Boeing kicked off Boeing 787 delivery events with several press conferences on Sunday ahead of the actual delivery to launch carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) set for Tuesday morning.
ANA’s first Boeing 787 Dreamliner will leave for Japan Tuesday morning. (Photo by Nate Strong)
Interiors, engines and many other unique features of the new jet were the main focus. Suzanne Fletcher, executive director of Washington Tourism Alliance said about the 787’s state-of-the-art interior, “People will choose their flights based on the aircraft, not the price.”
Some of these interior advances include larger windows that include electronic glass dimming rather than traditional shades, mood lighting throughout the cabin and cabin pressurization equivalent to 6,000-ft altitude vs. 8,000-ft on earlier aircraft. Reasearch has shown that sea level to 6,000ft has the same effect on the body and should reduce fatigue.
Blake Emery, Director of Differentiation Strategy for Boeing, said “The 737 Sky Interior came from the 787, and with the amount of demand for it we should be charging double for it.
Lunch customer ANA has configured its first several 787s for regional service, with 46 business class seats and 112 economy seats. Seating will be eight abreast in coach in a 2-4-2 set config with non-reclining seats. The 787 is wide enough to seat as many as nine abreast.
The launch engine manufacturer for the 787, Rolls-Royce (RR), and Boeing have been partners in aviation since 1956 when the 707 was launched and have powered every Boeing aircraft type with the exception of the 737.
Bill Boyd, RR’s Boeing programs Vice President, says that RR thinks they have overcome the engine failure problems experienced during the test program. RR says it is committed to the entire 787 program all the way to the 787-10X.
The Trent 1000 is the quietest engine that RR has ever produced, with an impressive 74,000lbs of thrust and a 5.5 hour ETOPS will allow the 787 will give operators the ability to link almost any city pair in the world. RR’s Darby, England factory monitors every engine produced and receives alerts anytime something goes amiss.
The 787 will be the first commercial aircraft with the ability to change engine types without any major re-configuration of the pylon. Boeing, along with ANA, challenged RR to produce an engine that will be just as efficient regardless of the length of the flight. The GE GEnX engine is also available to 787 buyers.
