Boeing shattered its previous single year record for orders in 2007, tabling some 1,413 for its commercial aircraft a year over year increase of close to 40 percent — 369 of the orders were for the 787 Dreamliner. The company’s prior net order records sat at 1,044 and 1,002 in 2006 and 2005, respectively. Boeing says its total yet-to-be-filled order book now includes over 3,400 aircraft, including 817 orders taken for the Dreamliner since that program’s launch in 2004. The Dreamliner now holds position as the fastest-selling new aircraft in history, according to Boeing. First flight of the efficiency-tailored jet has been delayed into this year by technical problems and first deliveries are now expected by year-end. Airbus, facing the crunch of paying workers in domestic currencies but selling product in weakened dollars, has not yet released its 2007 orders numbers, but through September offered 854 to what was then 893 for Boeing.
