Photographs: Robert Sorbo/Reuters BS Reporters in New Delhi
After a long wait, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, one of the world's largest aircraft in terms of seating capacity, will make its solo debut in India next week.
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Image: The cockpit of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.Photographs: Toru Hanai/Reuters
It will touch down in Delhi on July 13, and then leave for Mumbai for a test flight meant for Air India (AI), which has ordered 27 aircraft.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner to touch down in India
Image: A Boeing employee sits next to a tinted window on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Farnborough airport.Photographs: Kieran Doherty/Reuters
AI, which was to start receiving the delivery from June 2008, will now get the first Dreamliner in October.
This will be followed by two more in November and one in December.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner to touch down in India
Image: Final assembly of the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner takes place at the company's Everett, Washington plant.Photographs: Robert Sorbo/Reuters
"We will start getting the deliveries of Boeing 787 Dreamliners from October and will take the deliveries of four aircraft this year.
One of the aircraft will come in October, followed by two in November and one more in December," said a senior official in the civil aviation ministry.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner to touch down in India
Image: Interior view of Boeing 787 Dreamliner.Photographs: Courtesy: Boeing
The aircraft will be used for non-stop flights from Indian destinations to Melbourne, New York and Toronto.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner to touch down in India
Image: Boeing 787 Dreamliner ready for touchdown.Photographs: Courtesy: Boeing
The arrival of the planes has been long delayed and was expected to begin from September this year and all the 27 aircraft ordered were to join the AI fleet by 2014.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner to touch down in India
Image: Boeing employees work on the interior assembly of a 787 Dreamliner.Photographs: Robert Sorbo/Reuters
AI was one of the earliest customers of the Dreamliners.
Of the 111 aircraft it had ordered in 2005, 27 of them are Boeing 787.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner to touch down in India
Image: Boeing aircraft maintenance technician Bill Lucyk works on the underside of the first 787 Dreamliner.Photographs: Robert Sorbo/Reuters
Though the Boeing 787 aircraft project got delayed, the company has an order book of 835 aircraft from 55 customers around the world, making it the fastest-selling new commercial jetliner even before its first test flight.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner to touch down in India
Image: Angled planform view of the second 787 Dreamliner during flight testing.Photographs: Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Jet Airways is the other Indian carrier which has placed orders for 10 Dreamliners.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner to touch down in India
Image: Interior photo showing windows and LED mood lighting options for the 787 Dreamliner.Photographs: Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
The aircraft's initial designation was 7E7, before it was renamed in January 2005.
The first 787 was unveiled in a roll-out ceremony on July 8, 2007, also giving it a new name - 787.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner to touch down in India
Image: A 787 Dreamliner being manufactured for customer Japan Airlines.Photographs: Anthony Bolante/Reuters
By March 2011, 835 Boeing 787s had been ordered by 56 customers.
The launch customer for the aircraft is All Nippon Airways with the largest number of 50 787s on order.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner to touch down in India
Image: Staircase to the 1st Class cabin in Boeing 787 Dreamliner.Photographs: Courtesy: Boeing
The Dreamliners come in two versions - 787-800 and 787-900.
The 787-8 is the base model of the 787 family, with a flying range of 14,200 to 15,200 km, depending on seating configuration.
It seats 210 passengers in a three-class configuration.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner to touch down in India
Image: Entrance of Boeing 787 Dreamliner.Photographs: Courtesy: Boeing
The 787-9 can fly 14,800 to 15,750 km. It can seat 250 290 passengers in a three class configuration.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner to touch down in India
Image: Boeing 787 Dreamliner's new interior.Photographs: Courtesy: Boeing
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner's new interior will create a new sensation for passengers inside the cabin.
Innovations include sweeping arches, wide aisles, larger lavatories, and dynamic lighting.
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