NEW YORK (Reuters) — Boeing plans to debut its 787 Dreamliner at an event at its assembly plant in Everett, Wash., on Sunday.
The carbon-composite, aluminum and titanium Dreamliner promises fuel savings for airlines and a new standard of comfort for passengers.
It is Boeing's most successful plane launch ever, with more than 600 orders before the plane has even left the ground. Here are a few facts on the 787:
What's new:
— The aircraft's use of lightweight composites will be unprecedented — some 50% of the primary structure by weight versus 12% for the last all-new Boeing, the 777.
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FACTBOX
— Its lighter weight and all-new engines are expected to make the plane 20% more fuel efficient than similarly sized planes.
— Instead of panels bolted together, the 787's fuselage is woven out of composite in large barrels, saving tens of thousands of parts.
— As composite materials do not rust, moisture in cabin air can be much higher than today's planes, promising a more pleasant flying experience.
— Boeing has outsourced most of the manufacturing to firms in Japan, Italy, South Carolina and elsewhere. Six large pieces are to be joined within a huge structure called the "MOATT" — mother of all tool towers.
Some facts:
— The 787-8 Dreamliner will seat between 210 and 250 people.
— The aircraft will fly at Mach 0.85, about 570 mph at typical cruise altitudes, similar to a 747 jumbo.
— The first version of the plane, the 787-8, will have a range of 7,650 to 8,200 nautical miles.
— The 787-8 is 186 feet long and has a wingspan of 197 feet.
— There will be four variants of the 787: The 787-8 will enter service in May 2008; the shorter-range 787-3 and the stretched 787-9 are scheduled to enter service in 2010. An even larger 787-10 is expected later still.
— List prices for the planes range from $146 million to $200 million, depending on model and configuration
Good work Boeing
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Originally Posted by David Deas
