If you’re driving around North Charleston this weekend and you feel a disturbance in the Force, it’s probably just the 787 Dreamliner sitting outside Boeing South Carolina.
The largest Artoo unit in the world (unofficial) landed at Charleston International last night, according to a few industrious Charleston Regional Business Journal reporters who camped out in the rain to get a glimpse at the Dreamliner painted like the saucy droid R2-D2.
The 787-9 is the first in a trio of Star Wars-themed aircraft that will take to the skies beginning this fall, but it’s likely the only SC-made plane involved in the marketing scheme for Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, due out in December. Rolling off the North Charleston assembly line in mid-August, according to the Post and Courier, the ANA-owned jet first flew to Washington for its new paint job before returning last night. (Boeing South Carolina’s paint hangar is still under construction.)
ANA passengers on the Star Wars jets will get the full Disney-Star Wars experience, including a specially-decorated interior and access to all the films in the franchise via the jet’s in-flight entertainment system.
The North Charleston-made jet will reportedly begin service between Tokyo and Vancouver on October 18.
Back in #Charleston pic.twitter.com/1wPVzE8AV7
— Andy Paras (@AndyParas) September 18, 2015
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