Dreamliner comes true
Image from Wikimedia.
“YAY, I can’t wait to see it!!” a friend of mine posted on Facebook today. She included a link to MSNBC’s story about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a new aircraft the company test-drove today. My friend’s excitement is shared by many, including frequent flyers, environmentalists and people who have been looking forward to this maiden voyage for two years.
Originally, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was supposed to be finished two years ago. Technical problems, worker strikes and other issues held up the works. Today 25,000 people stood outside in the cold in Washington state to watch the Boeing 787 Dreamliner take off. In a world where people can get installment payday loans in two hours, two years is a long time to wait.
Environmentalists
One of the main reasons people are excited about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is its increased fuel efficiency. Those who love the Earth and love saving money on jet fuel will love the Boeing 787 Dreamliner because, according to MSNBC:
About 50 percent of the plane is made of lightweight composite materials. … The plane, Boeing says, will be quieter, produce fewer emissions and use 20 percent less fuel than comparable aircraft.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that jets the size of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner use a whole lot of fuel, and a 20 percent decrease is phenomenal.
Frequent flyers
Besides a quieter ride, Boeing says passengers can expect a more comfortable cabin. The windows are larger and the air quality should be better. It can fly up to 250 passengers. It will be a while before passengers can enjoy these new luxuries, though.
The testing process for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner will last at least nine months, during which time Boeing will test six aircraft. The company plans to make the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner delivery to Japan’s All Nippon Airways. About 840 orders for the aircraft have been placed.
I love hearing news like this. It’s great to know that there are still a ton of people out there who would do anything, go through extensive measures for the sake of our environment. The plane is made of carbon and titanium, which should reduce not just fuel consumption, but maintenance costs as well. Very exciting. Wish I had been there to witness firsthand the Boeing 787 first’s flight.