President Boeing India Dinesh Keskar (R) poses with pilots of Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner at IGI airport
NEW DELHI: World’s first ultra long-haul passenger jet – Boeing 787 Dreamliner – which can fly about 250 passengers non-stop up to 16,000 km kept its date with India and was greeted by a water salute at the IGI airport.
After a journey of about nine hours from Japan, the test flight (named ZA002) flew in from Tokyo. Boeing’s test pilot Heather Ross, along with two other pilots, flew the aircraft, which arrived here after crossing the US, Iceland and Japan.
The state-of-the-art plane, flashing the livery of All Nippon Airways (ANA), the launch customer of the model, was based at the IGI airport for two days.
On its arrival, the aircraft, which carried only crew and technicians, engineers and officials from Boeing, was given a traditional water salute before it was parked at a bay near the Air India office between runway 28/10 and Terminal 3.
Boeing claims that the Dreamliner would be 20 per cent more fuel-efficient and less noisy than other aircraft its size, due to the design of its wings and cheveron, and could carry between 210 and 290 passengers to a distance between 8,000 and 8,500 nautical miles.
“As per Air India’s order the aircraft could seat 256 passengers, 18 in Business class and 238 in Economy class.
Also these aircraft would have one of the best and warm interiors in the industry,” said a Boeing official.
As compared to Boeing’s 777, which has 20 per cent composites and 50 per cent aluminum, the 787 Dreamliner aircraft is made up of 50 per cent composites, 20 per cent aluminum, 15 per cent of titanium, 10 per cent steel and others 5 per cent.
This would provide an edge of 10 per cent better cash per seat per mile costs as compared to other airlines.
“Indian carriers have recognized the tremendous value Boeing 787 offers to airlines,” Dinesh Keskar, Boeing India President said.
National carrier Air India has ordered 27 of these planes while Jet Airways has placed orders for ten of them.
The aircraft would enable them to mount direct non-stop flights to North America or Australia.
Air India, which had placed the order in 2005, expects the delivery of the first aircraft in October this year, followed by two in November and one more in December. Jet had placed its order in 2007.
However, Boeing officials have only said the first plane would be delivered to Air India in the fourth quarter of this year. The original delivery schedule was to have started in 2008.
The Dreamliner offers a host of improved experiences for the passengers like its cabin would be pressurized at a level of 6,000 feet as compared to 7,000 feet. The lowering of cabin altitude would cause less fatigue to the travelers, the official said.
Also the aircraft would have humidity control and air purification system that would save passengers from throat and eye irritation, headaches and occasional dizziness.
“The windows are 60 per cent larger as compared to Boeing 777s, this was possible as we have used the composites and also they would not have the shutters. Instead with the press of a button, the window itself would turn dark,” he said.
-PTI
