Boeing's 787 Dreamliner in U.S debut

OSHKOSH, Wis., July 29 (UPI) -- Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, the company's flagship 21st century airliner, made its public U.S. debut at the AirVenture air show in Wisconsin.

The American debut of the world's first jetliner made largely of superhardened plastics comes as Boeing prepares for a September delivery to its first customer, Japan's All Nippon Airways, the Chicago Tribune reported Friday.

That's almost three years behind schedule as design and construction problems resulted in numerous delays, the newspaper said.

At the air show in Oshkosh at Wittman Regional Airport, the airliner made two low and slow passes before landing to take its place among the experimental and homebuilt aircraft so air show crowds could walk to the plane's interior.

"I fly a lot, unfortunately usually in the back of the bus, so I'm eager to ride in a plane that's billed as offering more creature comforts in economy (class)," air show attendee Jack Haas of New York said. "It's about time, honestly, that the airlines invest in new technology."

Boeing says the twin-engine, 250-passenger plane is the fastest-selling commercial airliner in the company's history and will achieve a 20-percent improvement in fuel economy over other planes the same size.