Sat, Jul 01, 2006
First Flight Expected Next Year
Boeing -- along with Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) -- told ANN
Friday that major assembly has begun on the first 787 Dreamliner
airframe. FHI began to assemble the center wing section at its new
factory in Handa, Japan, near Nagoya.
"When I look at this piece of structure coming together I know
that we are seeing the future of our industry," said Mike Bair,
vice president and general manager of the 787 program for Boeing.
"We have introduced new materials, new processes, new tools and a
new way of working together that is ushering in a new era in
commercial aviation."
When it is completed, the center wing section will be flown from
Japan to Charleston, SC, where Global Aeronautica will integrate it
with other 787 structures before sending it on to Boeing's final
assembly plant in Everett, WA.
"FHI has received extraordinary support from Boeing and other
global partners," said Norihisa Matsuo, corporate executive vice
president and president of FHI's Aerospace Company. "The start of
major assembly is really the result of the effort of the entire
team. We are very proud of achieving major assembly start of 787
programs as a milestone as scheduled today."
Scheduled for delivery beginning in 2008, the Dreamliner is
expected to take flight for the first time in about a year. To
date, 28 airlines have logged 403 orders and commitments worth more
than $55 billion at current list prices since the 787 launch in
April 2004 -- making the Dreamliner the most successful commercial
airplane launch in history, Boeing notes.
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