US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has received 851 orders for its long-range 787 Dreamliner plane from 56 airlines, the head of Boeing France said on Tuesday, describing the tally as "historic.". Yves Galland told a press conference the order total took account of 84 cancellations, 83 of which were received last year. But he said the order total was "historic for the launch of an aircraft." The first of the planes will be delivered to the Japanese carrier ANA in the last quarter of 2010.

Because of composite materials used in its construction, the 787, which has made 15 test flights but is two years behind schedule, can cut fuel consumption by 20 percent, according to Galland. "We are very aware of the problems that we have encountered but we are very confident about the future," he added.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2010