“Plane Of The Future” Unveiled
Posted July 9, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
If you believe the hype, what happened on Sunday was a revolutionary moment in the history of flight, somewhat akin to the Wright Brothers taking off at Kitty Hawk in December 1903. But even the most skeptical would have to admit the new jet unveiled by Boeing, called the Dreamliner 787, is unlike any other plane that’s ever been seen before.
What’s so special about this aircraft, why is the Seattle giant risking the company’s fortunes on it and what will it mean to you if you get on one? The designers not only used the very latest technology but looked at building the plane from the passenger’s point of view.
The craft holds travellers nine abreast in coach, but the seats are spread so that everyone has a window seat. And those windows are bigger than any ever put into a plane, extending above the seats and making the view that much more spectacular. The 787 eschews traditional pull-down blinds, using an electronic filter to automatically let you tint the windows, so you can sleep but still see outside. It also has special lighting that adjusts to the time of day when the plane is flying, so if you’re on an international flight, it lessens jet lag.
There are built-in entertainment systems on the back of each seat. And the airplane has been designed to be more esthetically and architecturally pleasing, with a feeling of open space. It’s also computer controlled to adjust for wind and turbulence, so those who get motion sickness while flying won’t feel the impact. It flies at lower altitudes, increasing oxygen and humidity inside and leaving travellers less likely to experience side effects like dry eyes and popping ears. And it comes with a purification system that Boeing claims makes the oxygen inside cleaner than the air outside.
Even the construction materials are different. It’s made of mostly carbon-fibre composites, making them light and less prone to corrosion than the aluminum used in many planes. And because they’re lighter, the craft needs less fuel to operate. “Our journey began some six years ago when we knew we were on the cusp of delivering valuable new technologies that would make an economic difference to our airline customers,” explains spokesman Mike Bair. “In our business, that happens every 15 years or so, so you’ve got to get it right.”
None of this comes cheap. Each aircraft costs $162 million, and at that price you might not think there’d be a lot of takers. But you’d be wrong. Even though not a single aircraft has ever actually flown, the 787 has already been a huge success, with 677 orders from airlines around the world, including Air Canada, which has snapped up as many as 60 of them.
The first test flight is expected to take place in late August or September and the inaugural journey with real passengers could come the following May, when Japan gets delivery of the first 50 planes.
Take a video tour of the new plane
Photo Credit: Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images
