Airline's First Purchase Of A New Boeing Plane

The first of eight Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range) jetliners ordered by TAM Airlines, Brazil's largest airline, left Paine Field for Sao Paulo Sunday.

TAM is the first Latin American airline to operate the 777-300ER, the world's largest, long-range, twin-engine jetliner, powered by General Electric's GE-90 Series engines. The delivery also marks TAM's first acquisition of a new Boeing airplane.

The airline plans to operate its 777-300ERs on international flights within South America and connecting South America with Europe and North America.

"The 777-300ER will provide TAM with the lowest fuel consumption and operating costs available for airplanes in this class," said John Wojick, vice president sales, Latin America and the Caribbean, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Advanced avionics of the Electronic Flight Bag, will further improve TAM's operating economics and reduce emissions."

The airline's new 777s feature the Boeing Class 3 Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), a hardware and electronic data package used by pilots that replaces traditional flight manuals and provides operational and safety benefits. TAM is the first South American carrier to incorporate a Class 3 EFB, which is fully integrated into a commercial airplane's avionics. The EFB features an Onboard Performance Tool, using sophisticated calculations to help the airline optimize its payload for airport and weather conditions and applicable regulations and policies.

"These acquisitions reinforce our policy of operating a young fleet that provides more passenger comfort in our quest for TAM 'Service Excellence.' The 777-300ER also supports TAM's two other pillars of excellence upon which our company measures performance -- 'Technical-Operational Excellence' and 'Excellence in Management,'" said TAM CEO Captain David Barioni Neto.

The 777-300ER is capable of carrying 365 passengers up to 7,930 nautical miles.

FMI: www.boeing.com, www.tam.com.br/