..:: India Strategic ::. Civil Aviation: Boeing celebrates delivery of Air India’s first 787 Dreamliner

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Editorial

Boeing celebrates delivery of Air India’s first 787 Dreamliner

Published: September 2012

North Charleston, South Carolina. Boeing delivered Air India’s first 787 Dreamliner aircraft here Sep 6.

“Today is a great day for Air India as the most technologically advanced and fuel efficient airplane in the world joins our fleet,” said Rohit Nandan, Air India Chairman & Managing Director. “The 787 will allow Air India to open new routes in a dynamic marketplace and provide the best in-flight experience for our passengers.”

This delivery is the first of 27 Dreamliners for Air India. The airplane is equipped with 18 business class seats and 238 economy class seats. Two more aircraft are set to be delivered also within this month, sources said.

Air India is the fifth airline in the world to take delivery of a 787 Dreamliner.

The 787 has the range and capability to allow Air India to deploy the Dreamliner on many routes including the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Australia.

“We are pleased to celebrate another historic moment in our nearly seven-decade long relationship,” said Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president of Asia Pacific and India Sales for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“I am sure Air India and their customers will be thrilled to experience the revolutionary features on the 787, an airplane that will be the key focus of the airline’s turnaround plan.”

Air India’s first 787 Dreamliner was assembled in Everett, Wash. and delivered today from Boeing’s South Carolina delivery center. The airplane is scheduled to fly to Delhi on Friday, Sep 7.

The 787 Dreamliner is an all-new airplane featuring a host of technologies that provide exceptional value to airlines and unparalleled levels of comfort to passengers. It is the first mid-size airplane capable of flying long-range routes, enabling airlines to open new, non-stop routes preferred by the traveling public, said a Boeing statement.

Notably, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved proposal of the Civil Aviation Ministry allowing the flag carrier to take delivery after signing the delay-compensation settlement agreement. The aircraft, booked in 2006, were due for delivery in 2008 but there were production delays and then issues within Air India.

The 787 has better aerodynamics, is lighter than comparable sized aircraft due to the use of advanced composite materials, and should help save 20 percent of precious fuel. The aircraft can fly nonstop for 16,000 km on two fuel-efficient enginers.

Of the 256 seats, 18 business class seats are supplied by Contour Aerospace and the rest by Weber Aircraft. The inflight system is by French aviation electronics major Thales.