Plane Nation

Boeing added to its order tally Thursday the first two 787s sold as
customized VIP jets. Sold to a single customer whom Boeing won’t
identify, the planes are designated as Boeing Business Jets (BBJs).
Boeing spokeswoman Sandy Angers said the 787 is set to be “a really
successful VIP airplane.” It can fly anywhere in the world, nonstop, with
an entourage of up to 75 people, she said. Based on list prices, and
allowing for a fully customized, luxurious wide-body interior, the jets will
cost around $180 million each. The two aircraft are 787-9s, the stretch
version of the new jet, with 2,300 square feet of

In June Boeing’s 787 program suffered a potential setback when engineers discovered problems while testing a section of the new airplane, but the glitch was
not expected to delay the 787’s highly anticipated debut in 2008. This story stung Boeing in the midst of its runaway successful launch and sales of the 787. At
the time the story got much less attention than Airbus’ A380 delay announcements.If the A380 is a complex new plane, the 787 is much more so. Whereas the
A380 is complicated, it does not exploit as much emerging technology as the 787. Boeing is using new materials for 50% of the plane that are proving to be more
complex

Airbus has released a video clip of the four A380 test aircraft flying
together in formation over Toulouse this week. Manufacturer’s serial
numbers 001, 002, 004 and 009 all taxied together just before 10:00 on
30 August before carrying out simultaneous test flights culminating in a
formation fly-past at around 11:00 of the Aéroconstellation facility in
Toulouse. Last week marked the traditional end of the month-long
summer vaction period for French workers that many Airbus employees
missed due to pressure to meet certifcation targets for the ultralarge
airliner. The flypast was also a defiant gesture to prove the programme is
on track (albeit revised). The video shows the Engine Alliance GP7200-
powered MSN009 A380 leading three