Air India's Boeing 787 rolls out of Carolina plant
The rollout marked the first time the Chicago-based Boeing has produced a twin-aisle commercial airplane outside of Puget Sound, near Seattle in Washington State.
Boeing broke ground on the massive campus in North Charleston more than two years ago in a bid to ramp up production of its 787. Production began last June.
Boeing delivered the first 787, built at its Seattle area facilities, to launch customer All Nippon Airways last September, three years behind schedule.
The South Carolina-built 787 remains on schedule for delivery to Air India in mid-2012, Boeing said.
The new aircraft is largely built with lightweight composite materials. Boeing says the Dreamliner is about 20 percent more fuel efficient than similarly sized aircraft and is the first mid-size airplane capable of flying long-range routes.
On Friday, the freshly minted 787 emerged from Boeing's final assembly plant in clouds billowing from a smoke machine and fireworks overhead, to a crowd of several thousand Boeing employees and guests.
"This is a proud moment for Boeing as we roll out an airplane from our third final assembly site," said Jim Albaugh, president and chief executive of Commercial Airplanes.
"Today I welcome the South Carolina team into a small and elite fraternity -- a fraternity of workers who have built one of the most complex machines in the world -- a commercial airplane."
Boeing has booked orders for more than 800 787s from 60 customers, in what it touts as its most successful launch of a twin-aisle commercial airplane in the company's history.
The list price for the biggest of the two 787 versions is $227.8 million.
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Beautiful aircraft - hopefully Air India and Pakistan International can move ahead with putting their customers first which make both of these airlines the best in the world!
From the state of South Carolina, where Indian American Nikki Randhawa Haley is the governor!!!!
I still remember the days of Air India Maharaja. Air India advertising billboards were very creative and the Maharaja would have a new comic wisdom or something new to say every two weeks. Back in the 70's Air India was one of the best airlines. Everyone, not just Indians but also foreigners, would prefer to travel by Air India as they liked their superior service, excellent food, efficient and courteous staff etc. So, was PIA at that time. PIA was also one of the best airlines. There was no Emirate Airlines at that time.
All Paki airlines shud learn frm our neighboring airline as most of their planes r 20-30 yrs old nd passengers travelling by them r putting their lives in danger!!!
Congratulations!
with new admin installed in air india office, i hope they come out of mounting losses and perform like they used to do before crisis period. with new planes they would be able to use their repair facility better as they have surplus labor and machinery