Article Posted on : - Apr 08, 2009

The first 787 Dreamliner at Boeing's Everett plant

NEW DELHI (BNS): Air India will get delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft by June next year, which would enable the national carrier to have more long-haul international flights.

"The first 787 will be delivered by June 2010," Boeing International's Vice-President Dinesh Keskar told, adding that the aircraft, called the Dreamliner, would enter into service in the first quarter of calendar year 2010, with Japan's All Nippon Airways being the launch customer, as quoted by agencies.

The first six planes are now in different stages of production and flight tests at Boeing's assembly plant at Everett in the United States. Air India has ordered 27 of 787 Dreamlinerand Jet Airways 10, out of which six aircraft would be delivered to Air India in 2010. Air India and Jet Airways are the only two airlines from India to order the aircraft.

For Air India, the 787 would act as a fuel-efficient workhorse for launching new flights on dense routes of the U.S., Europe and Africa, besides East Asia and Australia.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a mid-sized, wide-body, twin-engine jet. The Dreamliner's B-787-8 model will be able to carry 210-250 passengers on routes of 14,200-15,200 km, while the 787-9 Dreamliner will fly 250-290 passengers on routes of 14,800-15,750 km.

A third 787 family member, the 787-3 Dreamliner, will accommodate 290-330 passengers and be optimised for routes of 4,600-5,650 km, Boeing said