Boeing (Chicago and Seattle) yesterday (April 5) rolled out of the paint hangar the first 787-9 Dreamliner (ZK-NZE, msn 34334) to be delivered to launch customer Air New Zealand (Auckland), revealing the carrier’s new-look livery. The airplane, painted in a distinctive black color scheme, features the iconic official New Zealand Fern Mark.
This 787-9 is the first airplane to feature the distinctive black version of Air New Zealand’s new-look livery design, with the white version having been gradually rolled out across the airline’s domestic fleet in recent months. While the majority of Air New Zealand’s fleet will eventually feature the white version, a limited number will feature the signature black version.
Air New Zealand plans to have the airplane begin service on its Auckland-Perth route later this year. Air New Zealand has 10 787-9s on order.
The 787-9 will complement and extend the 787 family. With the fuselage stretched by 20 feet (6 m) over the 787-8, the 787-9 will fly up to 40 more passengers an additional 300 nautical miles (555 km) with the same exceptional environmental performance — 20 percent less fuel use and 20 percent fewer emissions than similarly sized airplanes.
Twenty-six customers from around the world have ordered 405 787-9s, accounting for approximately 39 percent of all 787 orders.
Air New Zealand issued this statement:
The aircraft, which will soon become the first 787-9 in commercial operation, rolled out of Boeing’s paint hangar on Saturday evening April 5 and will join the Air New Zealand fleet mid year.
The 787-9 is the first Air New Zealand aircraft to feature the distinctive black version of the airline’s new-look livery. The white version of the livery has been gradually rolled out across the airline’s A320 domestic fleet in recent months.
The paint job took five days to complete and was done by 12 painters using around 350 liters of paint.
Air New Zealand’s new livery features the New Zealand Fern Mark, the use of which is authorised by Tourism New Zealand and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. While the majority of the airline’s fleet will eventually feature the white version of the design a limited number will feature this signature black version.
This aircraft is the first of ten 787-9 Dreamliners to join Air New Zealand’s fleet. Air New Zealand is the global launch customer for the 787-9 which is 20 percent more fuel efficient than the aircraft it’s replacing. The 787-9 will operate the Auckland – Perth route from October 15, 2014 and to both Tokyo and Shanghai from November.
Copyright Photo: Boeing.
Images below: Air New Zealand. The 2013 livery has two versions:
Air New Zealand:
Filed under: Air New Zealand Tagged: 34334, 787, 787-9, Air New Zealand, Boeing, Boeing 787, Boeing 787-9, Everett, PAE, Paine Field, ZK-NZE