The first Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a mid-sized, wide-body, two-engine jet airliner, was recently completed at its Boeing Commerical Airplanes Division. After it is rolled out on July 8th, it will begin a series of test flights beginning in September 2007.

The Boeing Company, headquarterd in Chicago, Illinois, is expecting to begin commercial service of its new fleet of jets in May 2008. The latest generation of Boeing aircraft, the Dreamliner is constructed mostly of composite material, which makes it lighter than other Boeing jets and, thus, more fuel efficient.

It will carry between 210 and 330 passengers depending on the configuration installed in each individual aircraft. Currently three models are offered: 787-3, 787-8, and 787-9. The first two models have a length of about 186 feet (56.7 meters), while the third model is longer at 206 feet (63 meters). The first one has a wingspan of 170 feet (52 meters), the second is 197 feet (60 meters), and the third is 203 feet (62 meters).

As of July 2007, forty-five customers have order 634 of the Dreamliner jets for a total purchase price of about $98 billion, making it the most successful commercial airplane to date.

About 50,000 Boeing employees and retires will attend the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner rollout at Qwest Field in Everett, Washington, and see a live simulcast of the event. About 800 representatives of airline customers are also being flown in for the 3:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) event.

Online, the event can be viewed at:
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/787family/787premiere.html or http://787premiere.newairplane.com/.

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