Japanese jet dumps fuel into Lake Michigan

An All Nippon Airways Boeing 777-300ER had to dump about 1,450 gallons of jet fuel into Lake Michigan on Monday after it developed a problem after takeoff from Chicago O'Hare. Elizabeth Isham Cory, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the aircraft sustained what could have been a birdstrike and subsequent engine failure. In order to land back at Chicago without being overweight, the widebody had to jettison what turned out to be about 4% of it's fuel load. To avoid doing this over the populated suburbs surrounding Chicago, the flight crew swung the aircraft out over Lake Michigan and did their business. Cory said that "when fuel is dumped above 5,000 feet, in temperatures above freezing, about 98 percent of it can be expected to evaporate before hitting the ground." That means the friendly fish of Lake Michigan will only have to share the waters with about 32 gallons of Jet A. Still, I'm thinking their may be some enviro-nuts who aren't too happy about this.

(via Chicago Tribune)

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Launch Customer Upset Over 787 Delays

Boeing 787 launch customer All Nippon Airways (ANA) upset with Boeing over the latest delays to the new aircraft program and is complaining publicly that it has yet to receive a blessed delivery schedule.

As you may know, and if you read the blog yesterday you would (and if you did not, shame on you), Boeing announced a third major delay to the 787 development program, which will now push first deliveries back to the third quarter of 2009. ANA was originally due to have received the first 787 next month.

ANA is (still) to be the first operator of the 787 and gave a great boost to the program with its 50 firm orders for the 787, split between the 787-8 and the short-haul version 787-3. To make matters worse, Boeing has told both ANA and Japan Airlines (JAL), the only airlines to order the short haul -3, that this version is delayed even more than the initial -8 and the stretched -9.

Both airlines expected to receive their first -3s in 2010, but Boeing has put the kabash on this and informed them it will be the second version to be produced. The stretched -9 will now be the first version and its first delivery is scheduled to take place in 2012, rather than 2010.

JAL has 35 787s on order plus 20 options, however, it has not revealed what its split will be between the -3 and -8.

Boeing has a storm a-brewin' and they'd better not screw up anymore.

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