United’s first Boeing 787 Dreamliner (N20904) seen at Paine Field in early August 2012.
On Saturday, United Airlines officially took financial delivery of their first Boeing 787 Dreamliner. However, the aircraft is still in Seattle and is expected to be flown to Houston later this week.
Jeff Smisek, president and CEO of United, said, ’œAs the North American launch customer, we are delighted to be getting our first 787 Dreamliner. As we continue to build the world’s leading airline, we are excited for our customers and co-workers to experience this game-changing aircraft.’
Oddly, the 787 will depart from Boeing Field (which is located south of Seattle), where most delivery flights for the 747, 767, 777 and 787 leave from Paine Field. Each airline has the option to decide how they will take delivery. Some do it very quietly and others throw a huge party. I would suspect that United would want to throw a huge party, but no word on what that might look like — yet.
Infographic on the 787 Dreamliner by United Airlines (CLICK FOR LARGER).
After arriving in Houston, the 787 and crew will go through a month-long training and certification program. The airline will also be flying the aircraft (without passengers) to some of their hubs to show it off.
“This 787 delivery represents the continuation in the more than 80-year partnership between our two companies,” said Ray Conner, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “United now begins a new chapter with the 787 Dreamliner, the most technologically advanced commercial jetliner ever built. It reinforces United’s commitment to be the world’s leading airline by providing unmatched fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.”
Currently, ANA, JAL and Ethiopian are the only airlines with 787s in service. LAN has taken delivery of their first one, but have not yet put it into service. It is exciting to see an American airline take delivery and soon enter this next generation aircraft into service.
The excitement to board the aircraft was almost palatable. Sure, we had all been on the plane earlier in the day for a tour, but this was different. This time, we wouldn’t be getting off until we arrived in Chile.
Before boarding we all had to go through a security screening just like at any other airport. While Boeing handles the screening with their own equipment, they are unlike other airports at least in that there are no TSA to be seen.
My seat assignment was 15A; economy. Heck, they could have put me in the overhead bin; I wanted to be on the flight. Due to weight issues all the media sat in the forward economy section where each row had an empty middle seat. Thankfully after the meal service everyone was able to spread out and have their own row.
Taking off in the 787 is a great experience. Especially with a LearJet overhead.
Being inside of a 787 and hearing those engines spool up is amazing. The only thing better than hearing the engines roar (well, maybe ’œpurr’ since they are so quiet) was listening to the cheers coming from the passengers.
It was entertaining watching the smaller LearJet dance around the 787, but some of the passengers weren’t so keen with the idea of another plane so close — they opted to not look out the windows.
This is just the appetizer part of the meal. Yum!
This was a special flight, so no matter where you sat on the plane, everyone was getting a Business Class level of service. This meant that I was able to enjoy in some champagne before take off and the full-on meal service.
After we started heading south our first meal was served. It started with an appetizer of marinated shrimp, grilled scallop and crab timbale (Yeah, I had to Google “timbale.” Turns out it is a type of pan used in cooking. Eh, whatever, it was delicious). With the entrees, I had the choice between salmon, butternut squash ravioli, and steak. I decided to go for the steak. Finishing up the meal, I could either have ice cream or cheesecake. I didn’t feel like deciding and it was a time to celebrate, so I had a bit of both.
LAN’s inflight entertainment system was the best I have seen.
I was very impressed with LAN’s new in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. The graphics, speed and interface were like nothing I have seen before in an IFE system.
Many systems are quite slow and take quite a bit of work to make it respond to inputs. This system reacts very quickly and has an i-product like usability. Users can easily flick the screen to move from one menu to the next. Everything is done by touching the screen — there is no remote.
Normally I do not play many games on flights. Honestly most of them are slow and boring. But the ones on LAN’s new system were actually quite entertaining. The first game I tried out was poker. You can get up to ten people on the plane to play with you. Then I decided to try out some bowling, where you can play with one other person. With a group or on your own, the games are not just for kids.
Probably the most epic photo I have ever taken inside an airline cabin. South Americans know how to party at 35,000 feet.
Right after the meal service was completed–about ninety minutes into the flight–I decided to settle down and start watching a movie, hoping to relax and prepare to get some sleep. Little did I know what was about to happen.
Suddenly the cabin’s LEDs started flashing different colors, music started playing and LAN employees came from the back of the aircraft dressed in party gear and glow in the dark sticks. They were handing out hats, masks, glow sticks and maracas. All of a sudden our 787 cabin turned into a disco-tech.
The many colors of the 787 LED lighting. I took multiple photos in the same location as the lighting changed.
People started dancing in the aisles as they sang to songs that were mostly in Spanish. I had no idea what the songs were saying, but it did not matter. The 30,000 foot party lasted about an hour before things started to die down and it was time for me to go back to my movie and try to get a few hours of sleep.
I have to say that I have never experienced anything like that in mid-flight. I have been a part of quite a few delivery and celebratory flights, but nothing this epic.
This was taken as the cabin and windows were transitioning from sleep-mode to time to wake up and eat mode.
We took off at about 6:00pm and were going to land at about 10:00am local time. That means the only sleep for the night was going to be on the plane. Even having an entire row on the 787 I found myself pretty restless, but managed to get about four hours.
During sleep mode, the flight attendants are able to control the dimming of all the windows at once, rather than visiting each seat to close the window shades. They are also able to lock them into dim mode, so that a passenger isn’t able to let a bunch of light in while people are sleeping. FINALLY. You know there is always that one passenger who decides to open their shade in the middle of everyone sleeping while it is still light outside. Lucky for that guy the dimmable windows still allows him to see outside.
Previously there have been some questions if the windows on the 787 dim enough for passengers trying to sleep. Even with the brightest sun blasting through the window, they dimmed enough so I could easily look out the window without squinting and they darken the cabin nicely. However, the cabin does not darken as much as when all the sunshades are down on a classic airliner. It is not enough to cause a huge problem for me, but those who are light sensitive might want to have an eye mask.
Photo taken from the LearJet chase plane by Jaunted. Image by Joe Corrigan
This story was written by Cynthia Drescher with Jaunted.com and re-published with permission…
Have you ever been on a flight and spotted another flight off in the distance? It’s just the coolest thing to see another plane in midair; they become your friend for a few minutes, as if you’re sharing the delicious secret that 38,000 feet is the place to be. And it is. Now imagine that flying alongside other airplanes was an everyday occurrence for youeven better, that it’s your job. This is actually the case for the badass pilots and aerial cinematographers at Wolfe Air.
Thanks to our buddy David Parker Brown of AirlineReporter.com and the team at Wolfe Air, we were able to go beyond watching the LAN Boeing 787 Dreamliner delivery flight to participating in it while discovering how Wolfe Air makes their magicthe magic of capturing the Dreamliner on film, in flight, from a few hundred feet off the raked wingtip.
The chase plane seen from the LAN787 Dreamliner.
Though Wolfe Air has an arsenal of three aircraft, it’s their Learjet 25B that’d be our whip on this trip. From a distance, the slick plane looks jet-black; up close it’s actually a smart charcoal gray to eliminate glare and reflections on other aircraft. Typically based at Hawthorne Airport outside Los Angeles, the Lear has specially flown up to Everett, WA’s Paine Field this day, in order to fly out ahead of the Dreamliner, circle back around and join up with the plane as the 787 heads out over the Olympic Peninsula.
Erase any preconceptions of private jet interiors from your mind. Wolfe Air’s Learjet is all business on the inside, and its ability to shoot IMAX, hi-def, Vectorvision, and digital stills means that camera equipment has booted the leather seats and champagne bar. And thank god for that, because the serious G-forces we felt on some turns to position for shots aren’t for your average bizjet.
There aren’t luxurious seats inside the LearJet, but there is a lot of technology. Image by Joe Corrigan
Aside from the two pilots up front, two camera operators squeeze in the rear, remotely controlling the lens ports in both the top and bottom of the Lear’s fuselage. It’s this way, over the 1.5-hour flight over Washington’s scenic terrain, that LAN will end up with the polished midair photos to put in commercials, in magazines, online and anywhere else they want to show off their new Dreamliner.
Curious to check out more of Wolfe Air’s work? Just hit up Netflix, as Wolfe are the people behind the in-air filming that makes movies like Air Force One, Transformers and Thirteen Days so awesome. Not to mention that Wolfe has actually had a hand in NASA’s preparations for the Mars Curiosity Rover (more on that here).
MORE IMAGES FROM THE CHASE PLANE:
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Disclosure: We were at the delivery of the LAN 787 Dreamliner as guests of Boeing and LAN Airlines and a guest of Wolfe air onboard the photo flight, but all photos, video and opinions are strictly our own. [Video: Joe Corrigan/Omega Pictures. Photos: Joe Corrigan, Cynthia Drescher and David Parker Brown/Airline Reporter]
LAN’s first Boeing 787 sits next to the Future of Flight at Paine Field.
LAN Airlines first Boeing 787 has successfully been delivered to Santiago Chile. I have many photos to go through and things to write up, but for now, you can enjoy this little preview of the adventure.
We had a nice little circle flight over western Washington after take off. Image from FlightAware.com.
We took off a bit before 6pm PST from Paine Field and headed west. Anyone watching our flight route (seen above) might have been confused on what was going on. Turns out we had a chase plane film the 787 before heading south for the rest of our adventure (check this out).
Above is a video that was showing during the delivery ceremony that highlights the production of LAN’s first Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Not going to lie; it gave me goose bumps watching all the LAN employees viewing the video before being shown their aircraft for the first time.
Before landing we did a fly-by Comodoro Arturo Merino Benàtez International Airport (SCL). This is us heading back to land.
It was quite the experience, with a few surprises and I cannot wait to share them. It is never easy being in economy for 12.5 hours on any aircraft, but that was the easiest economy experience for me to date. Do not worry — much more is to come — but for now, it is time to check out Santiago.
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.
