Saturday, August 24, 2013

First Boeing 787-9 rolled out to flight line

The Boeing Company has completed the first 787-9 Dreamliner jet. The 787-9 is the second member of the super-efficient 787 family of passenger jets. The new aircraft was rolled out of Boeing's Everett, Wash., factory Saturday to the flight line, where teams are preparing it to fly later this summer.

At 20 feet (6 meter) longer than the 787-8, the 787-9 will extend the 787 family in both capacity and range, carrying 40 more passengers an additional 300 nautical miles (555 kilometers),” Boeing said in a company press release. The 787-9 will burn 20 percent less fuel, releasing fewer emissions than similarly sized airplanes.

With the second and third airplanes in final assembly, Boeing and the 787-9 are on track,” the company said. “First delivery to launch customer Air New Zealand is set for mid-2014.”

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