Tag Archives: Nick Dean

UPS’ 1Q Earnings Jump 37% on Revenue Increase of 7%

UPS-United Parcel Service Boeing 757-24A (PF) N407UP (msn 23729) PAE (Nick Dean), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

UPS (Atlanta and Louisville) posted adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.71 for the first quarter of 2010, a 37% gain over the adjusted $0.52 for the prior-year period. Revenue increased 7% to $11.7 billion. Growth in the international package and supply chain businesses, yield improvement and increased operating leverage resulted in margin expansion in all business segments. The corporation posted a $1 billion operating profit in the first quarter.

Boeing puts the third 747-8F into testing

Copyright Photo: Joe G. Walker. Boeing 747-8KZF N5017Q (msn 36136) arrives at Seattle (King County-Boeing Field) after its first flight.

Boeing’s (Chicago, Seattle, Wichita and Charleston) third 747-8 Freighter, RC 521 (N5017Q), successfully completed its first flight on March 17. It is the final test airplane scheduled to participate in the flight-test program for the 747-8 Freighter.

Piloted by Captains Paul Stemer and Keith Otsuka, with Ralph Chaffin serving as systems operator, RC 521 took off from Paine Field in Everett, WA, completed a two-and-a-half-hour flight and landed at Boeing Field in Seattle. The airplane reached an altitude of 30,000 feet (9,144 m) and an airspeed of 245 knots, or about 282 miles (454 km) per hour. It took off at 3:27 p.m. PDT and landed at 5:58 p.m.

RC 521 has several tests scheduled in the test program, including fuel-mileage testing. The 747-8 Freighter flight-test program calls for all three airplanes to perform approximately 3,700 hours of testing both on the ground and in the air. The first 747-8 Freighter delivery is planned for the fourth quarter of this year.

Boeing to invest $100 million in Indian maintenance facility

Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. Oops! Will the real N747EX taxi out? Both of the new 747-8Fs at Everett have been incorrectly painted as N747EX. The real 747-8R7 N747EX (msn 35808) is the one on the left.

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle, Wichita and Charleston) is planning to invest $100 million in order to build a new MRO maintenance facility in Nagpur, India. The new facility will maintain the Boeing 787 Dreamliners of Air India, now scheduled to be first delivered in the second quarter of 2011.

News link:

www.reuters.com/article/idCNSGE60H0DA20100118?rpc=44

Boeing completes the first flight of the second Dreamliner, ANA’s 787-881 N787BA

ANA (All Nippon Airways) Boeing 787-881 N787EX (msn 34488) PAE

Originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle, Wichita and Charleston) yesterday (December 22) completed the first flight of the second 787 Dreamliner, designated ZA002 (but actually the pictured 787-881 N787EX, msn 34488). The all-new airplane, which features the 1983 livery of the Dreamliner’s launch customer, ANA (All Nippon Airways) of Japan, took off from Paine Field in Everett, completed a two-hour flight and landed at Boeing Field in Seattle.

Boeing stated “We are delighted that the second Dreamliner is in the livery of our launch customer, ANA,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. “We are honored by the airline’s support and look forward to delivering ANA the first production airplane next year.”

Captain Randy Neville was at the controls for the flight, with Chief Pilot Mike Carriker operating as co-pilot. Neville and Carriker took the airplane to an altitude of 13,000 feet (3,962 m) and an airspeed of 200 knots, or about 230 miles (370 km) per hour. The airplane took off at 9:09 a.m. PST and landed at 11:10 a.m. PST.

This is the second of six 787s being used in the airplane’s flight-test program. Each of the airplanes will be used for a specific set of tests, with this airplane focusing on systems performance. Like its predecessor, ZA001, the airplane is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines.

In other news, Boeing announced yesterday (December 22) it is taking full control of Global Aeronautica, the midfuselage plant in North Charleston, SC, by buying out its Italian supplier Alenia. In July, Boeing took over the Vought facility at North Charleston (CHS). CHS will be location of the second Dreamliner assembly plant.

Flydubai flies to new heights, adds new service to Kathmandu

Flydubai Boeing 737-8KN WL A6-FDE (msn 40235) PAE, originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Flydubai (Dubai) today (December 17) launched a new route to its highest destination, Kathmandu in Nepal.

News link:

www.ameinfo.com/219026.html

The 787 Dreamliner finally flies!

Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. The rotation of N787BA at Everett (Paine Field) on the first flight is captured on a very dark and wet day in the Pacific Northwest.

Boeing’s (Chicago, Seattle, Wichita and Charleston) new 787-881 N787BA (msn 40690) took to the air for the first time today (December 15) at Everett (Paine Field) (PAE) at 10:27 a.m. (1027) local time (PST) on runway 34L. The new jetliner landed at Boeing Field-King County (BFI) at 1:33 p.m. (1333) local time.

News link with a video:

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091215/ap_on_bi_ge/us_boeing787_flight_test

Here is the official Boeing press release:

finance.yahoo.com/news/Boeing-787-Dreamliner-prnews-901783763.html?x=0&.v=1

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is ready to fly!

Boeing 787-881 N787BA (msn 40690) PAE (final taxi test), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle, Wichita and Charleston) yesterday (December 12) completed high-speed taxi tests on the first 787 Dreamliner (787-881 N787BA, msn 40690). This is the last in a series of functional tests planned in preparation for first flight. According to the Boeing press release, ”Our pilots told me the airplane performed beautifully,” said Mike Delaney, vice president and chief project engineer for the 787. “We’re going through and analyzing the data to ensure we’re ready for first flight. From evaluations we’ve done so far, everything looks good.”

During the testing, the airplane reached a top speed of approximately 130 knots (150 mph, 240 kph), and the pilots lifted the nose gear from the pavement. Video highlights of the taxi testing will be available by the end of the day Monday at http://www.boeing.com and http://www.newairplane.com.

Taxi test is the last testing planned before first flight which could come on Tuesday, December 15, if the Seattle area weather permits.

KLM returns to Denpasar (Bali) after 12 years

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 777-306 ER PH-BVC (msn 37582) PAE, originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Amsterdam) returned to Denpasar (Bali) on December 7 after the route was dropped in October 1997. The flight from Amsterdam to DPS is routed via Singapore and is operated with Boeing 777-300 ERs.

News link:

www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/12/09/klm-revives-amsterdambali-route.html

Qatar Airways launches Doha-Melbourne nonstop flights

Qatar Airways Boeing 777-2DZ LR (Longer Range) A7-BBD (msn 36016) PAE, originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Qatar Airways (Doha) last night (December 6) launched nonstop service between DOH and Melbourne, Australia with Boeing 777-200 LRs (Longer Range). The new route will be operated initially three times a week. However with the delivery of the pictured 777-2DZ LR A7-BBD (msn 36016) later this month the route will become daily service starting on January 1, 2010.

News link:

www.ameinfo.com/217978.html