787 launch customer All Nippon Airlines (ANA)  received their newest 787 this week. It completed a transpacific biofuel flight from  Boeing’s Delivery Center in Everett, Washington to Tokyo Haneda Airport. The plane was powered by a mix of regular aviation fuel and used cooking oil! ANA currently have five 787s; four are flying domestically and one is flying Tokyo-Frankfurt. They will begin flying Tokyo to Seattle from July 25 with a 777 , and some time in the year,  will switch to a 787.  The ANA 787 has 158 seats (46 Business arranged 2/2/2 and 112 Economy arranged 2/4/2).

The airline itself,  announced a record profit for 2011 so it looks like we will have 787s in Boeing colours for a while.

This week, the first Boeing plane made outside the state of Washington since World War II*  rolled off Boeing’s new assembly line in  Charleston, South Carolina for delivery to Air India. Another three 787s will be built at the plant this year – all for delivery to Air India. Boeing, are aiming to build 10 787s per month by the end of 2013, with three produced each month in South Carolina. The current 787 production rate is  3.5 per month so they have a way to go. Everett also will be focussing on the rollout of the 737NEO. Boeing has apparently bought another 200 acres near the Charleston plant for future expansion. *If you don’t count the Boeing 717 which was really a MD plane built in Long beach

My question is: when will I get to fly a Dreamliner? I had hoped to do it for my 787th flight but that is long past. Maybe for my 878th flight? That is a mere 28 plane trips away!