AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2012 - 68

If you go:
Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing tours: www.futureofflight.org The Museum of Flight: www.museumofflight.org

provide transportation to your next experience—the Museum of Flight, which is located on the airport. While there are many great aviation museums scattered around the country, as you might imagine, the one a stone’s throw away from the world’s largest airliner manufacturer has access to some particularly amaz-

ing aircraft, including a Boeing 707 that once served as Air Force One; a Concorde; and some stunning fighters and other military airplanes, past and present. And few visitors seem to recognize the contributions to space made by Boeing, something you’ll appreciate by the time you leave the space gallery.

The old 707 with its 1960s-era executive interior seems quaint, with a typewriter resting at a secretary’s desk.

Boeing learns from GA composite success

A host of technology promises better ride for passengers and crew alike

Thanks to its composite fuselage, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner sports enormous cockpit windows (far right). A 787 flight test airplane (near right) touts many engineering stations and carries a water ballast system that allows for an easy shifting of weight and balance for test flights.
AOPA PILOT •

he technological leaps made by Boeing with the 787 Dreamliner have been almost as noteworthy as the model’s trials, tribulations, and delays in coming to market. Taking a tip from general aviation manufacturers, Boeing has incorporated unprecedented levels of composite material into the new airliner—and seemingly taken full advantage of the weight savings and aerodynamic efficiencies possible with composites. Combined with new-generation engines, avionics, and other systems, the 787’s composite structures promise remarkable fuel savings and performance improvements over conventional airliners. As the Dreamliner neared its entry into service late last year, we were given several opportunities to learn more about this impressive airplane, including access to Boeing engineers and pilots at EAA AirVenture during the summer of 2011 and an exclusive look at a flight test airplane and an airplane ready for delivery during a visit to the Boeing factory in Everett, Washington, later that fall. To give you a sense of just how much the 787 differs from conventional metal Boeings, consider that the company believes it can assemble one of the widebodies in five to seven days once production matures a bit. Compare that to the usual three- to four-month production process for a 747, which has been in production in one form or another since 1968. A Boeing 777 has 50,000 fasteners in the wing alone. Altogether, Boeing airplanes, including the 787, have millions of fasteners, but the Dreamliner will have 1.5 million fewer fasteners than the others, thanks to its composite structures.

The robust composite fuselage allows for passenger windows that are 50 percent larger than those on most airliners, giving passengers even from across the cabin a good view to the outside. The cockpit windows are stunningly large, offering remarkable visibility to the crew. That same robustness allows the cabin to be pressurized to a higher level, providing a lower cabin altitude. Because there’s less concern about metal corrosion, the airplanes will be able to incorporate humidifiers to make passengers and crew more comfortable. And the composite construction allows for thinner sidewalls, maximizing cabin cross section, overhead baggage space, and flexible cabin configurations. The configured airplane we saw offered a stand-up refreshment bar mid-cabin, crew-adjustable LED mood lighting, and passenger-dimmable windows instead of shades. Up front, the crew can call up digital charts on dedicated displays next to each pilot—in addition to the usual PFDs and MFDs used for navigation and command. However, unlike some general aviation airplanes, the charts are not georeferenced and own ship’s position is not displayed on the charts. Airlines will appreciate that the 787 shares a type rating with the 777, requiring only a five-day differences training course for transitioning pilots. With the most recent increases in fuel prices, airlines will also appreciate fuel burns as much as 20 percent lower than those of comparable aircraft. The 787 promises to be environmentally friendly in other ways, with lower carbon dioxide emissions and lower noise footprints. The lower noise comes

68 • MAY 2012

http://www.futureofflight.org http://www.museumofflight.org

AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2012

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