When Was The First Time You Saw A 787?

DocLightning · Mon Aug 25, 2014 3:35 am

This is in the same vein as the "First time you saw the A380" thread in this forum.

My first 787 that I ever saw "in person" was one sitting on the ground at PAE before they were certified. A year later, I flew in one from SFO to HND. It was the first time I'd actually seen a 787 in service. It wasn't until we were in Japan that I actually saw one take off or land (from outside the aircraft).

TWA772LR · Mon Aug 25, 2014 3:45 am

I know my first time (for sure seeing one) was when I went to CHS in 2012. Me and my dad went up to the plant there and walked around the perimeter fence and saw some 787s and a couple Dreamlifters. I thought they were huge! The angle I was looking at them made them look almost as big as a 777.

My first, and only, time flying on one was the first day they came off the grounding and me and my parents flew on the first flight of IAH-EWR. I was skeptical at first about how advanced it was but was blown away by almost everything; the windows, clarity of the PA system, the cabin pressure (most refreshing flight I've ever been on!), and even the toilet seat that lowered itself when you push the flush button! The crew even let me go into the cockpit to take a picture!

lpdal · Mon Aug 25, 2014 4:06 am

Online, probably 2007-8...

In person, I saw a Norwegian 788 overfly Fort Lauderdale beach to join the pattern for 9L at FLL, but I couldn't photograph it quick enough.

This is the first one I photographed (shy girl is self conscious and hiding behind a gate

) :

Later that night after returning from VCT, this was taken on my flight from IAH back home to FLL:

-LPDAL

hoons90 · Mon Aug 25, 2014 4:13 am

At Boeing Field in May of 2011, saw two of them in Boeing house colors. That's also when I saw my first 747-8i.

b777erj145 · Mon Aug 25, 2014 4:19 am

I first saw it in when I was transiting through Zurich

DeltaMD95 · Mon Aug 25, 2014 5:29 am

I remember seeing a LOT 787 parked at O'hare for weeks while the type was grounded. It was essentially stuck on the tarmac and could be seen from I-294.

More recently, a LOT 787 passed over my home on it's 180 loop/turn/descent into ORD. I have to admit, I did not find the tone of the RR Trent 1000s particularly pleasing to the ears. Oh well.

IAHflyer97 · Mon Aug 25, 2014 6:18 am

I saw a few UA 788's during the grounding, but I won't count those. I saw about 7 everyday fly over my house after they lifted the grounding. And I still see 2 or 3 everyday over my house! I try and catch them as often as I can. I don't what the actual date of my first time was.

817Dreamliiner · Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:05 am

My first 787 was spotted at MAN on the 24th of April 2012. ZA003 when it came to the UK on its world tour. I actually skipped a day at uni to go see it

IMG00456-20120424-1325 by 817Dreamliiner, on Flickr

I also remember the Awesome fly by it did along with a wing wave

IMG00436-20120424-1305 by 817Dreamliiner, on Flickr

[Edited 2014-08-25 04:07:11]

[Edited 2014-08-25 04:07:48]

mwhcvt · Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:39 am

Thus far the first and only view of a 787 is as if flew over my home just a couple of minutes after taking off from BHX I was sat on my patio enjoying the last of the evenings sun and looking at FR24 on my iPad and noticed it was going to pass right over my house, so watched it all the way over, that wing flex even at about 6000ft was beautiful

S75752 · Mon Aug 25, 2014 1:03 pm

The first 787 I ever saw in person was at SFO in the Intl terminal, in fact the one that I would be flying a couple hours later to IAH on UA.

The second and third 787's that I saw and were a passenger on were a month later, one from SFO to IAH and then another from IAH to LHR an hour later. I was quite proud of managing to find that interesting itinerary.

skiaplg · Mon Aug 25, 2014 2:55 pm

I first saw a 787 in July 2013 in WAW, and first flew the 787 in August 2013 with LOT PEK-WAW. I last saw a 787 last week, in BOS.

iahcsr · Mon Aug 25, 2014 3:00 pm

Top level of a parking structure at IAH when UA Ship 0904 was delivered

UltimateDelta · Mon Aug 25, 2014 3:22 pm

The first one I ever saw was an ANA aircraft at FRA in June 2012. Definitely a standout among everything else there!

KPDX · Mon Aug 25, 2014 3:36 pm

First 787 I saw at all was an ANA 788 at cruise over Oregon during a Boeing test flight. I could tell it was a 787 just from the wings alone, even though it was at 39,000 feet!

Up close, I first saw the 787 at IAH (a UAL bird).

Yflyer · Mon Aug 25, 2014 7:22 pm

The first one I saw in person was when Bowing was doing test flights at MHR, so that must have been some time in 2010. I knew Boeing sometimes did test flights there, so I set up an alert on Flightaware to notify me any time a 787 was scheduled to land there. The first time one did I made a special trip out there to see it.

BEG2IAH · Mon Aug 25, 2014 7:57 pm

I saw ZA003 and was on board this aircraft in late 2010. More of my excitement described here: We Were On The 787 Dreamliner And The DreamLifter (by Art at ISP Nov 6 2010 in Civil Aviation)

SRQKEF · Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:53 pm

ZA002 in ANA c/s came to Iceland in September 2010. Mostly it was just doing wind tests out at KEF but it also did a low pass over the city before making a touch and go at RKV. I was walking downtown and almost called an ambulance as I thought I was seeing things! I didn't know it was even in the country so suddenly seeing a 787 between the countless F50 and DH8 arrivals was a very very very large surprise, and a real pleasant one for sure!

First time seeing the -9 was at FAB earlier this year.

Regards
Sveinn

[Edited 2014-08-25 16:54:11]

FrmrKSEngr · Tue Aug 26, 2014 4:17 am

Jan 21, 2012, Boeing Wichita. Dreamliner and Dreamlifter. N787BX came to town to allow Boeing and Spirit employees to tour the aircraft. I was struck by te abscence of pop-up cricuit breakers on the flight deck.

ctnyc12 · Tue Aug 26, 2014 2:45 pm

A year ago from yesterday (8/25/2013) I saw a UA 787 parked at DEN getting ready for its departure for NRT.. Beautiful plane!

sw733 · Tue Aug 26, 2014 3:56 pm

Since I work in aerospace engineering and do decent business with Boeing, the first I saw was when I was invited to the rollout in 2007

First I saw in the air was a test flight at PAE in mid-2010 in Boeing colors.

northstardc4m · Tue Aug 26, 2014 5:50 pm

Novermber 10/2012 at YYZ, Ethiopian, seen from a DL CRJ200 heading for DTW...

n729pa · Thu Aug 28, 2014 5:54 pm

First one I saw was an Air India one at FRA in 2012.

First one at LHR (my home airport) was Qatar Airways I think....seen AC/UA/AM/BI/AI/BA/ET/CZ ones here since
plus LA, NH, JQ, DY and Thompson ones on my travels ...she's growing on me now

Haven't seen a JAL, Hainan or LOT one yet though, and haven't flown on one either.

aflyingkiwi · Fri Aug 29, 2014 4:29 am

The first I saw was in April this year. A CZ 788 at AKL.

fallap · Fri Aug 29, 2014 6:30 am

July the 5th. this year, upon embarking on my trip to DOH - ADD with QR 787 and A320

PITingres · Fri Aug 29, 2014 12:56 pm

So far, the only one I've seen in the flesh (or plastic, as may be) was one of ANA's at SJC, taxi and takeoff. Lovely airplane.

zkojq · Fri Aug 29, 2014 2:19 pm

November 12, 2011 at Auckland. Boeing had kindly sent N787BA as part of its first world tour. A good friend took me to see it land. I remember how quiet it was.

I saw its roll-out and first flight live on the internet.

CXB77L · Sat Aug 30, 2014 2:27 pm

I was at PAE doing the Boeing tour just a few days (literally) after the 787 made its first flight. I saw a few 787s at the FAL.

Since then I have not seen the 787 in person, let alone flown on one ...

Cipango · Sat Aug 30, 2014 2:54 pm

March 10th 2012, I was flying on LH DUB-FRA-IST and there was an ANA 787 on the tarmac.

I didn't expect it so it was a nice surprise!

dba4u · Sat Aug 30, 2014 10:23 pm

On Dec 2nd 2012 in Warsaw.

Actually an eye opener for me as I always thought that the 787 was a really ugly plane from the pictures I saw....
Seeing it in person in that gloomy december light however, I had to confess that it's actually quiet a stunning piece of composite

aerdingus · Sat Aug 30, 2014 10:28 pm

In March 2012 driving past DUB to my training course. I may have veered slightly trying to get a good look!

YVRLTN · Sun Aug 31, 2014 1:45 am

Quoting DocLightning (Thread starter):

My first 787 that I ever saw "in person" was one sitting on the ground at PAE before they were certified.

Same as you, not too bad living up the road from PAE! First one I saw fly was a QR machine also from PAE.

First one in commercial service, UA at IAH I think.

Cactus739 · Mon Sep 01, 2014 12:25 am

Mine was at IAH the end of May 2013.

I stepped off my A329 from Phoenix and was looking around for a second when I glanced out the window and there she was right beside us. Beautiful plane. Sadly I couldn't admire it for long as my ERJ to XNA was about to board and I had quite a trek to do.

pwm2txlhopper · Mon Sep 01, 2014 5:59 pm

Norwegian 787 on final to FLL from OSL a few months ago. I recognized the distinctive, newer style red anti collision beacon before I realized what I was viewing.

fanofjets · Mon Sep 01, 2014 10:56 pm

I admit I have yet to spot my first Dreamliner. I guess I have been spending too much time photographing ancient museum pieces. Spotting a new plane the first time is always a thrill, though. The most thrilling was spotting my first Boeing 747, a Pan Am bird on approach over Amsterdam in 1971. That made enough of an impression that 43 years later I still remember the feeling of awe I had - and still have when I see a Boeing 747 (sadly, increasingly rare).

View Large View Medium
Click here for bigger photo!

Photo © Sarah Ward

jumpjets · Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:12 pm

Mt first glimpse was at LHR in April 2012 [I think] when the Dreamliner came as part of its grand tour of the world prior to it entering commercial service.

Living just off the flight path into LHR I've been lucky enough to see 787s from several airlines at LHR and also seen them at LGW (Norwegian) WAW (LOT) and HEL (JAL).

hOMSaR · Thu Sep 04, 2014 5:06 am

Can't remember the first time I saw one (probably in Seattle while they were being tested), but the first time I saw one in service was January 2013, when I saw an ANA 787 taking off while my flight was taxiing to the terminal at SEA. It was less than 24 hours later that the worldwide fleet was grounded.

WildcatYXU · Thu Sep 04, 2014 4:20 pm

I saw it for the first time in September 2013 during the YYZ Street fest. Flew it for the first time almost a year later - July 23, 2014.

777Jet · Fri Sep 05, 2014 12:22 am

I *think* the first 787 I saw was parked at the gate in DEN next to the gate the first one I would be flying on pulled into an hour later - they looked much bigger and more fancy than I thought. Apart from flying on one, I saw at least 4, possibly even 5 others, that day - all UA birds as it was one of the extra DEN-IAH flights in summer 2013 just after the grounding was lifted and UA was operating them several times daily on hub to hub flights.

initious · Fri Sep 05, 2014 12:26 am

N787BX was here in SIN for the Singapore Airshow in 2012. Was on the bus to the airshow site and I saw it parked at the apron. It subsequently did a flypast.

yakima · Tue Sep 09, 2014 11:36 am

14 September 2012.

My mom and I was returning from a trip to Cape Verde and on arrival in Dakar, an Ethiopian 787 was parked at the airport.

We were told it was on it's Tour and was supposed to leave for Tel Aviv, but it encountered a problem and due to the scarcity of parts they were awaiting parts from the US.

At that stage I wasn't interested in aircraft registrations yet, so I don't know which one it was, but it must have been the first or second one. I also didn't take a picture. In Africa you never know what you may or may not do with a camera

727tiger · Tue Sep 09, 2014 2:25 pm

Sitting in one of CAE's rocking chairs in front of the big windows overlooking the main runway in December 2011, when a 787 performed a mock landing/fly-by. I had a ringside seat, and it looked amazing.

MIAspotter · Tue Sep 09, 2014 3:04 pm

This one, August 2nd 2013 in Oslo before boarding EI-LNA to fly back to BCN.

[img]

[/img]

The word ¨excited¨ could not really define my state of mind that day lol.

It was a great flight, and I got to visit the cockpit on arrival in BCN

MIAspotter.

N14AZ · Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:44 am

I am very happy that I already saw so many different 787-operators:
1.) ANA in FRA
2.) AI in FRA
3.) ET in FRA
4.) QR in DOH
5.) LAN in FRA
6.) Thompson in HAJ
7.) CZ in Guangzhou
8.) Hainan in PEK
9.) JAL in PEK
10.) Norwegian in BKK
11.) LOT in PEK

And just yesterday I learned that I am booked on my very first Dreamliner flight: TG from Hanoi to Bangkok!

aerorobnz · Fri Sep 19, 2014 6:11 am

First 787 was Cn 001. World tour
in service NH at FRA
Flown NH NRT-SJC. Now flown a 787 6 times in total on NH,ET.NZ. TG downgraded my 788 flight to a 333.

Have since been on every CZ 787 in their fleet at work.

Photographed/seen 787s from NH,JL,NZ,ET,KQ,QR,UA,LO,LA,CZ,Hainan, AI and a few more.

signol · Sun Sep 21, 2014 12:31 pm

Air India's, in Frankfurt, February 2014. Here:

29erUSA187 · Tue Sep 23, 2014 9:02 pm

I'm not sure if the date, but I
Saw one of the originals when it came on the dream tour to SAN. Saw my first -9 (NH) at Paine Field on the flight line along with UA and ANZ

brons2 · Wed Sep 24, 2014 3:50 pm

When BA initiated the AUS-LHR service. I see it flying over my neighborhood any afternoon that I am outside around the time of day when it arrives.

brilondon · Wed Sep 24, 2014 5:19 pm

The first one I saw was a UA787 at IAH that I flew on on my way to LHR. Nice looking aircraft and wonderful to fly.

DeltaRules · Thu Sep 25, 2014 1:10 am

First ever was seeing the silhouette of one on approach to BFI while in Seattle last Fall. First one I saw up close was the three-week old prototype -9 landing while on the BFI tour a couple days later.

The first one I saw in service was an ANA 787 at SEA on the way home.

andz · Thu Sep 25, 2014 7:30 pm

At Lagos, of all places, almost a year ago.

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