Historic airplane to be displayed in Japan’s main aerospace cluster, inspire next generation of aviation

NAGOYA, Japan, July 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing (NYSE: BA), airline customers, industry partners and community leaders joined together today to celebrate Boeing’s donation of the first 787-8 Dreamliner flight test airplane to Centrair International Airport in Nagoya.

“It is fitting that we bring Boeing’s first-ever 787 Dreamliner, also known as ZA001, back home to Nagoya, the heart of Japan’s aerospace industry,” said George Maffeo, president, Boeing Japan. “Many of our partners here spent countless hours to develop and produce the 787 Dreamliner’s airframe structure and Centrair was with us from the very start of the journey. ZA001 carried all of our dreams and aspirations, and has grown to symbolize the storied partnership between Boeing and Japan’s outstanding aerospace industry.”

“We are honored to be selected by Boeing to house the permanent display of the world’s first-ever 787 Dreamliner,” said Masanao Tomozoe, president and CEO, Central Japan International Airport Co., Ltd. “This milestone will allow us to significantly contribute to the aerospace community as well as the Greater Nagoya region by spurring the imagination and interest of future aviation pioneers here in Japan.”

ZA001 is the last of three original flight test 787-8s Boeing has donated to inspire future generations, communities and aviation enthusiasts around the world. Previously, Boeing donated ZA002 to the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Ariz. and ZA003 to the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

ZA001 first flew on Dec. 15, 2009, beginning what would become a six-airplane flight test and certification program for the 787-8. ZA001 performed a variety of ground and flight tests with a focus on aerodynamics, flight controls and systems performance.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner is the first in a family of technologically advanced, super-efficient airplanes with new passenger-pleasing features. With its unmatched fuel efficiency and environmental performance – 20 percent less fuel and emissions than the airplanes it replaces – the 787 has saved more than 2 billion pounds of fuel since entering service in 2011.

Sixty customers from around the world have ordered more than 1,100 Dreamliners, making it the fastest selling twin-aisle airplane in Boeing history. In Japan, ANA and Japan Airlines have ordered a combined 128 787 Dreamliners – marking the largest customer base of 787s in the world.

Central Japan International Airport (Centrair) is a 24-hour international hub airport located on a man-made island off the coast of Nagoya. Centrair serves 30 cities around the world with 300 weekly departures, as well as major cities in Japan with 80 flights per day. In 2015, the airport celebrated its 10th year of operations and was also awarded the prestigious “Best Regional Airport in the World” accolade by Skytrax.

Centrair is a transport hub for the local aerospace and automotive industries. It is the only airport in the world from which both the 787 main wing and fuselage sections are flown to Boeing’s final assembly plants in the U.S. on the Dreamlifter.