Boeing Delivers First 787 Since January
Boeing 787 Line Number 83 takes off on a test flight from Everett, Washington. (Photo: Boeing)

Boeing on Tuesday morning officially delivered the first 787 since aviation authorities around the globe grounded the model nearly four months ago. Plans call for Dreamliner Line Number 83—an All Nippon Airways airplane—to take off from Boeing’s Everett, Washington, production site for Tokyo on Wednesday afternoon.

The milestone came as Qatar Airways and Air India each planned to reinstate regular revenue service with their Dreamliners Wednesday and roughly a week after Boeing rolled out of its Everett factory the first 787 built at the increased production rate of seven airplanes per month.

About half of the 100 airplanes to roll out of the Everett factory remain undelivered, as customers prepare crews and processes to resume service and Boeing mechanics work to install battery system modifications as mandated by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Despite the grounding, Boeing never slowed production and continues to expect rates to reach 10 per month by year-end. The company expects this year’s delivery total to match the projections it established before the grounding.