Boeing

Flying non-stop from Geneva -- a journey of approximately 6,000 nautical miles -- a Boeing Business Jet arrived here today, ready to take its place as one of the featured attractions on static display at the Asian Aerospace 2000 air show.

The airplane recently became the first BBJ to complete a round-the-world journey, taking the airplane owner and business associates from Geneva non-stop to Bangkok, onward to Cairns and then Sydney, Australia; from Sydney to Tahiti; from Tahiti to Van Nuys, California; and from there back home to Geneva. The owner of the airplane (name withheld) has loaned it back to Boeing to display at the air show as working model of the BBJ.

"We love this airplane," said the pilot, Capt. William Christophe, who also was the pilot for the round-the-world trip and has logged more than 100,000 miles since last October, when the airplane entered service. "There is a world of difference (compared with other executive jets) in cabin space. It really feels more like an elegant home than an airplane because there is so much room to move around, and the interior decoration is truly stunning. Nothing could be more comfortable on a long flight."

Air show visitors to the airplane will find a blend of advanced technology in avionics and communications, and old-world charm and beauty in the cabin decoration. The cabin is done in the style of an 18th Century palace with fine furniture, bookcases, columns, and inlaid wood tables and paneling.

The Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) is a special, high-performance derivative of the Next-Generation 737-700. Specifically designed for corporate and VIP applications, the BBJ combines the size of the 737-700 fuselage (110 feet 4 inches, 33.6 meters) with the strengthened wings and landing gear from the larger and heavier 737-800. The tailored combination provides owners with a business jet platform having a maximum range capability of 7,130 statute miles (6,200 nautical miles, 11,475 kilometers), while requiring less than 6,000 feet (1,829 meters) of runway. With nearly three times the room of other airplanes in this range category, the Boeing Business Jet provides payload flexibility beyond that of any competitor.