Where Does Boeing Fly The Dreamlifter?

The Boeing Dreamlifter is one of the most eye-catching planes around. Used chiefly to transport large Dreamliner parts for Boeing, the Dreamlifter is a unique plane to spot at one of the several airports it flies to worldwide.

Inception of the Dreamlifter

The Boeing Dreamlifter fleet was conceived shortly after the turn of the century as a resolution to the logistical complexities of assembling the yet-to-be-built 787 Dreamliners. Compared to Boeing’s previous projects, many large components of the Dreamliner are manufactured overseas. The size of these parts is restrictive for over-water shipping from both a time and size standpoint, so Boeing decided to convert four 747-400s into the mammoth freighter. The Dreamliner project is also where the Dreamlifter found its similar-sounding name.

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Dreamlifters have a mind-boggling capacity. The volume of its cargo bay exceeds regularly configured 747Fs by nearly three times. The plane’s weight-bearing capacity, however, doesn’t differ much from other 747 freighters. Still, the volume solution was the critical variable since the Dreamlifter primarily transports large items, such as the wings of a Dreamliner, which are manufactured in Japan. Interestingly, the Dreamlifter’s range is significantly less than a standard 747. It can travel only 4,200 NM compared to 7,600 NM of other 747 freighters.

According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, N718BA, 718BC, and 780BA (three of the four Dreamlifters) have all been in Charleston, SC, within the past week of this article’s writing. The Dreamlifter fleet is operated by Atlas Air, a US-based airline specializing in global freight and charter services.

Where to spot the Dreamlifter fleet

The Dreamlifter is most frequently in and out of Charleston International Airport in South Carolina. Located on the central coast of South Carolina, Charleston is a city that has long been home to US Air Force and Navy installations. The Charleston airport is a dual-purpose civilian and military airport home to Boeing’s Dreamliner aircraft manufacturing division. As the Dreamlifter was built to support the Dreamliner program, it stands to reason that the unusual-looking cargo jet can most frequently be spotted at Charleston.

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Since the Dreamlifter’s range is limited, Ted Stevens Anchorage International is the second-best airport to spot the plane. The airport is a well-known stopping point for cargo operations between Asia and the Americas, and the Dreamlifter takes advantage of Anchorage to refuel and re-crew on trips between the US and Japan. Chubu Centrair International Airport (just south of Nagoya) is another hot spot for the Dreamlifter fleet. Not only is the airport a significant cargo, but also the location of Boeing’s Dreamliner production support facility in Japan.

Two more airports where spotters are likely to see a Dreamlifter are the Taranto-Grottaglie Airport in southeastern Italy and McConnell AFB in Wichita, Kansas. Like Chubu Centrair, Boeing operates extensive facilities dedicated to Dreamliner production in both locations. Taranto and Wichita are primary production locations for the Dreamliner’s fuselage, so Dreamlifters are scheduled into the airports for pick-ups on a near-weekly basis.

Charleston Airport, Anchorage International, Chubu Centrair, and Taranto-Grottaglie are the four most likely places to spot a Dreamlifter. They also frequent places like Paine Field in Seattle and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, as well as many other airports worldwide.

Have you ever spotted a Dreamlifter before? Let us know about your experience in the comments below.