No Low-Altitude Fly-Bys This Time

Boeing told ANN this week that on Friday, the American planemaker delivered its 700th 777 -- a 777-300ER (Extended Range) aircraft to International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) and its customer, Cathay Pacific Airways. The 777 Program reached this milestone after 12 years in service -- faster than any other twin-aisle airplane program in commercial aviation history.

ILFC has ordered 79 Boeing 777s since 1992 and the airplane delivered today is its 74th, which makes ILFC the world's largest 777 customer.

Cathay Pacific now operates 24 777s, with 23 more 777-300ERs scheduled to be delivered. The airplane delivered Friday will join the airline's fleet of six 777-300ERs, 12 777-300s, five 777-200s and 24 747-400s in passenger service.

The airline also currently operates six 747-400 Freighters, six 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF) and seven 747-200 Freighters, with six 747-400ER Freighters and 10 of Boeing's new 747-8 Freighters on order.

Dragonair, Cathay Pacific's sister airline, operates another eight 747 Freighters -- a 747-200F, three 747-300SFs (Special Freighters) and four 747-400BCFs.

The first 777 went into service in June 1995, and the type includes five passenger models and a freighter version. To date, Boeing has orders for 1,060 777 jetliners, with 55 customers around the world that own or operate the efficient and passenger-pleasing twin-aisle airplane.

Though Boeing didn't elaborate on details of the delivery ceremony, one can imagine this handoff was a bit more muted than the last time a plane bound for Cathay Pacific was delivered. As ANN reported, veteran pilot Ian Wilkinson was fired by the airline after he overflew the runway at Paine Field at just 28 feet, gear up, at around 275 knots, in another 777-300ER.

FMI: www.boeing.com, www.ilfc.com, www.cathaypacific.com