Boeing Co. handed over the key for its first 787 wide-body jet to All Nippon Airways on Monday after years of delays, marking a long-awaited milestone in the history of commercial flight.
Thousands of workers gathered for the ceremony at Paine Field, outside the building where the planes are assembled, with many finding shelter from the rain under the wings of two yet-to-be-delivered 787s. The actual first ANA 787 was nearby at the Future of Flight aviation center, where it was being prepared for a reception Monday night and its flight to Japan today. The plane goes into service in November.
This is a fascinating aircraft. I look forward to flying in it. In the normal course, I won’t be one of the first to try it. That suits me fine. I would prefer that others get the bugs worked out when it comes to things that go more than 400 miles per hour and/or that operate more than five miles off the ground.
Interesting, but I would just assume stick to the rails when traveling. I don’t care how much gee-whiz techno gadgetry they load into these flying aluminum tubes. They are still one of the most unfortunate and uncomfortable methods of transportation invented since the demise of the stage coach. When contemplating airplanes I am reminded of the sentiments expressed by Samuel Clemens towards Alexander Graham Bell.
[blockquote] It is my heart-warm and world-embracing Christmas hope and aspiration that all of us, the high, the low, the rich, the poor, the admired, the despised, the loved, the hated, the civilized, the savage (every man and brother of us all throughout the whole earth), may eventually be gathered together in a heaven of everlasting rest and peace and bliss, except the inventor of the telephone.[/blockquote]