LAN’s first Boeing 787 Dreamliner (CC-BBA) at Paine Field. Image by Tony Rodgers.
This weekend is Labor Day weekend in the US and what better way to celebrate than head down to Santiago, Chile with LAN Airlines on their 787 Delivery flight?
LAN will take delivery of the first of 32 Dreamliners that they have on order. Currently, the airline has 22 787-8s and 10 787-9s on order. The new planes will be used to replace their older 767-300ERs. Although LAN will be flying the plane from Everett on Friday, it is most likely the official paper signing and money transfer will happen sometime tomorrow.
I feel honored to be invited on the delivery flight and look forward to checking out Santiago and Chile for the first time.
During my time in Santiago, I will have the ability to check out LAN’s flight simulators and maintenance facility. As always, please feel free to follow along on my Twitter and Facebook. Hopefully there won’t be too much jetlag not only from testing out the 787 for a long distance trip (my previous flight was only 90 minutes), but also Santiago currently shares the same time as New York (and only three hours ahead of Seattle-time).
I will also end up with some free time while in Chile, so if you have any suggestions on things to check out — please let me know.
On my flight back to the US, I will be flying on one of LAN’s Boeing 767-300ERs. It will be quite interesting to compare the 787 back-to-back with the aircraft that it will be replacing. You can bet there will many photos and a few stories to share of this adventure.
To see more LAN Boeing 787 Dreamliner photos, check out Tony’s Flickr
Let me know if you need a co-pilot haha!
Thinking in your free time, if you have the chance go to Valle Nevado, in the mountains near Santiago. Beautiful place. And if you like good wines, there are tours called “Ruta del Vino”, visiting the most important wineyards in the region. This is a very, very beautiful country(I’m foreigner but I live here since 1994 ), so I’m sure you will enjoy your travel… plus, you will be flying one of the best carriers and in a state of art plane… you can’t ask for more really.
Have a nice flight !!
Hey Gonzalo,
Thanks for the ideas. I am looking at doing the concha y toro tour tomorrow. Have you heard anything about it?
http://www.turistik.cl/tour/vinedo-concha-y-toro?lang=en
David
Hello, my name is Kevin LaRosa Jr. And I will be flying the Lear Jet doing the photography mission with the 787 before you head down to Chile. I have followed your site for quite sometime now and I look forward to meeting you. I think your going to enjoy seeing how we obtain these airborn images if you havent already seen it done. See you Friday in the mission brief. Email me if you have any questions. **@je********.com
Went to Santiago for the first time in July. Loved lunch at Fuente Alemana and visiting Mercado Central.
What a great adventure David…I look forward to your writeup and photos of your trip to Santiago!
If anyone wanted to know about the Ethiopian 787 delivery flight, the NYC Aviation website did an article about it: http://www.nycaviation.com/2012/08/just-another-airplane-20-hours-on-the-boeing-787/
The AirlineReporter does it again! LAN is really an emerging powerhouse. Incredibly, Africa, Asia, and South America will operate the 787 before Europe and North America.
Currently there are many things to do here in Chile. I don’t know how much time you will be spending down here, but as stated above you could go to the wine region, or you can head up to the ski resorts, or go to the coast and enjoy some sea-food, etc. In any case, this saturday at midnight we will go into Daylight savings time, so we will end up being 1 hr. ahead of NY, just so you know.
Yes thank you for that heads up! Too bad I am losing an hour of my trip!
David
September is “El mes de la patria” (moderland’s month roughly translated). So If I were you, I would treat myself with lots of empanadas and vino tinto. Just ask for that and you would not regret.
There’s a lot to do and it is by far the most beautiful month in santiago. Also the weather is very nice.
Have a nice flight I’ll be on the airport spotting the landing.
The weather is amazing here. A very nice treat. Supposed to be in the 70s again tomorrow.
Were you able to get any photos of us landing today?
David
I did not but a friend of mine did. How can i manage to get the pictures to you?
I would love to see them. Either a link if he puts them up on Flickr or can email da***@ai*************.com.
Sorry you weren’t able to make it.
David
The main plaza is a must see. Dining: Buenos Muchachos is a nice restaurant, also Los Adobes de Argomedo you’ll see the typical dances of all Chile. Safe travels.
I did not, but my spotting partner did. You want some?