7 REASONS YOU NEED TO FLY THE BOEING 787 DREAMLINER

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IN FOUR DAYS ILL BE AT AROUND 40,000 FEET AND TRAVELLING AT 591 MILE PER HOUR…

…My wife and I will be comfortably seated on a Boeing 787, heading toward Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG), in Paris, France. The landing point for the upcoming Christmas trip to France and the United Kingdom.

We start in Paris, then move on to Yorkshire, England (City of York), have Christmas with my British family in the Cotswolds, attend a professional football match at Selhurst Park, south London, and finish with a stroll around Henry VIII’s old digs, Hampton Court. I’ll be covering this trip in full so check out my newer Roll Calls in January.

It’s the aircraft we will be traveling on I want to highlight. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Now I’ve flown for over 50 years, on Tristar’s, DC-10’s, 747’s, 757’s, 737’s, 777’s, all other 7’s, along with puddle jumper commuters, all manner of Airbuses, and even a U.S. Navy P-3 Orian, but the 787 stands out above the rest.

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Graceful Curves of the 787

DIFFICULT DILEMMA

As I advance into more vintage years, I still require a window seat and marvel at take-off, landing, and the between sights above the clouds. And there is one aircraft that stands head and shoulders above the rest, that’s the 787.

Go back 24 years, into the Boeing think tank. Engineers and executives had a difficult choice to make. How to improve upon the 7X7 line of airliners, while competing with the rival giant Airbus, who had unveiled thier double level monster the A380, with a whopping 585-853 passenger capacity.

The 787 only has a 200-375 passenger capacity. So Boeing boffins’ progressed in an entirely different direction. COMFORT & FUEL EFFICIENCY.

MILES PER GALLON OVER SPEED

The Airbus A380’s typical cruising speed is around Mach 0.85 (about 560-600 mph or 900-970 km/h), while its maximum speed can reach Mach 0.89 (around 587 mph or 945 km/h). The average cruising speed of a Boeing 787 is Mach 0.85, which is approximately 561 mph (903 km/h). So the difference is negligible. But fuel efficiency isn’t.

The 787 Dreamliner is the leader in efficiency. For every passenger or seat, the 787 averages 100 miles per gallon. The A380, a gargantuan miracle of technology, expects a return of 72-74 miles per gallon a seat.

The A380 burns a lot of fuel per hour (approx. 4,600 gal/hr) due to its size and four engines, making it expensive to fly empty or partially full, though its huge capacity can lower per-passenger cost on specific busy routes (e.g., 3.27 L/100km/seat).

The Dreamliner, Lighter, with a composite build, and twin-engine design means lower hourly fuel burn (around 2,900 gal/hr) and better overall per-seat efficiency (e.g., 2.27 L/100km/seat for the 787-10), translating to lower operating costs.

What is that in dollars? The A380 can cost $25k-$35k per flight hour vs. the 787’s ~$11k-$15k.

A $14,000 to $20,000 difference per flight. This can also mean lower ticket costs for 787 operators.

A POPULAR CHOICE BY AIRLINES

Originally launched in April 2004, the 787 was revolutionary in a few ways. Built of 50% composite materials (made from two or more distinct materials – like fibers and a binding matrix) which after combination, created a new material with superior properties (strength, lightness, durability). ANA Airlines was the first customer.

And more customers came along fast. As I write, some of the larger airlines like British Airways fly 42 variants of the 787. American Airlines fly 63. ANA (All Nippon Airlines) , the largest customer, flies 86. Qatar Airways fly 50, and United Airlines field a significant fleet of around 71-76 dreamliners, operating all three variants, especially for long-haul.

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Those curves!

THAT CURVY WING

One thing people notice about the 787 stance is it’s wing sweep or curve. Most visible when looking head on, each wing curves upward with tips that sweep off and up like the stroke of a fine tipped pen.

These are not designed so for aesthetics. It has to do with enhanced aerodynamics. Boeing Chief Engineer remarked that, “A wing is a very complicated set of compromises. You want a very thin wing to increase speed. You have to trade off the angle that the wings sweep back, the thickness of the wing and the shape of the wing.”

He continues, “We wanted to maintain a Mach 0.85 speed.” He concludes that, “The outcome of that thin wing with the large aspect ratio and the unique shape of the wing tips generate that curve you see when you take off.” (Broadbent)

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A new approach to comfort…

THE COMFORT

MY 7 REASONS YOU NEED TO FLY THE BOEING 787 DREAMLINER

The 787 Dreamliner offers several “dreamy” features, which I can personally attest to. Here i outline

  1. SUPERIOR AIR QUALITY

787 utilizes advanced air filtration. This reduces contaminated, stale air significantly. Who doesn’t want that? The filtrated air is also higher in humidity, hence more moisture, less dry air, lips, throats, and general discomfort.

This is a huge innovation. In the past, airliners utilized “compressed bleed air” from the engines. The Dreamliner doesn’t. It has inlets on the fuselage that draw FRESH AIR from the outside. Electric compressors push this air through air conditioning packs and distribute it through the cabin.

I for one swear by it for not getting a cold, a virus, or sick as often after a 787 flight.

  1. LOWER CABIN PRESSURE

Average pressure on a long haul flight can feel like 8,000 feet. The 787 checks in at around 6,000 feet. This reduces headaches, fatigue, and dry eyes.

Passengers absorb 8% more oxygen, and experience less fatigue and headaches.

  1. BIGGER WINDOWS

I must have a window seat. I love them. And the 787 has the biggest windows in the industry, making me happy, and improving natural cabin light during day flying.

  1. MAGIC ILLUMINATION

LED lights, with the magical feature of adjusting to natural light cycles, change according to sunrise and sunset. Fancy and pleasant.

  1. MORE SPACE

One of my favorite 787 features. Taller cabin, wider, better leg room, baggage storage. Nuff said.

  1. SMOOTH RIDE

Advanced turbulence sensing technology ensures that the 787 has an easier time recognizing and adjusting to expected and unexpected turbulence. Anyone who has dropped a few hundred feet in an air pocket, or braced themselves against rough air streams can concur.

  1. THE QUIET

The Dreamliner is quieter than older airliners. Its revolutionary composite structure and advanced engines offer a much calmer cabin experience.

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That gorgeous nose!

Am I looking forward to my upcoming trip? Absolutely. Can the trans-Atlantic flight be exhausting? Yup. Does the Boeing 787 Dreamliner make the experience much better? 100% YES.

I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg here. There is so much more i will eventually cover about great civilian aircraft like the 787.

But for now… in approximately 3 days, 72 hours, or 4,350 minutes, my wife and I will take our seats on our Dreamliner Paris bound, we will settle in, relax, and enjoy, safe in the knowledge we are flying in one of the most comfortable and technologically advanced passenger aircraft available today.

Bon Soir!

See you at the next Roll Call.

Shift dismissed.

SOURCES/CITATION
All photographs utilized are public domain, or free to use with the correct citation listed above. Enjoy!