Randy's Journal

Learn to fly

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:52:13 -0800

CALGARY - I'm in Canada for the next few days meeting with media. I'll have more about that later in the week. But I wanted to share a bit about a significant event back home. Last Thursday we officially launched 787 pilot training at our Boeing Training & Flight Services campus in Seattle, with a media day and public unveiling of the 787 full-flight simulator.

The 787 full flight simulator in action.

All Nippon Airways (ANA), our launch customer for the 787, is set to begin training - and that will mark an important step toward getting the Dreamliner into service with our customers. We've talked at length over the past several years about the breakthrough technology of the 787. Well, that extends to the way we're going to train pilots and maintenance crews. 787 training is based around ultra-realistic simulation technology. We want to replicate the feel of flying the actual airplane.

During the media tour inside the 787 full flight simulator last Thursday Boeing Training & Flight Services pilot instructor Gregg Pointon adjusts the controls while Aviation Week's Mike Mecham looks on.

We've incorporated real airplane data into the full-flight simulator (FFS), creating a more [authentic representation](http://www.boeing.com/Features/2010/08/bca_787_flight_sim_08_26_10.html) of flight and maintenance scenarios. And it's not just for pilots. For instance, for maintenance training we have a 3-D virtual airplane so that mechanics can "walk around" the 787 and use the same tools and performance data they'd use on the flightline - without ever setting foot outside the classroom. It's been quite a journey getting 787 flight training underway. To get a real flavor of the process of assembling the simulator, check out the "put together quickly" video below. I think you'll find it fascinating. By the way, with the 787 we've moved to paperless training. That means no notebooks, heavy manuals or binders. It's all digital - notes taken on tablet PCs, manuals stored on flash drives to take home after training, and electronic documentation made during sessions in the FFS for after-flight debriefings. Another innovation is the ability for captains and first officers to learn to fly the 787 on a flight training device (FTD) that replicates the real flight deck without the investment and infrastructure of a full flight simulator. This device incorporates touch-screen panels and real flight deck hardware. It also uses the newly standardized electronic flight bag and the heads-up display. The FTD means pilots can do some of the training in a more cost-effective manner before moving to the full flight simulator. Bottom line, yes, we've had our share of [setbacks](http://boeingblogs.com/randy/archives/2010/08/straight_on.html) on the 787 program, but with pilot training getting underway we continue to make steady progress with our entry into service preparations. Still to come: the launch of 787 training around the world - at Gatwick, Singapore and Tokyo later in the year.

Straight on

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:30:09 -0800

By now you've seen the news about the target for [first delivery of the 787](http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1391). As you know, we said earlier this summer that it was *possible* that our first 787 delivery could move a few weeks into 2011. The reason was a combined impact of several issues unrelated to the airplane's performance in flight test. Then, just recently, Rolls-Royce experienced some [engine availability](http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100827/wl_uk_afp/usbritainaerospacesectorcompanyboeingdreamlinerrolls) challenges. The cumulative impact of this new issue, on top of the other issues, has led to our revising our expected timing for first delivery by a few weeks - to mid-first quarter next year.

ZA001 and the 787 program continue to fly straight on toward first delivery.

Fortunately, as the program awaits a substitute engine from Rolls-Royce and we work with them to address the contributing factors in the test incident, our [flight testing](http://787flighttest.com/) across the program continues at a healthy pace. We recently completed [polar navigation](http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/commercial_aviation/ThingsWithWings/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=7a78f54e-b3dd-4fa6-ae6e-dff2ffd7bdbb&plckPostId=Blog%3a7a78f54e-b3dd-4fa6-ae6e-dff2ffd7bdbbPost%3a67fb53b9-c078-420c-a8a3-6bd00512cabe&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest) and autopilot testing, and wet runway landing demonstrations. We've said it before: Building a new airplane is hard work. But the certification and entry into service has to be right. And that's what the team is focused on today and every day. Clearly first delivery will be a great event when it happens because we'll know that the airplane we're presenting to our customer is safe, efficient and reliable. In the big picture, the date of the event is much less important than the thoroughness of the process that gets us there.

Sharks and jets

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:23:22 -0800

Aviation, like any other business, requires that you stay close to your customers, to understand their wants and needs - while at the same time always keeping your eye on the competition. So I've been watching recently as Airbus has become more aggressive, a little bolder, both in their positioning vs. Boeing and in what they're saying about themselves One of their recent marketing thrusts has been around "[sharklets](http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-03/airbus-dresses-plane-as-shark-to-take-bite-out-of-boeing-market.html)" for the A320 family, and along with that what I find interesting is that Airbus is positioning the A321 as a potential replacement for the 757. Why is that interesting? Because the best possible 757 replacement already exists - the 737-900ER (Extended Range).

The 737-900ER: Clearly the most capable 757 replacement airplane.

The Airbus "sharklet" is a wingtip device, a lot like our [Blended Winglets](http://www.aviationpartnersboeing.com/winglets/index.html), that allows them to improve the performance and efficiency of the airplane. By the way, Blended Winglets entered service on the Next-Generation 737 back in 2001 - but more about that later. First, let's do a comparison:

737-900ER and A321 are about the same size - 180 passengers in a standard two-class configuration for the -900ER vs. 183 for the A321.

737-900ER has a max. range of 3,265 nmi vs. 3,055 for the A321.

A321 is nearly 10% heavier, and consumes 4-5% more fuel per seat.

A321 is 7-8% more expensive to operate per-trip, 5-6% more expensive to operate per-seat/mile, and it's less reliable.

So, the 737-900ER is virtually the same size, yet travels farther for less fuel and less money and does it more reliably. Note that *only* with the addition of these new winglets can the A321 even approach the 737-900ER, and it still needs to [play catch-up](http://www.glgroup.com/News/Airbus-A321-Falls-Short-Behind-Boeing-737-900ER-48801.html) in range and efficiency. I will say that I felt a bit nostalgic when I saw the Airbus "sharklet" pitch. It reminded me of the marketing materials we pulled together almost a decade ago on Blended Winglets for our airplanes. Which brings me to the differences between the winglets on our airplanes vs. theirs. First and foremost, the winglets provided by [Aviation Partners Boeing](http://www.aviationpartnersboeing.com/) (APB) have now been in service for more than 10 years. They've proven their performance in operation. APB estimates that our winglets have already saved the industry [2 billion gallons](http://www.aviationpartnersboeing.com/news/pdf/pr/2010/100303_APIAPB2BillionGallons.pdf) of jet fuel. The other guys won't be able to start delivering performance improvements for another couple of years. Second, unlike the Airbus offering, winglets are available both on new production Boeing airplanes *and* on an aftermarket basis, so all of the Next-Generation 737 airplanes can benefit. In fact, winglets are also now flying on the 757 and [767](http://boeingblogs.com/randy/archives/2009/03/hot_wings.html) to improve their performance as well. So, too bad if you own one of the more than 4,290 A320 family aircraft already delivered - [no winglets for you](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svSGKJFSl-8&feature=related)! One final point - as our competition tries to catch up, we continue to move forward and evolve. Don't forget, later this year we'll be delivering new interiors on the Next-Generation 737. And next year and into early 2012 we make improvements to the aerodynamics of the airplane as well as engine upgrades for a 2% improvement in fuel burn. So if you think the Airbus sharks are [gonna have their way](http://www.westsidestory.com/site/level2/lyrics/tonight.html) over the Boeing jets you probably also believe in fish stories!

Heavy rotation

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:00:31 -0800

We like to say all the time how flight testing is about stretching the capabilities of the airplane above and beyond what you'd experience in normal flight operations. How about taking off weighing more than a million pounds (454,500 kg)? Check out the video story: This test flight in Victorville, California for the 747-8 Freighter also happened to set a record for the [heaviest takeoff](http://www.boeing.com/Features/2010/08/bca_one_million_08_23_10.html) we've ever attempted with a Boeing airplane.

Business travel rebound

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:33:14 -0800

I've been saying for months that this is a year of recovery for our industry, and I wanted to share something that gives a little anecdotal evidence that we are indeed seeing a rebound. I'm traveling right now myself - on vacation - but clearly there are those who are seeing business travel returning as well. Take a look at this [short video clip](http://www.youtube.com/cmcginnis1) from a travel correspondent who attended last week's National Business Travel Association (NBTA) international convention.

Speaking of business travel, Continental Airlines featured its new BusinessFirst seats in a 787 Dreamliner display at the NBTA convention. This 787 mockup is now on view at Continental's Houston hub in Terminal E of Bush Intercontinental Airport. (Continental Airlines photo)

The video clip from the NBTA convention gives you a good idea of the view from those in the industry seeing the recovery in terms of increased load factors right now - airline executives and other travel managers. In this case, they're talking specifically about business travel, but their observations are a good barometer for all passenger travel. Do you think travel is making a comeback?

The "Crickets"

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:28:44 -0800

I'll be doing some traveling coming up, including some much-needed vacation, but I wanted to share one last bit of fun from Farnborough. It has to do with an honor bestowed upon me for my performance on the field at the end of the air show last month. The cricket field, that is.

On the field, batting ..

The Boeing air show Communications team has a tradition during Farnborough years. After a long week of working the chalet, the team retires one evening to a rural village in the county of Surrey called Pirbright. It's about 35 miles southwest of London, just 6 miles from Farnborough and is the home of the [Pirbright Cricket Club](http://pirbright.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp), whose members play on the same village green where their predecessors first trod more than 220 years ago. My colleague and good friend Charlie Miller, our Boeing vice president of International Corporate Communications, is a member of the Pirbright club. He and a few other club regulars helped explain the rudiments of the game to their colonial cousins from the States (before we proceeded to generally embarrass ourselves). It was a lot of fun as we tried our hand at bowling (pitching) with a straight arm that you're not allowed to bend at the elbow - and batting with a large bat made out of willow that you have to carry with you as you run.

.. and running.

By the way, cricket is also a great opportunity to enjoy an adult beverage while you play, and our hosts showed us wonderful hospitality, including said beverages as well as barbecue and pot luck dishes. Well, to my surprise at the end of a balmy evening, Charlie and the other Pirbright players unanimously selected me as "Man of the Match" for my all-round performance. Incidentally, last time it was awarded to the "Woman of the Match." I'm told that I quickly grasped the somewhat unnatural technique of bowling. Apparently I batted quite well and scored some good runs. I also made a "stunningly good" catch right on the boundary. Keep in mind that when compared to baseball, not only is the cricket ball harder, you don't wear a glove in the field. So, I humbly received my award - a Pirbright Cricket Club sweater, which I will wear with pride back home in Seattle.

Here I am receiving my Pirbright Cricket Club sweater, along with Tom Downey, Boeing senior V.P. of Communications (center), and Charlie Millier, V.P. of International Corporate Communications (right).

By the way, I had to turn down the offer of a game playing for the club side on the Sunday after the air show (I was headed home) - but I suspect they may have been just a little kind with their offer. As Buddy Holly would say, "[that'll be the day](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt02zuoxGj4)" I'm good enough to compete alongside those pros!

787 flyover

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:54:33 -0800

Crowds along Seattle's Lake Washington got a thrill over the weekend when ZA003 flew over the annual summer event known as [Seafair](http://www.seafair.com/weekend/airshow/).

The 787 Dreamliner over Seattle and Lake Washington on Sunday.

It's a bit of a tradition. Nearly every Boeing commercial airplane has flown over Seafair. As you may recall, back in August 1955 (55 years ago almost to the day), Boeing test pilot ["Tex" Johnston](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_M._Johnston) put the 707 prototype [Dash 80](http://www.boeing.com/history/boeing/dash80.html) into a couple of barrel rolls over Lake Washington during the show.

Boeing Test and Evaluation pilot Capt. Mike Bryan (r) gave the crew of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels a tour of the Dreamliner during Seafair weekend.

About 200 787 employees and their families (including 787 V.P. and general manager Scott Fancher) [watched](http://www.airlinereporter.com/2010/08/video-boeing-787-za003-flies-over-seafair/) and cheered the flyover on the shore. A great sight, that if you're lucky enough to live or work in south Seattle, you do get to see quite often as Dreamliners take off and return from Boeing Field during ongoing flight testing. Speaking of Dreamliners, I thought I'd give you a look inside one of the other airplanes in the flight test fleet, ZA001. In this 3-minute video, Flight Test director Scott Peterson points out some of the test equipment inside the first 787. As he says, and as you'll see, it's not your typical airliner interior.

These are the times

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 09:12:59 -0800

We've posted a great video highlighting the events and accomplishments of the 2nd quarter. I thought you'd like to take a look if you haven't already discovered it.

Click above to go to the Boeing Commercial Airplanes 2010 2nd Quarter Highlights video.

Air safety report

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 09:53:13 -0800

Boeing has just updated our annual air safety report. It's the 41st annual "Statistical Summary of Commercial Jet Airplane Accidents," our way of studying trends to help prevent future accidents. Much like the [Current Market Outlook](http://www.boeing.com/commercial/cmo/), this analysis is a definitive source for the aviation industry that Boeing shares widely with all of our stakeholders. We're committed to safety, and we work with governments, operators and industry members every day to advance safety across the global air transportation system. I invite you to take a look as well.

You can click on the cover image above to download the PDF of the latest Boeing Statistical Summary of Commercial Jet Airplane Accidents.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Airplane Safety Engineering prepares this document. This year's update includes stats on large western-built commercial transport jets in worldwide operation from 1959 through 2009.

Innovation generation

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:22:12 -0800

Back in January, we had a great response to a couple of blogs pointing to our new "Design Highlights" interactive sites on [newairplane.com](http://www.boeing.com/newairplane/) - for the [787 Dreamliner](http://boeingblogs.com/randy/archives/2010/01/visionary_design.html), and the [747-8](http://boeingblogs.com/randy/archives/2010/01/7478_interactive.html). We've just launched a similar feature focused on the Next-Generation 737.

To view the Next-Generation 737 Design Highlights site you can click on either image above.

I think you'll find these pages do an excellent job of telling the story of the continuous innovation that goes into the Next-Generation 737 - the advanced technology, proven performance and productivity, the enhanced [passenger experience](http://www.boeing.com/Features/2010/07/bca_sky_interior_07_26_10.html) and environmentally progressive features that make this a [best-selling](http://www.boeing.com/Features/2010/06/bca_american_airlines_06_28_10.html) commercial airplane. I'd be curious to know what you think.

Q2 2010 results

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:56:29 -0800

It's earnings season again, and today Boeing has reported on a solid 2nd quarter. Our news release: [Boeing Reports Second-Quarter Results](http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1354)

Werewolves of London

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:30:03 -0800

LONDON - If you're at all familiar with the song title above, you'll understand when I say, at the end of a long week at Farnborough, my hair is far from perfect, and there's scant time for kicking back at [Trader Vic's](http://www.tradervicslondon.com/)! Let's just say that as [twilight](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axVjl9HhWJ0&feature=related) falls over this air show, our whole team is feeling a bit scruffy and ragged around the edges. It's been a great show in so many ways, and yet it's an exhausting marathon. I mentioned the other day about the rinse and dry cycle as you go in and out of hot and cool rooms at the show. My head hurts, my feet hurt. I can use a shower and a shave, frankly. Speaking of showers, we saw some threatening skies on Thursday. Big thunderstorms, which actually delayed the flying displays for about an hour and a half. I did manage to have a bit of fun during the day - took a walk along chalet row and in the exhibit halls. What I found was that even though the 787 departed here on Tuesday, it never really left.

I stopped at the Spirit Aerosystems exhibit during a kind of "world tour" of 787 Dreamliner partners at the air show. We shot a video in the process that you can view by clicking on the image above.

As I visited the exhibits of our suppliers and partners in Russia, Canada, Kansas, Ohio, the U.K, France, Korea, Japan, etc., I discovered components of the Dreamliner that they provide being highlighted all around the show. Made me realize that although the 787 technically made its international debut here this week, it has been truly a global airplane all along. By the way, when the 787 flew away, Qatar rolled in a 777-300ER for static display. The airplane was spectacular and the team at Qatar - from the flight engineers to their public relations people to the flight attendants - were fabulous to work with.

Jim Albaugh posted a video message to Boeing employees from inside the Qatar 777-300ER. You can click above to watch the video.

From the media, I got question after question about [Bombardier](http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/Economie/2010/07/22/019-farnborough-quatrieme-jour.shtml), and the [lack of orders](http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/headline_news/article.jsp?content=b4007793) for the CSeries. For Boeing (and Airbus) a lot was made of *our* [order activity](http://active.boeing.com/commercial/orders/index.cfm), both here and back in [Seattle](http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1346), and clearly we were pleased that our [customers](http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/07/american-airlines-is-buying-35.html) wanted to make [announcements](http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1341). The big story, as I mentioned early in the week, has to be the recovery in the market, and the leasing companies really stepping up in a big way and filling their cupboards with airplanes, so to speak. As I close out Farnborough 2010, I just have to mention once more what a thrill it was to see ZA003 here on the flight line.

The star of our show: the 787 Dreamliner.

The 787 was the highlight by all accounts, threatening to [eclipse](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Twilight_characters#Jacob_Black) everything else at the show. Everyone I met said so. I mentioned to an Airbus colleague that now I understand how they must have felt when the A380 made its first air show appearance. So as I wrap up my week, perhaps [walking the streets of Soho](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x19ajb_warren-zevon-werewolves-of-london_music) in the rain, I have to say it's been a great experience, one that I'll remember for a long time. But I do look forward to that shower and shave.

Tuesday afternoon

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:19:55 -0800

FARNBOROUGH - Another long and very dynamic day, during which - to some observers - we saved the best for last. Truly a highlight of the entire show took place Tuesday afternoon - 4:41 pm local time by my watch - when the 787 Dreamliner departed the airfield and treated the crowd to a brief flyover.

A breathtaking farewell flyover from ZA003 accompanied by a pair of WWII-era Spitfires.

When the 787 took off, yes you could hear it, but I can't emphasize enough just how quiet it is. The noise seemed to just fade away as it flew off into the clouds for its journey back to Seattle. The Spitfires flying in formation? With their piston engines they actually seemed louder than the Dreamliner's jets. [Look and listen for yourself](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUpH3Qwn-1E). If you've ever been to an air show you know that the traffic getting into and out of the show grounds is always endless. But that has nothing on the mad rush to grab one of the last opportunities to tour the Dreamliner. Let me just tell you the final half hour or so before we buttoned up the airplane for its return home was quite frenzied! Beyond the magic of the Dreamliner's departure, it was another typical - read, hectic - day. I spent some more time on ZA003 earlier in the day, and I also bumped into my counterpart at Airbus, Andy Shankland. We had a friendly chat. Also had a lot of interaction again with journalists. Did some broadcast interviews in the mix as well. At one point I think I managed to steal a moment somewhere to sit down for some quiet time. At least I think I did. By the way, a number of journalists came up to me to say they keep up with Randy's Journal. Got a lot of comments about our recent post around the "[orders race](http://boeingblogs.com/randy/archives/2010/07/one_week_1.html)." Always good to get that feedback and stir up some discussion. Speaking of which, we did have a little more customer announcement activity today. Royal Jordanian signed an order for [additional 787 Dreamliners](http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1327). And we had announcements from two brand new airplane leasing ventures.

A big week for lessors, as anticipated, with two "new kids" on the leasing block announcing - Avolon and Air Lease Corporation.

[Avolon](http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1330), a Dublin-based company, is launching a new business with a dozen Next-Generation 737s. And Air Lease Corporation, led by [Steven Udvar-Hazy](http://www.boeing.com/farnborough2010/html/alc_072010.html?sms_ss=email), kicked off with an [agreement to purchase](http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE66J1V820100720) up to 60 airplanes. During the day I also enjoyed a briefing at the Canadian chalet where I spoke with an assortment of about 25 aviation leaders, suppliers, and Canadian government and trade officials. Boeing has more than 1,500 employees in [Canada](http://www.boeing.ca/Home.do;jsessionid=0A27E5380B035AAF8BEC2ADEDEA0A0C8), and we've had a long and [successful partnership](http://boeingblogs.com/randy/archives/2009/05/aviation_night_in_canada.html). In between all of my other commitments, I got to meet with a couple of dozen investors and analysts. Those sessions are always lively and informative for both sides. I should also mention that in the morning Boeing held an interesting panel session for the media - billed as a 787 Dreamliner overview. We had a number of Boeing Commercial Airplanes executives (representing more than 100 years of experience) up on stage to provide their insights into how the program got started and where we stand.

From left, Scott Fancher, V.P. and general manager, 787 program, led the discussion with John Roundhill, former V.P. of Product Development; Marlin Dailey, V.P. of Sales; Mike Sinnett, 787 V.P and chief project engineer; and Mike Carriker, chief pilot of the 787 for Boeing Test & Evaluation.

The bottom line coming out of that discussion is that today the 787 is real. It's the airplane that we've been talking about. As our vice president of Sales, Marlin Dailey, put it: "Every 787 delivered will give airlines an airplane that makes a strong difference in their fleets. In this segment of the market, there is no airplane in service today or on the drawing boards for the future that comes anywhere close to the efficiency of the 787 Dreamliner."

Another view of the Dreamliner's flyaway.

I hope that for the lucky relative few who got to see and literally touch the 787 here at Farnborough this week, the experience solidified in their minds that the airplane is indeed real and is indeed going to change our industry forever .. .. starting with an amazing [Tuesday afternoon](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPLWBhNW3FM) here in July.

Opportunities

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:37:13 -0800

FARNBOROUGH - Already one day in, and you can see a huge difference between this air show and Paris in 2009. We've seen a lot of [order activity](http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sc-biz-0720-boeing-farnborough-20100719,0,316197.story) vs. virtually none last year, combined with - if this is possible - even more intense interest in our press briefings. Of course, the 787 Dreamliner here on static display continues to be, as Aviation Week's Show News put it on Monday, the "star of the show."

ZA003 on static display here at Farnborough. As one journalist described it to me, the 787 looks "green and keen."

Yes, at times it seems like it's all 787, all the time here. We've seen a big focus on the Dreamliner in all the air show daily publications as well as the Financial Times, the U.K. press and the news wires. We started the show with the quiet bang of the [Dreamliner's arrival](http://boeingblogs.com/randy/archives/2010/07/dreamliner_at_farnborough.html) and it hasn't let up since. And like Sunday, we hosted guests at the airplane - media, investors and customers. Lots of customers. I wanted to give you a chance to see what they're all seeing, so I made a short video inside the Dreamliner here at the show. Take a look: A good part of my Monday took place once again in the airplane. I'd say I personally saw hundreds of people in three hours or so inside the Dreamliner. I'm struck by the fact that even though it's clearly a flight test interior, people are just drawn to the big windows - like nothing they've ever seen before on an airplane. I'm expecting more of the same intense interest in the 787 on Tuesday, the last day of the Dreamliner's stay here.

The 787 Dreamliner is parked just down the hill from the Boeing chalet.

We started the day with a major [press briefing](http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1319) with Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh. The headlines coming out of that, I think, focus on our belief that despite some remaining economic uncertainty, we see the market rebounding. Albaugh told reporters we're going to work hard to stay ahead of our competition and that Boeing is "positioned to regain - and retain - leadership" in our industry. Albaugh also touched on product development and said that Boeing will set a strategic direction within a few months on further developing the 737 and new airplane designs. After the briefing, we saw a number of customer announcements, those market "[opportunities](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB1KjIhWRbg&feature=related)" alluded to in our title. The flurry of activity around the Boeing chalet and the media center started with a big announcement from [Emirates](http://www.youtube.com/emiratesboeing777#p/a/u/2/eDCAz_szctA) for [30 777-300ERs](http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1321). Here's a scene from the signing with Emirates:

Seated (l to r): Jim Albaugh; His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group; CEO of GE Engines, David Joyce. Standing (l to r) Marlin Dailey, BCA Vice President, Sales; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President, United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.

We also received a strong re-commitment to the Next-Generation 737 from GE Capital Aviation Services, with an order for [40 airplanes](http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1322). Lessors are expected to [return to the market](http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-19/airbus-boeing-rely-on-leasing-companies-for-air-show-orders.html) in a big way this year. And a [Norwegian Air Shuttle](http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1324) order continues that carrier's expansion in Europe - which makes sense considering what our [market outlook](http://www.boeing.com/commercial/cmo/index.html) forecasts for the role LCCs will play in the resiliency and strength of the market.

GECAS announced an order for 737-800s at the show.

Finally, tonight in London I attended the premier of the IMAX film, [Legends of Flight](http://www.legendsofflightfilm.com/) - 400+ people at the reception and screening. All I can say before concluding this night is that this is definitely an "air show," in every sense of that phrase. We have some great static and [aerial displays](http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-farnborough-international-airshow-in-pictures-2010-07-19?dist=afterbell). The [Super Hornet](http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/fa18ef/) roared overhead on Monday. That's always a thrill to experience. EADS/Airbus flew the A400M - and the A380 of course. And yes, it wouldn't be an air show without the perspiration factor. It was 80 or 85 degrees Fahrenheit on the field during the day (27 or so Celsius). In some rooms or buildings the air conditioning worked. In others, well .. not so much. So, you go through several wet and dry cycles throughout the day! Here's to hotel dry cleaning services - and I'll see you on Tuesday.

Dreamliner at Farnborough

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:16:09 -0800

FARNBOROUGH - Quiet. It's not a word you typically use to describe the scene at a major international air show. But that was the word, as we kicked things off at [Farnborough](http://www.boeing.com/farnborough2010/). By quiet, I mean that was my impression of the 787 Dreamliner as it approached and [touched down](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSZexKhir9M&feature=player_embedded) at Farnborough Airport Sunday morning just after 9:00.

ZA003 on approach to Farnborough ..

.. and touchdown!

People who gathered here to witness the landing could not believe how the airplane sounded. Whisper quiet, in my opinion. And then the noise began - as the international stage welcomed the 787. It's the first overseas journey for the Dreamliner, having flown nonstop from Seattle.

The 787 Dreamliner ZA003 at the Farnborough International Airshow.

ZA003 is the flight test Dreamliner that has a partial passenger interior with some economy style seating and some functioning interior items such as electronically dimmable windows. We gave tours to media and VIP guests Sunday and I think it's fair to say our visitors couldn't get over the size of the windows, the new bins and other Dreamliner innovations.

Captains Mike Bryan (from left) and Ted Grady join Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, and Jim McNerney, Boeing chairman and CEO, in welcoming dignitaries and media aboard the airplane.

I boarded the airplane at around 10:15 and didn't get off until around 2:25. That's more than 4 hours inside the airplane without a break. But I loved every minute of it. From the media I got a lot of questions about 787 schedules and deliveries, naturally.

As part of my day on ZA003 I got to meet with dignitaries from the U.S. and U.K. Here I'm chatting with U.S. Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi.

By the way, as people visited the airplane on Sunday, and during the next two days at the show, we're reminding them that while ZA003 *is* the only flight test airplane with an interior, it is still most definitely *a flight test interior* - not a customer configuration. In fact, the seats we have in this airplane aren't even available as an option to airlines - they don't match up to our requirements for style or design. But, they do allow us to properly test the fittings and attachments. That's true of almost all of the interior installations on this airplane. Finally, take a look at a couple of shots of the preps before ZA003 departed Seattle:

Over the weekend we got ZA003 ready for Farnborough - a good cleaning in preparation for its first trip abroad.

Flight test airplanes work hard and sometimes that shows. We thought a good bath was in order.

ZA003 will leave the show on Tuesday afternoon. As I said, it is still very much a flight test airplane and has a lot of work yet to do. About a dozen people traveled on the airplane to conduct testing during the flight and I can tell you that the flying time to Farnborough and back to Seattle will have been put to good use toward our testing requirements.