Boeing set to unveil 787 amid order flurry

[rsmith6621]

Source: AP



By Bill Rigby 12 minutes ago

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA - news) prepared to unveil the first carbon-composite 787 Dreamliner on Sunday amid a flurry of 55 new orders for the lightweight, fuel efficient plane.

European, Middle Eastern and Australian carriers trumpeted new purchases at various Boeing events in Seattle, as the U.S. plane maker got ready to host 15,000 or so employees, customers and suppliers at its nearby Everett, Washington, plant.

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Yes a mighty big day for the Lazy - B

[Mugsy]

1. Proof "Going Green" is big business.

The new 787 will carry more passengers and use less fuel due to its extensive use of plastic composites in the frame and wings.

While Airbus went "big" to improve the passengers/fuel ratio, they built a plane too big for most airports and too big for small flights.

Boeing went the opposite way, with smaller, more fuel efficient planes.

To anyone out there that still believes "going green will destroy businesses", just ask Boeing and Toyota about that.

[robcon]

2. Boeing the largest exporter in the country

is a leader. And they're taking advantage of the screw-ups at Airbus.

[SayWhatYo]

3. As if this is going to save Boeing from Airbus

Boeing needs innovations, not gimmicks. The 787 is smaller than the 777 and is just another way for airlines to make more money by making the consumer suffer.... Unlike the new Airbus which actually focuses on making the passengers more comfortable.

[cobalt1999]

4. Have you even kept up with this topic?

Have you even read about the 787? It's all about innovative ways to make people more comfortable.

1) You are in a lower attitude pressure than any Airbus plane
2) Humidity levels will be higher than any commercial passenger plane
3) Less % of recycled air and the air that is recycled is sent through innovative scrubbers
4) Lighting that mimics circadian rhythms easing jet lag
5) Larger windows and more open interior for a less claustrophobic atmosphere.

It's not designed to be bigger. It's designed to take people more efficiently and comfortably to point to point destinations. The new Airbus is only able to land at a small number of already busy major hub cities with basically the same environment of existing aircraft...just a hell of a lot more people.

As a private pilot and frequent business traveler, I'm looking forward to this plane. There are many innovations you should learn about.

[SayWhatYo]

5. Well, I dunno. I'm just saying what was explained to me.

I'm not really buying the Boeing marketing crap either. To me it sounds as if this plane simply requires more planes to fly than the airbus, and thus would end up polluting more. I don't see how that is considered efficient.

[cobalt1999]

6. I'm something of an aviation buff.

As for the more planes to fly, you are forgetting one major component of the equation. The jumbo Airbus can only land at a handful of airports, requiring more connections. So, if you want to go from Melbourne to San Francisco you have two choices.

1) A direct flight on the 787
2) Fly to Sydney, take the Airbus to LA and then connect to San Fran.

With option #2, you've taken 3 flights.

Again, the 787 is designed around the strategy of providing more point to point flights BYPASSING the mega-hubs.

[Dem_Wit]

7. I may be wrong but

I thought I heard that Seattle-Tacoma and JFK are the only two airports with runways big enough for the 787.

[karlrschneider]

8. You're wrong. It can operate on a 9000 foot runway. Actually, SEA and JFK have some of the shorter

runways among major airports. :-D