Boeing 777X takes to the skies

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The Boeing 777X takes off from Everett, Wash., on Saturday.

SEATTLE, Wash. — “The 777X flew beautifully,” said Capt. Van Chaney after successfully flying Boeing’s newest aircraft Saturday.

“Thank you to all the teams who made today possible. I can’t wait to go fly your airplane again,” added the chief pilot for 777X test and evaluation

With that first flight, the world’s longest and largest twin-engine airliner entered the next phase of its test program.

The 777-9X is based on the popular 777.

The aircraft took off in front of thousands at Paine Field in Everett, Wash., at 10:09 a.m. local time for a three-hour, 51-minute flight over Washington state before landing at Seattle’s Boeing Field, the company said.

Chaney called the flight very productive.

The first of four dedicated 777-9 flight test airplanes, WH001 will now undergo checks before resuming testing in the coming days, Boeing said.

“Our Boeing team has taken the most successful twin-aisle jet of all time and made it even more efficient, more capable and more comfortable for all,” said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“Today’s safe first flight of the 777X is a tribute to the years of hard work and dedication from our teammates, our suppliers and our community partners in Washington state and across the globe.”

Boeing has won 340 orders and commitments for the 777X from leading carriers, including Emirates, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines.

The first delivery is expected in 2021.

Images are courtesy of Boeing.

 

Austrian quits ‘unsustainable’ Dubai

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Dubai is a hot destination for many airlines, but not so for Austrian Airlines. Not anymore.

The Lufthansa subsidiary announced Monday it will stop offering direct flights from Vienna to Dubai as of September in the wake of intense competition and price wars.

“Unfortunately, the Vienna-Dubai route has become unsustainable for us,” said CCO Andreas Otto.

Austrian, which began flying to Dubai in 1996, said up to 800 seats per day were on offer on the Vienna-Dubai route.

The last Austrian flight to Dubai will be on Sept. 13, returning home next day.

“The capacities which will become available will be deployed for attractive, new destinations, such as Miami, Mauritius and Colombo starting in October,” Otto said.

The image is courtesy of Austrian Airlines.

Boeing 747 makes widebody history

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The 747-8 Intercontinental during a test flight.

The Boeing 747 has become the first widebody airplane to reach the 1,500-delivery milestone, the U.S. aircraft manufacturer said today .

The 747-8 Intercontinental was delivered to Lufthansa at a ceremony in Everett, Wash.  A special logo commemorating the 1,500th airplane was also revealed at the event.

“Reaching this milestone delivery is a testament to the capabilities of the airplane and our commitment to continuous innovation,” said Eric Lindblad, vice-president at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“The new 747-8 is delivering on its promise to our customers, and we continue to look at ways to make it even more efficient in the future.”

The German airline was the launch customer of the Intercontinental and the new airplane is its 14^th.  Lufthansa took delivery of its first 747-8 in 2012 and has 19 Intercontinentals on order.

“Lufthansa is honoured that the 1,500th 747 will fly with the Lufthansa livery,” said Nico Buchholz, executive vice-president at Lufthansa Group Fleet Management.

“Lufthansa is an important partner and a valued adviser in developing new commercial airplanes with exceptional economical and ecological performance such as the 747-8,” he added.

“The commemorative logo will be a reminder of our relationship with Boeing, now and into the future.”

The image is courtesy of Boeing.

 

Lufthansa gets its 75th Boeing 747

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The new Lufthansa 747-8. Boeing photo.

Lufthansa has taken delivery of its 75th Boeing 747, 44 years after the German arline received its first Jumbo Jet.

The launch customer of the Boeing 747-8, the airplane delivered on Wednesday was the arline’s 13th. Six more 747s are on order.

“Lufthansa is proud to share this milestone with Boeing,” said Nico Buchholz, executive vice- president of Lufthansa Group Fleet Management.

“The 747 is an amazing airplane and will continue to delight our passengers for many years to come, and provide them with the ultimate in comfort and efficiency.”

Lufthansa received its first 747-8 two years ago and its first Jumbo Jet,  a 747-100, in 1970, a year after the wide-body airplane’s maiden flight.

As of this spring, nearly 1,500 747s are in service around the world.

The 747-8 is the newest member of the family. It has won 120 orders for passenger and cargo versions, 68 of which have been delivered, Boeing said on Friday.

 

Boeing 777X takes off with record orders

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Boeing’s newest aircraft – the 777-8X and 777-9X. Boeing photo.

Boeing made history on the opening day of the Dubai Airshow, announcing record-breaking orders worth almost $100 billion for its new 777X airplanes. The American aircraft maker said Sunday the orders for 259 airplanes represented the largest product launch in commercial jetliner history by dollar value.

Dubai flag carrier Emirates led the way with an order for 150 of the aircraft. Other Gulf airlines followed suit, with Etihad of Abu Dhabi ordering 25 and Qatar Airways 50. Joining them was the German airline Lufthansa with a commitment for 34 aircraft.

“We are proud to partner with each of these esteemed airlines to launch the 777X – the largest and most-efficient twin-engine jetliner in the world,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Ray Conner.

“Its ground-breaking engine technologies and all-new composite wing will deliver unsurpassed value and growth potential to our customers.”

The 777X is the newest member of the highly successful 777 family of long-haul airliners. It will be built in two versions: the 777-9X that offers seating for more than 400 passengers and the 777-8X, which will seat 350 passengers.

Boeing’s European rival, Airbus, also won a major order at the show, again from Emirates for 50 A380s worth $23 billion, boosting the airline’s fleet of the superjumbos to 140.

“The A380 continues to be the flagship of our fleet and after five years in operation it remains highly popular with our passengers,” said Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum.

The Airbus A380 in Dubai. Airbus photo.

He added that the latest order will help the airline meet both fleet expansion and fleet replacement needs.

“By strategically placing the A380 at the centre of its business, Emirates is maximizing its leading position with each day of operations,” said Airbus president Fabrice Bregier.

The airshow has attracted some 1,000 exhibitors from around the world. It runs through Nov. 21 and more orders are expected in the next few days.