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747-237 · Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 1:34 am Post subject:

ZA237 / LN46 is on her way today from Charleston, SC to Fort Worth, TX where she will be painted in full Air India colors by Leading Edge Aviation Services.
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Manny · Member Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 292

So AI paid roughly 30 mill more than the market going price for the B787's back then ang got a plane which in manufactured away from Seattle and is not even being painted by Boeing.

Way to go!

Aseem · Member Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 2841 Location: YYZ

747-237 · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 7:25 pm Post subject:

Maybe we all missed the whole thing !!!

http://aeroblogger.com/home/blog/air-india-takes-delivery-of-its-first-boeing-787-dreamliner/

Air India Takes Delivery Of Its First Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Rohit Rao May 30, 2012

Air India took delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner yesterday, May 29, according to sources at both Air India and Boeing. The aircraft is VT-ANH, formerly N1015B during testing. VT-ANH is line number 35, and construction number 36276. Like the other 26 of Air India’s 787s, VT-ANH is equipped with General Electric GEnx-1B engines. This delivery makes Air India the 3rd operator of this type of aircraft. The next Air India 787 to be delivered is VT-AND, which is tentatively scheduled to be delivered on June 12th.

The 787 was originally scheduled to be delivery over 3 years ago. Air India management refused to take delivery until the compensation amount for this significant delay was agreed to. It appears that a compensation amount has been agreed to, although it is not yet clear what that amount is.

Flight details for the flyaway to Delhi will be posted when they become available.

Congratulations to Air India for taking delivery of such an incredible aircraft!

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aeroblogger · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:01 pm Post subject:

That post was written at a time when my understanding of things were very different than they are now...

Right now, I'm completely confused about VT-ANH.

I was originally told by a trusted source who recently retired from Boeing that delivery took place on Tuesday. While I think he was pretty certain, he won't talk with anybody who would know any updated information until tomorrow.

After being told that the delivery had taken place, I asked a guy I know casually at AI fleet planning. He confirmed that technical delivery had taken place.

Air India spokesman and Boeing spokesman both declined comment, saying that a press release will explain delivery details. No such press release has materialized.

A friend in operations has not heard of any delivery, although she said that she wouldn't know for sure until the flyout was scheduled (and scheduling might not have happened yet).

So on one hand, it wouldn't surprise me to see a press release in a few days stating that delivery had taken place on the 29th. On the other hand, maybe a last minute issue came up with compensation settlement or something, and delivery got delayed.
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747-237 · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 2:59 am Post subject:

ZA237 / LN46; the first Charleston, SC built 787 is to be registered VT-ANI for Air India.

The next three Charleston, SC built 787s (all going to Air India) are in final assembly stage in Charleston.
ZA238 / LN54
ZA239 / LN60
ZA240 / LN65
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aeroblogger · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 7:43 am Post subject:

The state I'm in can best be described as shock.

AI and Boeing came to a compensation agreement, contract was ready, financing was ready, plane was ready. Everything was so set that the aircraft showed in Boeing's own systems as delivered, and Air India employees wre also under the impression that the delivery took place.

And right before AI signed, they demanded a couple million $. They claim to have legal basis (and if they do, then they should definitely by all means demand the compensation). But the way they did this all makes me want to:

I just don't know what to say.

I don't think Boeing will be selling to AI anytime soon.
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Manny · Member Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 292

Manny · Member Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 292

garytare · Member Joined: 29 Feb 2008 Posts: 50 Location: MUMBAI

So I guess Boeing will deliver 7 a/c to AI this year 3 frm Seattle and 4 frm SC
Just my guess

aeroblogger · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 5:23 pm Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 4:29 pm Post subject:

Three Boeing 787 Dreamliners are expected to join AI fleet this month and the airline has worked out the new plan.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Air-India-to-expand-network-hire-new-pilots-Ajit-Singh/articleshow/13866214.cms
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747-237 · Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 5:04 pm Post subject:

http://www.domain-b.com/aero/airlines/20120606_dreamliners.html

AI to get first batch of Dreamliners this month

06 June 2012

Air India is expected to take delivery of three Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft this month, 44 months after the scheduled delivery of September 2008. The aircraft's US manufacturer Boeing Co, however, has agreed on a compensation package for the delayed delivery, civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said today.

Air India had placed orders for 27 Boeing 787s as far back as in 2005, and was originally supposed to take delivery starting in September 2008. This did not happen because of delays at the production-end.

The national carrier was supposed to receive the first batch of the aircraft in May 2012, but Boeing's futuristic plane was hit by several initial snags, delaying delivery further.

Singh had earlier clarified that India would not accept the aircraft till a compensation package was agreed upon. This package is now before a group of cabinet ministers for final approval, he said.

"For the initial six to eight weeks, the first Dreamliner aircraft will be used on domestic routes to enable pilots to practice landings and take-offs. The first long-haul flight of the aircraft will be in August between Mumbai and London and Australia; and full commercial operations will commence in August-September," Singh told a press conference in New Delhi.

The aviation minister also unveiled new plans for international operations of Air India, including two new flights to Kuala Lumpur and London and resuming operations to Hong Kong, Osaka and Seoul by 1 August.

However, these plans seem a little far-fetched at the moment, considering that the near bankrupt airline, afloat only on government support, is also facing a month-old strike by its pilots, which has crippled its mainstay international operations and is adding to its losses by the day.

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aeroblogger · Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:53 pm Post subject:

I'm really hoping that the CCEA gets this compensation agreement through ASAP. It will be disastrous if they don't.
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747-237 · Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 11:07 pm Post subject:

The following 787s are planned to be delivered to Air India in June.

ZA233 (LN 29) VT-AND - Everett, WA : Ready for delivery
ZA236 (LN 35) VT-ANH - Everett, WA : Vertical rudder needs to be painted / replaced
ZA237 (LN 46) VT-ANI - Charleston, SC : To be ferried from Fort Worth, TX after painting
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Aseem · Member Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 2841 Location: YYZ

any idea if they're still sporting Star Alliance badge!
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747-237 · Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:18 pm Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 12:19 am Post subject:

sabya99 · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 5:38 am Post subject:

Nice pictures, hopefully someday I will fly in this aircraft. Any idea where it will be deployed?
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Aseem · Member Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 2841 Location: YYZ

has anybody got idea if AI management has made up its mind, where to fly them.

VT-ASJ
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747-237 · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:29 am Post subject:

aeroblogger · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:02 am Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:31 pm Post subject:

VT-ANI gets finising touches after her paint job @ Leading Edge, Forth Worth, TX.

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ssbmat · Member Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 1710

I have a feeling that the planes will end up operating the usual BOM-DXB/JED, DEL-SIN/HKG routes, with the 777s idling on the ground, and all the A321s back to the domestic circuit.

Given AI's state of affairs, they cannot operate any med/long range route successfully.

So trying to make BOS/YVR work with 787s is as good a pipedream as Kingfisher starting BLR-SFO on an A380.

And taxpayers continue to be fleeced.

aeroblogger · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:00 am Post subject:

The 787s were meant as an A310 replacement... So it wouldn't surprise me if they do end up on midhaul international routes.

However, I do think that AI will go through with YVR and BOS, to placate the netas if nothing more.
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ryder1650 · Member Joined: 17 Jul 2007 Posts: 554

Nimish · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 10:13 am Post subject:

AI's DEL hub has a lot of long/ thin routes that can be sustained through proper hub operations IMO. Imagine feed coming in (with a perfect 1.5 hour connection at DEL) from 10-15 cities in India, and offering connections to 10-15 cities across the world. Cities in Europe/ East Asia/ North America/ Oz and "partner" hubs (assuming AI gets back into AI) could all be served with a bank of 787s and a couple of 77Ws. Domestic flights are already omnipresent on the 32x family.
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aeroblogger · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:27 pm Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:26 pm Post subject:

VT-ANI makes her first flight in full Air India colors, leaving Fort Worth's Meacham International Airport on her way back to Chareston, SC; Sunday (06/10) afternoon.

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747-237 · Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 12:07 am Post subject:

Delivery of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to Air India may be put off to next month, as the compensation package between Boeing and Air India is likely to be cleared by cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) only next Thursday. CCEA clearance has been delayed as prime minister Manmohan Singh is away in Mexico to attend the G20 summit. “Since the PM is away, the CCEA will only meet next week (June 28 ) instead of this week,” civil aviation minister Ajit Singh told Financial Chronicle.

http://wrd.mydigitalfc.com/news/boeing-787-delivery-ai-may-get-delayed-till-july-439
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747-237 · Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 12:18 am Post subject:

Of the 7 Air India 787s presently at Everett (VT-ANA, VT-ANB, VT-ANC, VT-AND, VT-ANE, VT-ANG, VT-ANH); 6 can be seen here together, on 06/19 (with either AND or ANH absent).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonm/7409300570/sizes/o/in/photostream/
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sammyk · Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 6:20 am Post subject:

ssbmat · Member Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 1710

So does the PM have to sign off on individual deliveries now, like the Security guard who signs off the gate pass on the delivery of new cars in Indian car dealerships?

Perhaps he should also approve of the flight plan for the ferry flight, so that it consumes the approved amount of fuel.

captdini · Member Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 23 Location: Chennai

Why all the speculation about which routes they will be flying to in the US. They already seem to be doing flights out of Texas, Washington and South Carolina Laughing

747-237 · Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 9:22 pm Post subject:

rutvij · Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:09 am Post subject:

^ Whats the Status of RAM - Maroc ? I remember seeing some of their 87s pretty early off the line. They were the 4th Airline to order them, if I memory serves me right.

747-237 · Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:44 am Post subject:

The registrations on the 2 Air India 787s at Everett have been temporarily changed today.
VT-ANH is now registered N10230
VT-AND is now registered N1020L

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747-237 · Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 4:46 pm Post subject:

Aseem · Member Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 2841 Location: YYZ

any idea about their names? rivers, mountains, states or back to Maharajas.

VT-ASJ
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sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi