THE 787 FRENZY BEGINS

You can watch it getting updated in Boeing’s website at the same rate TMZ.com updates Britney Spears’ or Paris Hilton’s scandals. I’m talking about Boeing’s press releases announcing another firm order for the all new 787 Dreamliner. The latest one is from May 16, citing the selling of 11 787s to the European charter flights giant, TUI.

The 787 is due to take off for the first time a few months from now. Currently, the first prototype is being assembled in Boeing’s factory outside Seattle, Washington. And already, more than 570 firm orders for this airplane have been made by 44 airlines. Those figures are unheard of in the history of commercial aviation. No other airliner ever have been setting such expectations with so many customers worldwide.

In the next few years, starting in 2008, when ANA is scheduled to receive the first 787, the face of the international commercial aviation will go through deep change. Step by step, the familiar airplanes which have been the phisical manifestation of civil aviation for so many years, among them especially the Boeing 767 and 757, but also others such as the 747 and even the Airbus 340, will be replaced by the 787. This major shift depends heavily on the 787 living up to the extremely high expectations stirred by Boeing, mainly this plane’s ability to use 20% less fuel than current airliners.

In all the great “party” we are going to experience watching the new “baby” making its first steps, an unhappy note: among the 44 airlines which have already ordered the 787 there is only one U.S. airline - Continental. This fact is no good news for the U.S. airline industry.

DEVELOPMENTS ON THE BRANSON FRONT

My blog entry from 10 February was dedicated to Sir Richard Branson of Virgin, and his outspoken campaign on environmental issues. The last sentence of the post went: “So how come Virgin doesn’t fly any 2-engine airliner, and hasn’t been one of the many carriers placing orders for the 787?”

Well, it turned out that Mr. Branson read the blog, and seriously contemplated its content. He immidietly approached Boeing, and the result is a massive order of 15-35 new 787 planes, as you can see in an official Boeing statement.

The 787 is promised to be the most fuel efficient airliner ever built. Of course, this is the main reason Virgin preffered it over other options. I sure hope this new plane, which over 550 pieces of it have already been ordered, will live up to its expectations. And as for Virgin – good for you, and good luck!