Monday, June 22, 2015

Boeing donates first 787 to Nagoya Chubu Centrair.

Boeing has donated the prototype 787 Dreamliner, registered N787BA (ZA001), to Nagoya/Chubu Centrair [NGO/RJGG]. The aircraft arrived at the central Japan airport on June 22nd at 1305 JST, having departed Boeing Field at King County [BFI/KBFI] on June 21st at 1130 PDT. It will remain parked at Spot 28 for now, until the airport finds a permanent resting spot to place the aircraft on static display.

Boeing 787-8 N787BA arrives at Chubu Centrair, greeted by staff of the airport, ANA, JAL, and the planemaker's Japanese unit. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

N787BA's final flight BOE001 was piloted by Michael Carriker, Randy Neville, both of whom were in charge of the Dreamliner's maiden flight back on December 15th, 2009, and Craig Bomben, who was at the controls of the chase plane for that historic flight. Of the six test 787 airframes the U.S. planemaker built, the second, registered N787EX (ZA002), was donated to the Pima Air and Space Museum in March this year, and the third, registered N787BX (ZA003) was donated to the Museum of Flight in November 2014.

The prototype Dreamliner at Chubu Centrair. Banners read "I'm back," and "Welcome home." (Photo: Aviation Wire)

Boeing's Japanese heavy industry suppliers based in the Nagoya region together manufacture roughly 35% of the 787's parts. "Nagoya plays an important role for the 787. We are honored to have the ZA001 loved by this region," said George Maffeo, President of Boeing Japan. Hundreds of enthusiasts flocked to Chubu Centrair to see the arrival as well as attend a talk show by the three pilots that followed.

As of May, the Seattle-based planemaker had logged orders for 1,105 Dreamliners (456 787-8s, 509 787-9s, and 140 787-10s), of which 282 examples (255 787-8s and 27 787-9s) have been delivered. Launch customer All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA] received its first on September 25th, 2011, while Japan Airlines [JL/JAL] was only the second carrier to take delivery of the type of March 25th, 2012. ANA has ordered 83 (36 787-8s, 44 787-9s, and three 787-10s) with 37 (33 787-8s and four 787-9s) delivered, while JAL has ordered 45 (25 787-8s and 20 787-9s) with 22 (21 787-8s and one 787-9) delivered.

Source: Aviation Wire, June 22nd. (in Japanese)

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