Boeing 787 (Dreamliner)

The History of the Boeing 787 (Dreamliner)

The 787 Dreamliner represents Boeing's latest foray into commercial passenger aviation. So far, the project represents an advanced, ambitious project that could sink or surface, already suffering from a weak economy and an overall decline in air travel. If successful as planned, the 787 will set the stage for becoming the most powerful jet Boeing has ever produced. The program was launched in 2004, but the first flight took place in late 2009, delayed by about two years. The 787 was unveiled at a launch ceremony on July 8, 2007.

Even before it took off, the 787 was the fastest-selling wide-body airliner in history, perhaps a sign that things are about to improve for Boeing society. Dreamliner will ship parts, materials and entire assemblies through a variety of domestic and international companies including the US, Russia, France, UK, Japan, India and Italy.

First operator

Currently, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is not in service with any airline. Japan's All Nippon Airways will be the first commercial operator of Boeing products. If the program continues as planned, these 787s are expected to fly by the end of 2010.

Some 54 aircraft companies are expected to begin operations of the 787 Dreamliner between the end of 2010 and the end of 2017. On paper, the two largest prospective customers would be ILFC (International Leasing Finance Corporation) from the US (with 67 examples) and Al Nippon from Japan (with 55 examples). Top companies that will fly the Dreamliner include Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air Berlin, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Kuwait Airways, British Airways, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qantas and Virgin Atlantic.

Each operator can choose its own engine brand (GE or Rolls-Royce), and all such aircraft are intended to use the 787-8 and 787-9 production models.

Tour the Boeing 787 Dreamliner

To the casual observer, the 787 doesn't offer much change, at least in appearance. Although some early Dreamliner design interpretations featured sleek and futuristic airframes, the design was actually quite traditional in appearance. The fuselage is tubular, with the flight deck at the forefront of the design.

The conical nose is very short, and the cockpit is equipped with four large windows. The two center windshields have individual windshield wipers. There are four crew/passenger access doors on either side of the hull. The first group is just aft of the cockpit and the second group is just below the fuselage, in front of each wing root. The third is behind the main wing assembly and the fourth is in front of the rear wing.

The wings themselves are mounted low in typical airliner fashion and have a distinctive V-shape. The wing sweep (about 32.2 degrees) is significantly excessive at the leading edge and less so at the trailing edge. The rear wing is also conventional, dominated by a tall shark-shaped vertical tail.

The horizontal planes protrude from the rear side of the fuselage, presenting their respective V-shapes. The fuselage tapers into a sharp cone at the rear of the stern. The landing gear consists of a two-wheel nose landing gear and a pair of four-wheel main landing gear.

The main legs are attached under each wing root, and the nasal bones are attached under and behind the cockpit floor.

Internally, the 787 uses composite materials, aluminum, titanium and steel to create a lightweight airframe (which theoretically increases range). The airframe will rely heavily on composite structures, making the 787 the first commercial airliner to do so.

The use of composites has come under some scrutiny when it comes to lightning strikes, visible signs of fatigue, crash survivability, and moisture absorption. Of course, Boeing is addressing these concerns with existing data.

787 Cockpit

The cockpit of the 787 Dreamliner is of course state-of-the-art. The instrument panel is dominated by a set of four customizable large liquid crystal multifunction displays (MFDs), similar to those found on military aircraft for decades. The engine controls are located between the pilot and co-pilot, on an easily accessible center console. Each pilot position is somewhat redundant and features a traditional yoke control post (as opposed to the rudder stick on Airbus 380s and military aircraft). A head-up display (HUD) is mounted on the cockpit ceiling just in front of each pilot's line of sight and provides relevant flight information during flight without the pilot taking his eyes off the air ahead.

The curved cockpit ceiling also contains easily accessible controls.

Dreamliner Order

At the time of writing, there are approximately 851 Dreamliners on order, most of them 787-8s (656) and the rest 787-9s (195). To date, no orders have been received for the 787-3. Orders started in 2004 with 56 orders placed. 235 units were ordered in 2005 and 157 units were ordered in 2006. A total of 369 units were ordered in 2007 and 93 units were ordered in 2008.

Ordered 59 in 2009.

Production

Echoing the expensive and complex military aircraft in the air today, Boeing uses subcontractors to manufacture various parts and components of the Dreamliner, with final production being Boeing's responsibility. As of this writing, only two 787s have been completed, with their maiden flight on December 15, 2009.

The 787-3 is expected to sell for between $150 and $155. $5 million per example, and the 787-8 will be between $161 and $171. 5 kingdoms. The 787-9 will cost between $194 million and $205.5 million.

787 variants 787-3, 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10

The 787-3 is the short-haul version of the 787 Dreamliner family. The 787-3 has two standard operators, a pilot and a co-pilot. Seats are expected to be between 290 and 330 passengers, depending on seating arrangements in the cabin. It is reported to be 186 feet in length, with a wingspan of 170 feet and a height of 55 feet 6 inches. The hull measures 19 feet 5 inches high and 18 feet 11 inches wide.

The cabin itself is 18 feet in diameter. These airframe dimensions are the same as the 787-3, 787-8 and 787-9 models. The 787-3 has a reported curb weight of 223,000 pounds and a reported maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 375,000. Cruising speed is around 561 mph, while top speed is 587 mph. The range will be between 2,880 and 3,510 miles.

All three Dreamliner models are capped at 43,000 feet. The 787-3 will replace Boeing's 757-300 and 767-200 products, jeopardizing the future of the Airbus A300 and A310 in service. As of this writing, the 787-3 has not been ordered and no availability date has been set.

Despite the numbering, the 787-8 actually represents the "basic product" 787 Dreamliner. The 787-8 seats 210 to 250 passengers, depending on the layout. The span is a wider 197-foot, 3-inch design with the same 32.2-degree sweepback.

Height, fuselage and cabin dimensions are all modeled after the 787-3. The kerb weight is specified at 242,000 pounds, and the MTOW is 502,500 pounds. Speed ??specs are the same as the 787-3, although range has now increased to an impressive 8,000-9,440 miles.

The 787-8 will eventually replace the 767-200ER and 767-300ER in Boeing's product line. Operations are planned to start in late 2010.

The 787-9 is a "stretch" product of the 787 Dreamliner family, essentially a long-bodied Dreamliner that can seat between 250 and 290 passengers. The length is reported to be 206 feet, while the wingspan is the same as the 787-8 model at 197 feet 3 inches. The height, fuselage and cabin dimensions are the same as the 787-3 and 787-8, but the internal cargo capacity is greater than both. Curb weight is 254,000 lbs and MTOW is 547,000 lbs.

The speed measurements are the same for all three models. The 787-9's range is now increased to between 9,210 and 9,780 miles, in its defined long-range role. The 787-9 is expected to replace the 767-400ER in Boeing's product line, jeopardizing future deployments of the Airbus A330 family.

Operations are scheduled to begin sometime in 2013.

The 787-10 is a proposed variant based on the 787-9 and competes directly with customers focusing on the French Airbus A350-900 family for their passenger passenger needs. It represents a stretch body model that can accommodate 290 to 310 passengers.

The additional passenger space will reduce the overall operating range and internal cargo capacity of the 787-9's base design, but it's a move to meet potential Boeing customers and their unique needs. Although not officially launched as a Boeing product, all indications are that the aircraft will be a permanent addition to the Dreamliner family in the near future.

Other Dreamliner variants could include cargo tugboats and military transport/tanker types - although neither Boeing nor the US military has committed to either. Rumor has it that the 787 could replace the 747-series VC-25 Air Force One in time.

787 Dreamliner Engine

Engine options for the 787 will be either a GE Aviation GEnx or a Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 series turbofan. Boeing's decision to work with the two suppliers was a departure from the company's norm and was largely driven by customer demand. Thrust performance for each engine model is as follows (x2 engine) - 53,000 lbs (for 787-3), 64,000 lbs (for 787-8), 71,000 lbs (for 787-9). Engine partner announced on April 6, 2004. The GEnx is said to be the successor to the aging CF6 turbofan series.

Engine maker Pratt & Whitney submitted an engine proposal but was not selected.

The wide choice of engine types means that the 787 Dreamliner promotes a "quick change" engine feature designed to accept any engine brand type (GE or Rolls-Royce). Boeing plans to complete the transition in about 24 hours, a cost-effective and smart move for its operators. Due to the complexity of the systems involved in the process, there was some concern with potential customers wanting an engine change within 15 days.

Boeing is optimistic it will hit its 24-hour turnaround target.

Other points

Boeing wanted the 787 Dreamliner to provide its passengers with in-flight internet access, so a network was designed and built into the plane. However, the network is said to be connected to the aircraft's key internal systems, including flight controls and navigation, as well as the communications suite. This has raised some alarms from the FAA that passengers onboard could have (forced or accidental) access to these sensitive systems. Boeing dismissed those concerns by explaining various safeguards to keep access to the passenger network separate from the plane's actual network systems.

Following a thorough review and completion, Boeing will provide evidence to the FAA to underpin system safety.

As expected in any aircraft development program, the 787 inevitably added weight, much to the dismay of its potential customers. In aircraft terms, increased weight means reduced range and increased fuel consumption.

Boeing continues to test and will use the first six production 787s to refine the design.

The 787 Dreamliner was formerly known as "7E7". This changed on January 28, 2005.

Specification

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