When the Boeing 747 was first introduced commercially in 1970, it revolutionized long-distance airline travel. In fact, the world’s first jumbo jet held the record for passenger capacity for 37 years - only being surpassed in 2006 by the Airbus A-380. Now, the next revolutionary aircraft from Boeing is set for commercial flight by the end of the year: the 787 Dreamliner.
The 787 Dreamliner is being produced in three different models: the 787-8, 787-9 and 787-3. The 787-8 will carry 210 to 250 passengers on routes of 7,650 to 8,200 nautical miles, while the 787-9 will carry 250 to 290 passengers on routes of 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles. For shorter routes with more passengers, the 787-3 will accommodate 290 to 330 passengers on routes of 2,500 to 3,050 nautical miles. The Dreamliner will match the speeds of today’s fastest wide-body airplanes (Mach 0.85), and offer passengers a more comfortable interior environment. Along with wider seats and isles, other new design features found inside the Dreamliner include sweeping arches, dynamic lighting, larger lavatories, more spacious luggage bins, and electronic window shades (which allow passengers to change the transparency level of windows rather than simply close or open shades).
Though it may seem curious that Boeing would choose to introduce a new plane at a time when air travel is decreasing as fuel prices and air fares increase, the Dreamliner offers a solution to that problem too. The 787 will provide airlines with greater fuel efficiency - using 20 percent less fuel than similarly sized planes. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the Dreamliner’s design is the fact that as much as 50 percent of the plane’s structure will be made of carbon composite materials. These materials result in a body that is lighter and, along with an innovative engine, give the plane its improved fuel efficiency. Boeing has selected General Electric and Rolls-Royce to develop engines for the new airplane, and it is expected that advances in engine technology will contribute as much as 8 percent of the increased efficiency of the new airplane. Additionally, Dreamliners may even include health-monitoring systems that will allow the airplane to self-monitor and report maintenance requirements to ground-based computer systems.
Despite all its promises and perks, the Dreamliner has faced its share of problems – among them, rumors of design flaws and multiple delays. Since offering the new planes for sale in 2003, over 850 planes have been ordered by airlines (with a total price tag of over $150 billion!). After the Dreamliner’s configuration was completed in 2005, suppliers from around the world went to work producing parts to put the plane together. The 787 program opened its final assembly plant in May 2007, and the Dreamliner is expected to enter into service in late 2009. Until then, the question remains: will the Dreamliner revolutionize air travel the way the 747 did and help bring travelers back to the skies?
