I was wondering when  new Delta or American Airlines Boeing 777 leaves Everett, WA, it is flown to one of their hubs and the airline adds the final touches on it? If so, what are the things an airline needs to do to get it passenger ready?  Or will the airline arrange it to be delivered to a specific airport? 

 

I was doing 777 flights from Boeing KBFI to Seattle KSEA to practice landings and I was wondering if Boeing ever delivered a heavy plane from BFI to SEA

Usually the airline fetches their new airplane from the factory where it is build.

 

There are a few nice documentations on such deliveries available on youtube, check it out!

Pilotseyetv did a very nice programme about the delivery of one of Lufthansa's 777Fs that might well answer a few of your questions.

I think when Cargolux took delivery of the first 747-8F they took it from Everett and flew it to Seattle, loaded cargo on it and put it to work.

I saw a YouTube video how American Airlines takes their planes to DFW and rips apart the interior adding wifi, entertainment and other stuff. Also it seems there is a 4 day acceptance and check that goes on at Boeing with the airline before the plane is signed off.

Boeing normally gives them a working plane, sometime the airline has a completely different company will install the IFE or the amenities like bars, rooms, etc. American airlines has a very good video showing what happens when Boeing delivers a 737NG to them and what happen after. Normally the plane will sometimes goes a full month after delivery while it's finished and trialed.

 

Thats the AA video I believe.

When an airline picks up a new airplane from the manufacturer, for a "mature' product, it normally will go into revenue service as soon as possible, typically the next day, remember, it is a commercial asset, that needs to carry passengers/cargo to generate some serious cash to pay for itself and those involved with its operation. Less time spend on the ground, the better is the revenue potential.

 

For a "non-mature" product (i.e. brand new airplane type), then obviously it can take longer, in some cases much longer until all issues are sorted out.

 

Best regards

Palle H. Jensen

 

 

When an airline picks up a new airplane from the manufacturer, for a "mature' product, it normally will go into revenue service as soon as possible, typically the next day

 

Actually anywhere from a week to a month is more common for a mature product like the 737. Certainly not the next day. As you can see from the American Airlines video, they effectively remove a fair bit of the interior to rework it to their specs. This is not a one-day job.

 

Some airlines take delivery with no seats for example, and fly it to their own maintenance base for installation, or a 3rd party outfitter.

That's the AA way, not necessarily the way other customers do theirs!

 

Cheers

Palle H. Jensen

 

 

That's the AA way, not necessarily the way other customers do theirs!

Which is why I said anywhere from a week to a month. At the very least they will need to install airline specific items like safety cards, various on-board items such as signage, amenities etc. I am happy to be proved wrong buy I don't think it would be very common to have a plane enter revenue service literally the day after delivery. Perhaps cargo aircraft. There are various other items that the airline will usually configure and test such as loading the IFE software and testing, and so on, after delivery. I suppose if they got Boeing to do ever little item on the production line they may get away with a compressed timeline.

UAL is another airline where new deliveries spent about a week in the hangar for "pre-service." This was in the 90s, when I worked there. I installed many an Airfone (remember those?) in brand new 757s and others. There were all kinds of other new installations, but I don't remember what those were. But I can say with certainty (ok, near certainty) that not a single airplane entered service the day after delivery.

Which is why I said anywhere from a week to a month. At the very least they will need to install airline specific items like safety cards, various on-board items such as signage, amenities etc. I am happy to be proved wrong buy I don't think it would be very common to have a plane enter revenue service literally the day after delivery. Perhaps cargo aircraft. There are various other items that the airline will usually configure and test such as loading the IFE software and testing, and so on, after delivery. I suppose if they got Boeing to do ever little item on the production line they may get away with a compressed timeline.

Most of that can be installed by the manufacturer if required.

Most of that can be installed by the manufacturer if required.

That is true, in fact in the AA video above they stated that they used to have Boeing do it for them but decided it was more cost effective to do it themselves.

 

Short answer is there is no set time frame for when a new airplane starts making money, its up to the individual airline and what they want to do with it after taking delivery.

Related to this topic, sometimes entry to service is delayed due to 3rd parties not having equipment in time, IE the whole seatgate that is Zodiac. Boeing actually having to park planes in the desert right off the production line due to missing seats.

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-27/dreamliners-missing-seats-prompt-boeing-to-park-787s-in-desert