Boeing, the 787 and the sake ceremony

With the first flight of Boeing’s first 787 just days(?) away, the company began final assembly work on the first Dreamliner that actually will be delivered to a customer.

The first Dreamliner to fly won’t be the 787 that launch customer All Nippon Airways of Japan receives.

But the 787 that Boeing has in final assembly in Everett will be handed over in the first quarter of 2010 to ANA.

Boeing and ANA celebrated the occasion with a traditional “Kagami wari” ceremony, the breaking open of a wooden “Taru” (sake barrel) lid with wooden mallets.

“This is a great day for the 787 team,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 Dreamliner program. “In 2004, ANA demonstrated great faith in Boeing and the 787 by placing the largest launch order for any new airplane in Boeing history. Since then, the ANA team has been an integral part of developing the 787 family of airplanes.”

ANA placed the launch order for 50 787s in 2004.

“Speaking for our entire global 787 team, including our partners, I’d like to say we are honored by ANA’s commitment to the Dreamliner,” Fancher said, in a statement. “We look forward to our continued partnership as we prepare the 787 to enter commercial service.”