Boeing and EVA Air is celebrating delivery of the airline's first Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplane. EVA Air's special livery was also unveiled at the ceremony which was attended by airline Chairman Steve Lin and President K.W. Chang and Boeing Commercial Airplanes Vice President - Sales Larry Dickenson.

"EVA Air and Boeing have a great working-together relationship that spans 16 years," said Dickenson. "EVA exhibits a visionary perspective of the market with this important delivery. The capabilities, efficiency, economics and passenger comfort of the 777-300ER will clearly keep EVA at the forefront of the world's airlines."

The airplane is the first of 15 Boeing 777s that EVA Air will receive through 2009. "The new Boeing 777-300ER equipment will fully upgrade our service quality," said Steve Lin. "With the most spacious passenger cabin ever developed, the aircraft will provide an even more spacious Premium Laurel cabin. We will also introduce a new ‘Elite Class' and upgraded Economy Class with the introduction of the new aircraft. I believe our passengers will love the product enhancements we are making."

The 777-300ER is the first of two new longer-range 777 models. It was launched in February 2000 along with the 777-200LR (Longer Range) at the request of airlines seeking additional flexibility to serve nonstop routes that passengers demand.

The twin-engine EVA Air 777-300ER carries 316 passengers in a three-class configuration and flies up to 7,705 nautical miles. The airplane is capable of serving such routes as New York - Taipei and Taipei - London.

"EVA Air has relied upon the quality service and safety of Boeing aircraft powered by GE engines since we launched our first flight in 1991," said K.W. Chang. "Our new 777s are the next generation of air travel from these two great manufacturers. The technological advances in these aircraft pave the way for a new era of in-flight amenities."

The 777-300ER carries the world's most powerful commercial jet engine, GE's GE90-115B. In service, the GE90-115B engines have demonstrated superior reliability and extremely low fuel burn during their first year in service with the 777-300ER.

The EVA Air 777-300ER is equipped with the Boeing Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), the only fully integrated and certified Class 3 EFB in commercial service. Using hardware from Astronautics Corp. of America and software from Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen, the EFB replaces the large amount of paper crews now carry for flights, placing all required data in digital format at the pilot's fingertips.

Boeing has received orders for 114 777-300ERs from 11 customers. Air France received the first 777-300ER in April 2004. The Boeing 777 family of airplanes is the world's most advanced and continues to evolve with the recent addition of the world's longest-range airliner, the 777-200LR Worldliner, and the Boeing 777 Freighter. To date more than 37 airlines have placed orders for more than 690 777s, making it the most preferred airplane in its class.

FMI: www.boeing.com