Boeing begins final assembly of first 787 Dreamliner for ANA

Everett, USA: Boeing has begun work on the final assembly of the first 787 Dreamliner destined for delivery to launch customer All Nippon Airways (ANA) of Japan. The Dreamliner programme had received a massive boost at launch when ANA placed an order for 50 of these state-of-the –art composite aircraft. This was the largest ever launch order for any new plane in Boeing's history.

Deliveries, postponed four times, are now scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2010.

Boeing and ANA celebrated the occasion with a traditional "Kagami wari" ceremony, the breaking open of a wooden "Taru" (sake barrel) lid with wooden mallets.

"This is a great day for the 787 team," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 Dreamliner programme. "In 2004, ANA demonstrated great faith in Boeing and the 787 by placing the largest launch order for any new airplane in Boeing history. Since then, the ANA team has been an integral part of developing the 787 family of airplanes.

"Speaking for our entire global 787 team, including our partners, I'd like to say we are honoured by ANA's commitment to the Dreamliner," Fancher said. "We look forward to our continued partnership as we prepare the 787 to enter commercial service."

"Congratulations to Boeing on the start of the historic assembly of the first 787 Dreamliner for commercial flight," said ANA president and CEO, Shinichiro Ito. "As the launch customer, we are delighted and excited to see the achievement of this milestone and to have worked closely together to reach this day. We look forward to the start of the 787 flight test programme and delivery into our fleet next year."

With 865 orders from 56 airlines the 787 Dreamliner holds the record for being the fastest-selling all-new airplane in aviation history.