This morning at around 10:30 PST, the Boeing 787 “Dreamliner” took to the gray skies for it’s first flight. Piloted by Michael Carriker and Randall Neville, the first flight marks a special achievement by The Boeing Company. For years, many Boeing employees worked very hard to see that this aircraft was built, and finally their hard work on paper, computers, and in the hangar, is now recognized in the skies.
Two T-33s and an IMAX helicopter were present to capture this historic moment in flight. If you missed it, you can watch the takeoff video here. In a giant wave on Everett-Paine Field’s ramp and taxiways, hundreds of Boeing employees and fellow aviation enthusiasts waived their arms and cheered as the 787 made its first flight. As the aircraft began to lift off runway 34L, the wings flexed high into the air, and the roar of the Rolls-Royce engines echoed around the field.
The already-delayed 787 program looks as though it will finally follow its revised agenda, with deliveries starting in Q4 2010 to launch customer All Nippon Airways (ANA), who ordered the aircraft back in April of 2004. In a video during Boeing’s webcast of the first flight, the CEO of ANA, Mineo Yamamoto, congratulated Boeing on their achievement.
Currently, Boeing’s order-book for the 787 consists of 865 firm orders from 56 different customers. Despite worry that economic conditions and aircraft delays would hurt the 787′s order-book, the Dreamliner is still in good shape. As the aircraft manufacturer continues, it will have to fight off not only Airbus, but foreign and once-regional aircraft makers (like Bombardier).
You can track the 787 live on FlightAware here. Photo from Aaron Easton.
