Late September delivery for first Jetstar 787

Boeing 787 2 — Boeing Aerostructures Australia's John Duddy (rear) explains the 787 trailing edge manufacturing process to Alan Joyce and Jayne Hrdlicka. (Jetstar)

Jetstar will take delivery of its first Boeing 787-8 in late September and a total of three 787s by the end of the year, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce has said.

Speaking on Monday at a ceremony at Boeing Aerostructures Australia’s Fishermen’s Bend, Melbourne plant to mark the construction of the first set of trailing edge devices for the first Jetstar 787, Joyce confirmed delivery of the aircraft had only been slightly delayed, despite the aircraft’s recent prolonged grounding.

The 787 will enter service by the end of the year following entry-into-service activities including training and route proving flights. The first route to be operated by the type in Jetstar service has yet to be confirmed, but Jetstar Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka noted in a statement: “The Dreamliners will operate to destinations like Honolulu, Phuket and Tokyo which are currently serviced by our A330 aircraft”.

Joyce said the Qantas Group is spending more than $100 million on training facilities and maintenance infrastructure to support the aircraft’s service entry. Jetstar has a team of 20 personnel working on its 787 program, and to date 32 maintenance engineers and four pilots have been trained on the aircraft, with a further 13 pilots in training.

Boeing Jetstar and Qantas Execs — Boeing Commercial Airplanes senior VP Asia Pacific & India sales Dinesh Keskar (left) and Ian Thomas, president Boeing Australia and South Pacific present Alan Joyce and Jayne Hrdlicka with a model of a Jetstar 787.

The Qantas Group holds firm orders for 14 787-8s which will be operated by Jetstar, and holds options and purchase rights on a further 50 787s. Boeing Aerostructures Australia is the sole source of production for the 787’s left and right hand inboard flaps, flaperons, outboard flaps and ailerons.