First of three 777 Freighters joins airline’s fleet

EVERETT, Wash., May 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The first Boeing (NYSE: BA) 777 Freighter to enter Qatar Airways’ fleet completed a 16-hour flight from Boeing’s Everett, Wash., Delivery Center to Doha, Qatar, and has been placed into service. The airplane was delivered May 17.

“The 777 Freighter will expand on the great track record that Qatar Airways’ 777 passenger airplanes have established,” said Marlin Dailey, vice president of Sales for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The airplane’s proven economics and efficiencies will provide Qatar, already a respected leader in the aviation industry, with a significant advantage in the air cargo market.”

Qatar Airways ordered three 777 Freighters in May 2006, for deployment on Far East and European routes.

The 777 Freighter’s entry into service has been very successful, with a dispatch reliability of 99.1 percent since entering service in February 2009. Qatar Airways’ 777 Freighter is the 23rd delivery overall.

The 777 Freighter is the world’s longest-range twin-engine freighter and features the lowest trip cost of any large freighter. It features a payload capability of 225,200 pounds (102 metric tons), a range of 4,900 nautical miles (9,070 kilometers) and 10-foot (3.1-meter) interior height capability.

The 777 Freighter is powered by General Electric’s GE90-110B1L/115BL and meets QC2 noise standards. Twelve customers have ordered a total of 73 777 Freighters.

Qatar Airways currently operates 17 passenger 777s.

Source: Boeing