Boeing 787 Dreamliner
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is one of the most technologically advanced planes ever built today. It features quiet and comfortable flights, new engines, advanced glass cockpits, etc. It also has the biggest windows on a commercial plane. This post deals with all of it.
Initial planning for making
After the drop of the Boeing supersonic jet project and the closure of the 767 program, Boeing had demanded to make an airplane which would have the characteristics of these two. This was how the 787 Dreamliner project was born.
The targets that Boeing had was 20% more efficient fuel burn, capacity of 200-300 passengers and a range of about 8500 nautical miles.
Building
Boeing spent 32 Billion dollars in the 787 project. The first 787 was delivered to ANA (All Nippon Airways) on 25th September, 2011. As of December 2020, 922 Dreamliners have been built.
Early issues
When the 787 Dreamliner entered into service, it had many issues with its lithium ion batteries catching fire. Since those incidents, The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) grounded all 787's from flying. Boeing claimed that it has found a fix for the problem by providing additional cases on top of the batteries. The catching of fire occurs because of the lithium ions in the battery reacting with water vapor in the air.
Carbon-composite Fuselage and Wings
A composite material is a mixture of many materials. The 787 Dreamliner features carbon-composite fuselage and wings. The main advantage of using these materials to build an airplane is that the aircraft would significantly save weight cutting down operating costs by saving fuel. It has a long wingspan and the wings are also raked which helps to produce more lift.
Engines
The Boeing 787 can be equipped with two different engines from two different manufacturers. It can be equipped with General Electric GENX engines or Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines. Both of these engines adopt the latest technology with engine chevrons. The engine chevrons reduce engine noise by amplifying it down, giving passengers a very comfortable journey.
Advanced glass cockpits
Cockpits changed a lot from the early times to the present. Early airplanes required three pilots to control the airplane. It was filled with analogue gauges and a lot of switches. Cockpits made today make use of electronic screens in which the pilot can monitor the systems. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is amongst them. It features touchscreens like mobile phones to make it a lot simpler and easier.
Variants
The Boeing 787 has three variants till now, the 787-8, -9, and the -10. The -10 has the smallest range and carries the maximum passengers. The -9 has the longest range and the medium sized among the three. The -8 is the smallest and has its range longer than the -10.
Major customers
The major customers of the 787 Dreamliner are ANA, Etihad Airways, American Airlines and United Airlines.
The Boeing 747-8
Many of the features of the latest model of the 747, the 747-8 are adopted from the Boeing 787. The 787 is also referred to as the 747-8's little sister.
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