New jumbo jet’s problems

Press, 1 May 1981, Page 1

New jumbo jet’s problems

NZPA staff correspondent Seattle

The giant aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, has run into “minor” problems with the cockpit instrumentation on Air New Zealand’s first 747 jumbo jet. ,

The problems are related to Air New Zealand insistence that the .' in-

strumentation resemble as closely as possible that of the airline’s present Douglas DCIO aircraft, according to a Boeing spokesman, Mr Bill Mellon.

Boeing has perfected the manufacture of the h.ripbacked, wide-bodied 747 aircraft after the production of more than 500 jumbos over the last 13 years.

But Mr Mellon said yesterday that the company had not previously produced one with so much DCIO Sype instrumentation.

Air New Zealand had negotiated the requirement i.i its original contract because it felt that the move would save costs on training air and ground crew, Mr Mellon said.

He described the prob-

lems as minor, and J aid that Boeing did not expect them to affect the scheduled delivery date of May 29.

Air New Zealand’s first 747 is standing, fully painted in the airline’s -zery, at the Everett plant. It still has plastic covering on its seats and carpets so that the decor is in top shape when the aircraft is delivered. The

second 747 is just behind it on the production line, and will be delivered early next month. A third will follow soon after. The aircraft will be flown to New Zealand via Honolulu, by Captain Peter Grundy, of Auckland. It will first be seen in Christchurch on July 15, when it will arrive from Auckland to take on passengers for Sydney.