Air New Zealand Unveils First Black Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Boeing has debuted over the weekend to the global aviation industry Air New Zealand's first ever 787-9 Dreamliner. And it's painted black all over with the official New Zealand Fern Mark the only colour contrasting it in white emblazoned across the rear of the plane.
Air New Zealand's first Boeing 787-9 was revealed at the Boeing factory near Seattle.
"It's great to see the Koru and the beautiful New Zealand fern emblazoned on this aircraft," Captain David Morgan, Air New Zealand chief flight operations and safety officer, said.
"This will soon be the first 787-9 aircraft anywhere in the world to operate commercially and I think it will instill a sense of pride in Kiwis and turn heads when it touches down at airports throughout Asia and the Pacific."
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The paint job hired 12 painters and took five days to finish. About 350 litres of paint were used.
Air New Zealand expects to take delivery in July.
The 787-9's is 20 feet longer than the 787-8's, thus allowing Air New Zealand to accommodate 40 more passengers an additional 300 nautical miles. Air New Zealand has 10 787-9s on order.
The airplane could be deployed on Air New Zealand's Auckland-Perth route from October 15, and to both Tokyo and Shanghai routes from November.