If you love watching airplanes taking it to the max, you’ll dig the video showing a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner jet rehearsing for next week’s Farnborough International Airshow in England.
The video, released today, tracks the All Nippon Airways jet from inside and out as it makes high-banking turns that demonstrate wing flex, and side-to-side movements that demonstrate the plane’s handling characteristics. Boeing test pilots Randy Neville, Van Chaney and John Misuradze were at the controls for the flight over Moses Lake in central Washington state.
The ANA airplane will show off similar moves during demonstration flights from July 11 to 13 in Farnborough, which serves as the focus for the world’s aviation industry next week. After the show, it’ll be delivered to ANA, the largest operator of the 787 Dreamliner.
Boeing says 571 orders have been placed for the 787-9 by 38 customers worldwide. The first delivery of a 787-9 was made to ANA nearly two years ago.
During Farnsborough, Boeing also plans to highlight its single-aisle 737 MAX (making its international airshow debut), a new CargoLogicAir 747-8 freighter, the P-8A Poseidon multi-mission military aircraft and the F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter … plus its 100th anniversary.
Boeing will be vying with Airbus for more sales at the show. Hints are already being dropped about a $4 billion deal with Russia’s AirBridgeCargo Airlines for 747-8 cargo freighters, for example.
Other folks from the Evergreen State will be there as well. A delegation representing the Washington Aerospace Partnership and the state’s Department of Commerce will be heading over to Britain for networking.
Amazon Prime Air’s director, Lauren Kissler, will be talking at the show about the retail giant’s plans to develop a drone delivery system. “Putting Prime Air into service will take some time, but will deploy when there is the regulatory support needed to realize the vision,” the airshow said in a statement.
Update for 3:55 p.m. PT: I’ve added a little more history to make clear that the 787-9 Dreamliner has been in service for a couple of years, which means the Farnborough demonstration is not a “preview” of a new model.
