Seattle museum gets a Dreamliner

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Seattle’s Museum of Flight is celebrating a rare acquisition — one of the original Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner test airplanes.

It was donated this week to the museum by the American manufacturer, also based in Seattle.

Known as ZA003, the airplane was the third 787-8 produced by Boeing.

In donating the aircraft, the company cited its unique past.

Boeing said the ZA003 had circumnavigated the globe multiple times in 2011 and 2012, first as part of test and certification program and later during the Dream Tour, which introduced the 787 to the world.

“This revolutionary airplane caps the museum’s collection of historic commercial airplanes, beginning with our 1932 Boeing 247, which was the first all-metal, modern airliner,” said Doug King, president and CEO of the museum.

“It was followed by our 1969 prototype 747, the first jumbo jet, and now with the first composite airliner, the 787. It’s an incredible addition to our comprehensive display.”

One of the largest air and space museums in the world, the Museum of Flight attracts more than a half million visitors annually.

As of last month, Boeing had won orders for 1,050 Dreamliners from nearly 60 customers. More than 200 airplanes have been delivered so far.

Major Dreamliner operators include All Nippon Airways, Air India, Air New Zealand, Japan Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines and Air Canada.

Photo shows visitors waiting to see the Dreamliner at the museum Saturday. Courtesy: Boeing 

First Dreamliner goes on show in Nagoya

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Several key parts of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are made in Nagoya, the heart of Japan’s aerospace industry.

They are then flown from the city’s airport in a converted 747-400 freighter known as Dreamlifter to Boeing assembly plants in the United States.

Today, Boeing rewarded the city for its contribution by donating the first 787-8 flight test aircraft to the Chubu Centrair International Airport.

Code-named ZA001, the airplane first flew on Dec. 15, 2009. It touched down in Nagoya on its last flight on June 22, 2015.

Many of its parts, including the main wing, forward fuselage and centre wing box, were manufactured in Nagoya.

“It is fitting that we bring Boeing’s first-ever 787 Dreamliner back home to Nagoya,” said George Maffeo, president of Boeing Japan.

“Many of our partners here spent countless hours to develop and produce the 787 Dreamliner’s airframe structure and Centrair was with us from the very start of the journey.”

He said the ZA001 had grown to symbolize the partnership between Boeing and Japan’s aerospace industry.

“We are honoured to be selected by Boeing to house the permanent display of the world’s first-ever 787 Dreamliner,” said Masanao Tomozoe, president and CEO, Central Japan International Airport Co., Ltd.

“This milestone will allow us to significantly contribute to the aerospace community as well as the Greater Nagoya region by spurring the imagination and interest of future aviation pioneers here in Japan.”

Located on a man-made island off the coast of Nagoya, Centrair is an international hub serving some 30 cities.

Boeing has now donated three of the six Dreamliner flight-test and certification program aircraft.

The ZA002 was presented to the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Ariz. and the ZA003 to the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Images are courtesy of Boeing.