Boeing 787s on the flight line at Paine Field. Photo by Malcolm Muir.
I am an AvGeek that happens to write for AirlineReporter.com. Now, being a correspondent, I have access to connect with airline and Boeing PR people to get confirmations on things like deliveries, but recently, I tried some old fashion AvGeek-ness to try to find out how many 787s did Boeing really delivered recently.
On Thursday the 20th December I noticed a tweet pop up from @boeingairplanes that sparked my interest:
I had seen the flight line at Everett a bit over the last few weekends and there was a number of 787s all lined up ready to go and I knew that they had been doing plenty of test flights lately to push those 787s out before the end of year break. I decided to dig a bit deeper.
Consulting several sources including Flightaware for both Paine Field & Charleston AFB, where the two 787 factories are located, it was evident that this was entirely possible.
At that first stage only be four deliveries: three from Everett and one from Charleston. Where were those missing two? I was able to track the following deliveries:
I was starting to think that the other missing two must have been just financial deliveries. Then, on Friday the 21st another Tweet appeared:
Hmm, I felt it was time to get some official confirmation from Boeing. Scott Lefeber from the Boeing 787 Communications team confirmed via email that a total of 47 787’s had been delivered to date, and that a 787 delivery record had most definitely been broken; The record for the most amount of 787 aircraft ever delivered in one day.
At the time of publishing (I will update the story when I find out), Lefeber is unable to get confirm exactly how many were delivered. In question is a second787 for Qatar that had popped up on Flightaware while we were emailing.
By days end it was evident that a total of seven 787s were being delivered in the span of 36 hours. With the four deliveries listed above there was also:
It was great to see a fantastic accomplishment by the Boeing team with managing to get so many aircraft delivered in such a short time frame. Seven aircraft to six of the eight current operators is a good record. With all the bad press that has come about in the 787 program as of late, it is good to see something positive for once. Just in time for the new year.
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This story written by…Malcolm Muir, Lead Correspondent. Mal is an Australian Avgeek now living and working in Seattle. With a passion for aircraft photography, traveling and the fun that combining the two can bring. Insights into the aviation world with a bit of a perspective thanks to working in the travel industry.@BigMalX | BigMal’s World | Photos |
HI RES IMAGE (click for larger). JAL's Boeing 787 Dreamliner taking off at Paine Field. Photo by Boeing.
Today, Japan Airlines (JAL) has officially taken delivery of their first Boeing 787 Dreamliner (JA822J). There are also strong rumors that JAL might take (or has already taken) delivery of their second aircraft (JA825J) as well.
Although the official paperwork has been signed, Boeing and JAL will not celebrate the delivery until tomorrow morning. There are some smaller media events today (ie tour of the 787 flight simulator), but the main event will start at about 9:30am PT on Monday and last until Noon. You are invited to follow along with the delivery adventure via Twitter; be sure to follow #JAL787, @AirlineReporter, @FlightBlogger and of course @BoeingAirplanes.
UPDATE: Boeing confirmed that they delivered two 787 Dreamliners to JAL on the 25th.
ANA's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner (JA801A) waits in the dark next to the Future of Flight
It was cold, dark and windy, but all worth it to catch the delivery flight of All Nippon Airways’ (ANA) first Boeing 787 Dreamliner delivery flight.
Media watches on as ANA's first 787 gets pushed back.
ANA’s first 787 (JA801A was parked next to the Future of Flight as airline employees loaded up and prepared for their flight to Haneda (HND). The flight was scheduled to take off around 6:35am, but was delayed a bit until about 7:15am. This was okay, since it allowed a little more light before lift off. The aircraft lined up and took off heading south. After lift off, the pilots waved the wings to say good bye.
JA801A lines up for take off at Paine Field.
It was very emotional for Boeing employees who were gathered on the Strato Deck on top of the Future of Flight. Some had tears of happiness, since so much of their life has been tied up in making the 787 successful.
ANA pilots wave the wings as they head off to Japan.
JA801A will be arriving in Tokyo just before 9am local time to another great celebration. You can follow the flight status on FlightAware.com.
MORE PHOTOS OF THE ANA 787 DREAMLINER DELIVERY FLIGHT
500 employees walk with ANA's Boeing 787 Dreamliner during the delivery celebration today.
It was cold and it was very wet, but the celebration was still great. The event was set up outside the Boeing Factory at Paine Field. By the stage was ZA002 in standard ANA livery and down the way sat the 24th 787 with special ANA 787 livery (JA802A). The first 787 to go to ANA, JA801A, was seen parked next to the Future of Flight for its first flight early tomorrow morning. Almost right on time, the 787 in special ANA livery was pulled towards the stage with 500 Boeing employees walking with it.
Scarfs were handed out and then raised in celebration during the 787 Delivery event. A 787 (ZA002) looks on.
After JA802A arrived to the stage, everyone cheered. Hundreds of Boeing workers stood in the rain while executives from both Boeing and ANA talked about this historic event. The first 787 for ANA, JA801A is set to take off tomorrow at 6:35am PDT. Boeing will offer another live feed via their website and I will be there on Twitter as well.
Boeing employees huddle under the 787 Dreamliner to get out of the rain.
“Today we celebrate a significant moment in the history of flight,” said Jim McNerney, Boeing chairman, president and CEO. “The 787 Dreamliner is the biggest innovation in commercial aviation since the Boeing 707 introduced the world to passenger jet travel more than 50 years ago. I want to thank ANA and all the employees of Boeing and our partner companies for the talent, technology and teamwork that have brought this game-changing airplane to life.”
During the ceremony, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh presented a ceremonial key to Shinichiro Ito, president and CEO of ANA.
“It’s not often that we have the chance to make history, do something big and bold that will change the world in untold ways and endure long after we are gone,” said Albaugh. “That’s what the 787 Dreamliner is and what ANA and Boeing have done together ’“ build what truly is the first new airplane of the 21st century.”
Be sure to check these too:
* MORE OF MY 787 DELIVERY PHOTOS
* Great roof shot of both aircraft from Boeing
* Gallery from the Seattle PI
