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Further Reading

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

In response to the preferences of airlines around the world, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' new airplane is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a super-efficient airplane. The original customer objectives set for the 787 program in 2002 were for a more-efficient airplane that had the seating capacity of a 767 and the range and speed of a 777 or 747. An international team of top aerospace companies is developing the airplane, led by Boeing at its Everett, Wash. facility near Seattle. Several derivatives are being studied to provide additional capabilities of the 787 family of airplanes.

The 787-8 Dreamliner will carry 210 - 250 passengers on routes of 7,650 to 8,200 nautical miles (14,200 to 15,200 kilometers), while the 787-9 Dreamliner will carry 250 - 290 passengers on routes of 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles (14,800 to 15,750 kilometers). The -9 is a longer-body version of the -8 and is a long-range aircraft with increased passenger count over the -8. Future growth versions could address additional passenger count, cargo capacity, or increased range. One derivatives being studied is the -3, a short-range derivative of the 787-8 with the same fuselage size and passenger count. Several wing configurations and wingspans are also being studied to address increased payload and range requirements.

In addition to bringing big-jet ranges to mid-size airplanes, the 787 will provide airlines with unmatched fuel efficiency, resulting in exceptional environmental performance. The airplane will use 20 percent less fuel for comparable missions than today's similarly sized airplane. It will also travel at speeds similar to today's fastest wide bodies, Mach 0.85. Airlines will enjoy more cargo revenue capacity. Passengers will also see improvements with the new airplane, from an interior environment with higher humidity to increased comfort and convenience.

The 787 is 15 inches (38 cm) wider inside at the head and shoulders level of the seated passenger - where it matters most. Airbus often says there isn't much difference between the 787 and their product. They say the difference in the fuselages amounts to only a 4.5 inch (11 cm) advantage for the Dreamliner at the widest place. Airbus is talking about exterior dimensions. And because the two aircraft have differently-shaped fuselages, the widest places on the airplanes - measured from inside the passenger cabin - are not necessarily in the same spot. The Airbus airplane has a single, circular fuselage - which means its widest point falls somewhere nearer the floor in the passenger cabin. What that means to you, the passenger, seated at the window, is a steep slope at the head and shoulders - sacrificing passenger comfort, and airlines' flexibility. With the 787's larger double bubble, there is a straighter sidewall and less of a slope.

The cross section Boeing chose for the Dreamliner provides a 9-abreast configuration - with the same kind of comfort levels found in economy class in today's airplanes such as in the 747 and the A330/A340. Basically, the very same triple seats used in the 747 could be used in a 9-abreast configuration in the 787. But the beauty of the 787 is the built-in flexibility for airlines for the different kinds of markets they serve. Our customers will have the option in the Dreamliner of providing a premium economy arrangement at 8-abreast. This allows for the largest seat available - bigger than you'd find today in economy - a 19 inch seat bottom. Now here's the issue. When it comes to comparing the 787 to the Airbus alternative, there's been some confusion. Should this be an 8-abreast to 8-abreast comparison? Or a 9-abreast to 9-abreast?

The key to this exceptional performance is a suite of new technologies being developed by Boeing and its international technology development team. Boeing has announced that as much as 50 percent of the primary structure - including the fuselage and wing - on the 787 will be made of composite materials.

An open architecture will be at the heart of the 787's systems, which will be more simplified than today's airplanes and offer increased functionality. For example, the team is looking at incorporating health-monitoring systems that will allow the airplane to self-monitor and report maintenance requirements to ground-based computer systems.

Boeing has selected General Electric and Rolls-Royce to develop engines for the new airplane. It is expected that advances in engine technology will contribute as much as 8 percent of the increased efficiency of the new airplane, representing a nearly two-generation jump in technology for the middle of the market.

Another improvement in efficiency will come in the way the airplane is designed and built. New technologies and processes are in development to help Boeing and its supplier partners achieve unprecedented levels of performance at every phase of the program. For example, by manufacturing a one-piece fuselage section, we are eliminating 1,500 aluminum sheets and 40,000 - 50,000 fasteners.