set to begin in 2017, with first delivery targeted for 2018.

 

Our ongoing investment in the 787 family is well-founded, said Conner. With the 787-10, weve designed an exceptional airplane supported by an efficient and integrated production system that can meet increasing demands and create new opportunities for us. Our team and our customers are excited about growing the product line and expanding our presence with this family of airplanes.

 

The 787 familys unique interior offers passengers technologies that make their flights more enjoyable, including large, dimmable windows; cleaner air; higher humidity; lower cabin altitude; bigger stowage bins; soothing LED lighting and a smoother ride. The 787-10 will share a common type rating not only with the 787-8 and 787-9 but also with the popular Boeing 777, giving airlines additional flexibility in scheduling and training flight crews.

[flee 5]

The first Boeing 787-9 widebody aircraft is towed out of the factory in preparation for its first flight. The largely composite passenger aircraft is a slightly larger version of the 787-8. It is about 20 feet longer and adds capacity for about 40 more passengers.

 

 

More Photos:

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/boeing/boeing-photos/slideshow/Boeing-787-9-roll-out-66549.php

[flee 5]

Boeing stages quiet 787-9 roll-out overnight

 

Under the cover of darkness Boeing rolled out the first 787-9 from the 40-24 bay of the factory in Everett, Washington, in the late hours of 17 July, achieving a milestone event for the first stretched variant of the 787-8 with as little fanfare and public scrutiny as possible.

The first of four flight test vehicles rolled out of the factory to travel to the nearby paint facility. Boeing plans to stage a formal roll-out ceremony after the aircraft is painted for employees only. Afterwards, the aircraft will begin a months-long flight test campaign and an entry into-service with Air New Zealand in mid-2014.

The 6.07m (20ft) stretch of the fuselage adds space for roughly 40 more seats compared to the 787-8, while increasing maximum take-off weight by 10% to 251,000kg (553,000lb) and increasing top range by 3.95% to 15,800km (8,500nm).

Full report: http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-stages-quiet-787-9-roll-out-overnight-388447/

[zamim 0]

During the ceremony for the delivery of the 100th A-330 aircraft to the Hong Kong-based company Cathay Pacific, Airbus Chief Operating Officer - Customers John Leahy declared that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an "Unreliable" airplane, suggesting that it was rushed to the market.

 

"It's pretty obvious -Leahy claimed- that this airplane is not reliable and does not have mature systems. You can keep it flying but it's going to cost you a lot of maintenance. What they've got is an architecture that is not mature and that will eventually become mature. It's going to take a lot of time, a lot of money, a lot of cancelled flights. And maybe redesign quite a few systems onboard".

 

This kind of comments is unusual: the challenge between the two world giants of the aerospace industry is usually characterized by declarations with which the executives of the two companies tease each other, but normally, for a tacit convention, no coments about safety are made.

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

This is typical salesman talk. I don't think airline execs pay much attention to trash talk like this, only hard facts.

[flee 5]

Yes, it is salesman's talk.

 

However, the facts do speak for themselves. The B787 was grounded for more than 3 months AFTER entering airline service. And there are a number of cases of fires and aircraft turning back mid air. So, it is unreliable and causing a lot of inconvenience for airlines and passengers.

[Cire 0]

Normally, a person of his position would not talk bad about a competitor's product. They rather be coy about it with teases and hints. Not that blunt. However, the numerous incidences on the 787 does put some weight into his comments. Hope they resolve the issues fast.