B777 Freighter Launched
 

Funny how Air France and Air Canada have beaten UPS and FedEx to the 777 Freighter party....


Boeing launches cargo version of 777
Tue May 24, 2005 03:40 AM ET

NEW YORK, May 24 (Reuters) - Boeing Co. (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) announced the official launch of a long-range cargo version of its popular twin-engine 777 jetliner on Tuesday, and said Air France (AIRF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) had already ordered five of the freighters with options to purchase three more.

The first 777 freighter is scheduled for delivery to Air France in the fourth quarter of 2008, the company said, calling the plane the world's largest twin-engine freighter.

"The world wants the 777 freighter and we're going to build it," Alan Mulally, chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in a statement. "Air cargo is the fastest-growing segment of commercial aviation and a critical enabler in our global economy."

The new freighter will be Boeing's sixth 777 model.

Air Canada also said it plans to purchase the 777 freighter, making it part of Boeing's launch team for the model.

The freighter will be based on the 777-200LR, an ultra-long-range model that is currently undergoing flight testing and is scheduled to enter passenger service in early 2006. Like the 777-200LR, the freighter version of the plane will be powered exclusively by engines made by General Electric Co (GE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) .

The 777 freighter will be capable of flying 4,965 nautical miles (9,195 kilometres) with a full payload, Boeing said. It will have a maximum takeoff weight of 766,000 pounds (347,450 kilograms).

Boeing began offering the 777 freighter for sale last year to gauge the market's interest, but its board only recently determined interest was sufficient to warrant actually launching the programme, the Wall Street Journal reported.

So UAL will never operate this model!