787 Impressions

I just got my first look at the 787 major assemblies today. Forward section, wing box/center section and aft section were all lined up. No tail cone yet but the horizontal stabilizers were in the tool as was the vertical fin.
The configuration looks to be fairly true to artist's depictions, especially the shape of the nose, layout of cockpit glass and the shape of the the wing tips.

Only 4 pieces of glass in the nose as opposed to the usual 6.

Another note of interest is the exagerated "coke bottle" crossection (horizontal/lengthwise) of the wing-to-body fairing. Very long and exagerated ahead and aft of the wing.

They "plan to roll this thing out 07/08/07

Shortly thereafter of course they will roll it back in for interior fitting of flight test monitoring stations and sensors.

A fascinating time indeed, considering my Dad was born in '26 and still alive to see this amazing evolution of technology.

The company that ushered in the age of affordable commercial flight with the 707 in 1957 is trying to revolutionize the industry again. Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner combines lightweight materials with advanced communications systems and thrifty engines--the company claims the 787 will burn 20 percent less fuel than the comparably sized 767. The innovations also include a completely new manufacturing process. Huge sections of fuselage are produced around the world, then flown via the specially designed 747 Large Cargo Freighter to Everett, Wash., for final assembly. Shown here is the 787-8, scheduled for takeoff in 2008. The 787-3 and 787-9 variants, for shorter and extended hops, respectively, will follow in 2010.

FLIGHT DECK



The 787's cockpit. head-up displays and electronic flight bags (EFB), which hold digital versions of the pilot’s maps, charts and manuals. The EFBs also offer ground navigation systems that help flight crews negotiate unfamiliar airports. Reducing pilot error during taxiing will help cut the risk of runway collisions.

BODY Composite fibers--carbon graphite, held together by epoxy--account for 50 percent of the overall fuselage, versus the 9 percent in the 777, making the 787 lighter and stronger than aluminum-body aircraft.

WINGS The 787’s sweptback wings with variable-camber trailing edges give the craft 2 percent more lift compared to the 767. The Dreamliner’s wings are longer than those of other planes its size, allowing them to flex more. Flaps, electric anti-icing and other systems are mounted on a single piece, simplifying maintenance and reducing the odds of failure.

CARGO STORAGE The flat underside of the fuselage allows the 787 to fit 45 percent more cargo than the 767 does.

PRESSURIZATION Unlike aluminum aircraft, which maintain a cabin pressure of 8000 ft., the 787’s more resiliant composite body can be pressurized to 6000 ft. The 787 reduces complexity by pressurizing the cabin using electric compressors, rather than bleed air from the engines.

CLIMATE CONTROL Airplane air-conditioning systems tend to dehydrate passengers. But the Dreamliner’s noncorrosive body construction allows for higher, more comfortable humidity levels.

SENSORS Many of the sensors in the Dreamliner are connected wirelessly to a central data processor. For instance, an “active gust alleviation” system uses sensors to measure turbulence at the nose, then instantly adjusts wing flaps to counter it.

DIAGNOSTICS A self-monitoring diagnostic system sends real-time data to technicians on the ground via a wireless broadband link. The system can predict mechanical problems, meaning less time in the hangar and fewer delays.

CABIN
The 787's cabin. is only 15 in. wider than that of similar aircraft, the extra space does allow for larger seats and a smidgen of extra room in aisles. Lavatories will be bigger as well, with limited wheelchair access. The most noticeable increase, however, will be in the overhead bins, which will each hold four roll-aboard bags.

Windows will be 18.5 in. tall, the largest on any commercial plane, and have electronically adjustable electrochromic dimmers. An on-board wireless network will stream entertainment to seatback screens and allow passengers to surf the Web over a 250Kbps satellite connection.


Here are a few pictures taken from the External Boeing Website and public domain.
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ahh the flight deck looks super cool... nice to see the HUD in there as well. YAY for CAT III,C Apps!!!!

Look at those sexy GE 90's!! from what i have heard they have 2 65mwt generators on each engine... but i don't remember exactly, my turbine engine class was too long ago...

 

The generators may be even larger because of the higher demands due to the design of control surfaces being electrically driven, eliminating hydraulics.

 

In the factory.
The join area and an overhead shot of the horizontal stabilizers.
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Spasso, you forgot to mention the HUUUGE tubes of plastic glue that they use to fasten everything together. I hear that they are as big as a railroad tank car and there is a huge squeezing machine that uses 45 D-10 Cats and rollers as big as a water tank! You can smell the glue for 39 miles when it is drying.
The kit for this thing is REALLY EXPENSIVE too.
Switches

 

I want it to kill the A380.. don't get me wrong the A380 is impressive, but i find it rather impractical for passenger travel. Now if they made a cargo version thats how i see the A380 making $. Plus have you seen the wing on the thing? If they sag any more they will have to worry about hitting the ground.

 

Airframe weight is high on the A380 thus limiting it's gross somewhat. It would work fine as a package freighter hence the orders from UPS and Fedex but the nose doesn't flip up so it won't be in the market for large items. Because of the location of the cockpit I don't think a "flip-up" is feasable..

 

Even if the nose could be raised for end loading, the second deck would limit the height of the load and if over-sized cargo could be loaded to fill the available volume, the airplane would not be capable of lifting it. Just as Spasso said, it was designed to haul a lot of people instead of dense cargo but if you want to haul a bunch of packages or say several million ping-pong balls, well, that's your airplane. Ton/mile costs of the 747-8 are so close to the A380 that the slightly smaller airplane is very attractive.
Switches

 

A tad off the 787 topic...
you guys heard of the Ukrainian company that bought one of the AN-225's. I guess there going to refurbish it and use it for large cargo transportation. Ie huge transformers and generators...


As a Commercial pilot to be I am greatly looking forward to one day flying the 787, i think its a fantastic plane.

 

The fuel burn and maintainence costs are off the scale on the Russian frieghters. They have to carry TONS of spares like wheels and tires, and engines and other stuff. BUT they can lift a lot of weight.
Switches

 

Y'all know the dinosaurs are extinct,
cause they couldn't get out of their own way

ha ha!

 

Good point, Skyraider. One must have a good reason to be big. To carry a lot of people to someplace or to carry a lot of something to some place. The A380 is touted to carry a lot of people to A PLACE but then they have to spend several hours to get off the Dinasaour to get on something else to get where they really want to go. Then if you want to carry a lot of something to some place you have to have an airplane that can lift all what you can stuff into it. That ain't happening either.
I'm willing to bet that the A380 will never reach the sales figure of something like 450 airplanes to break even. It IS a dinosaur.
Switches

 

Hey Switches,

Yes, what you say is entirely correct, and I agree. However, it may find a small niche in transatlantic travel..

Sort of a tribute to the "Clipper" of old...

http://www.aviation-history.com/boeing/314.html

....and we all know what happened to them.

heh heh!

Charlie

 

That airplane was a grand way to travel with a full service galley, a dining salon, library, cozy berths, and plush accomdations. Plus an unbeatable airframe around you. With a spaciuos interior, one could get up and walk around, gaze at the earth from many picture windows, and arrive at your destination with a smile on your face.
Switches

 

If WWII hadn't happened there would have been many more Clippers built. Too bad.

If I'm not mistaken the wing and engine combination on the Clipper was the SAME as that used on the B-17.
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Actually the GE offering will be the GEnx engine. High efficincy low emissions etc......

Rolls will be offering the Trent 1000's

 

That is correct.

Good pick up, on that point!

Hey! Can you imagine a "Picture Window" on a 787... ;-)

 

The wings and engines on the 314 Clipper were those used on the B-15, not the B-17. The wings and engines on the 307 were almost the same as the B-17. The engines on the 314 were R-2600's, the B-17 used R-1820's, the only really good big Wright engine. Spasso is correct. If the war hadn't have happened , the Clippers would have lasted a lot longer.
Switches

 

I'm glad someone around here knows what they are talking about.............

 

15-17- what's the diff....It's still a Bee!


That's it ! I've had it!
I don't get no respect!...

I do though sometimes get insulted,

But it really, really, really, takes alot..... ;-)


Signed
Dhino the Rhino- ( Er....Skin that is)



Here are some pics.
Charlie
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Cool!!

 

The B-17 shown in camo is an E model, probably in 1942. The wreckage at Hickham is also an E model. The pink twin-tailed airplane is an LB-30 cargo version of the B-24. The shot of the nose glass and .30 cal gun is the original Model 299 circa 1935 or 1936. Unbelievable that anybody thought that one pea shootin pop gun was enough armament in the nose to defend a bomber. Eleven .50's weren't enough.
Switches

 

There are currently zero (0!!!) orders for the A380-800F. FedEx and UPS canceled each of their 10 orders. Emirates canceled their 2 orders. International Lease Finance Corporation canceled their 5 orders.

FedEx: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/07/AR2006110701506.html
UPS: http://www.pressroom.ups.com/mediakits/pressrelease/0,2300,4873,00.html

Attractive stewardess picture to ease the pain: http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/9593/1180597613101ii8.jpg

Edit: Man, didn't notice. The lady works for Air France. That makes to worse!

 

Well, Have you?
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The A380 Freighter program was canceled a few months ago so they could concentrate their resources on the passenger version and the A350 XWB.