Japan has just taken delivery of the newest high-tech airliner from Boeing. The 787, with a price ticker of $185-$218 million apiece, has just been delivered . This twin-engine, wide-body craft has wings that bend and is being touted by Boeing for its fuel efficiency. Approximately 50 per cent of the weight of the 787 airframe is lightweight carbon-fiber composites that Boeing says could cut fuel costs by 20 percent. It is not clear yet whether the lower fuel costs will reflect themselves in cost savings for the passengers.
According to Boeing, the composite airframe allows the cabin pressure to be the equivalent of 6000 feet altitude, instead of the customary 8000 feet. The 787′s composite construction allows the air can to be recycled much more frequently than in an aluminum frame craft, and allows for more humidity in the cabin. Boeing promises that this will give passengers a more comfortable experience.
Economy class will have a bar, female-only lavatories, Panasonic entertainment on demand for every passenger. LED lights in the cabin give the ceiling the appearance of being higher.
From a technical point of view, 14 million lines of code are embedded in the aircraft’s software to control the ‘fly by wire’ system. A single fan blade in the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine produces as much power as a NASCAR race car.
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