787 first flight

[Seatacus]

Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner has just taken off on its maiden flight. This is the first flight of the new composite fuselage airplane. This is big for the airline industry.

 

[Ralph]

This is BIG news. Moving to Aviation News.

 

[tech2101]

I hope this is good for Boeing. I think they have taken a dramatic turn:

A few of the 787 Facts:
source

Material breakout on 787
* Composites - 50%
* Aluminum - 20%
* Titanium - 15%
* Steel - 10%
* Other - 5%

Example of part count reductions (on first barrel section)
* 1,500 aluminum sheets
* 40,000 - 50,000 fasteners (80 percent reduction in fasteners)

Holes drilled into fuselage during assembly
787 - fewer than 10,000
747 - 1 million holes
More fuel efficient

20 percent more fuel efficient than similarly sized airplanes
Produces fewer emissions

20 percent fewer than similarly sized airplanes
Better cash seat mile costs than peer airplanes

10 percent
Generators
* Four at 250 kVA (two per engine)
* Two at 225 kVA (on auxiliary power unit)

Hydraulic power
Distributed at:
5,000 pounds per square inch on the 787 Be careful out there guys...
3,000 pounds per square inch standard
Advantage of the new electric architecture
Extracts as much as 35 percent less power from the engines than traditional pneumatic systems on today's airplanes
Amount of copper wiring eliminated
60 miles


Anticipated maintenance savings

30 percent (How)

 

[Garfield1966]

1 million holes? I had no idea there were that many fasteners used to hold the skin to the airframe.

 

[tech2101]

1 million holes?

(there has to be some kind of Tiger Woods joke in there somewhere)

I think I drilled that many in DC-9's when I worked Sheet Metal in the D-Check lines...

 

[jimntx]

Here's video from CNN.com. I'm impressed. It looked gorgeous.

CNN Video

 

[777 fixer]

Can't help but wonder if Boeing is making a big electrical mess. And I also question the logic of setting up a second production line in Charleston.

 

[tech2101]

I also question the logic of setting up a second production line in Charleston.

1. Washington (IAMAW Union Wages)
2. South Carolina (Most Likely non-union, if union, lower wages)
3. (Insert Foreign Country Here)
4. Shut down Everett/Renton line

Caveat = Democrats will not let those plants in Renton, Everett, and other surrounding support facilities go without a fight.

 

[777 fixer]

1. Washington (IAMAW Union Wages)
2. South Carolina (Most Likely non-union, if union, lower wages)
3. (Insert Foreign Country Here)
4. Shut down Everett/Renton line

Caveat = Democrats will not let those plants in Renton, Everett, and other surrounding support facilities go without a fight.

The workers in South Carolina are non-union. It's apparent what Boeing's logic is in all this. Put the screws to the production workers in Washington. Along with that show the State of Washington that they are not afraid to go elsewhere. However it sort of strikes as cutting your nose off to spite your face. Now they are going to have two seperate supply chains. It will also make quality control that much harder.

The 787 will proably be an axcellent aircraft once in service. Up until this point it has been a text book case on how not to run an aircraft program.

 

[Seatacus]

787 #2 just flew with no issues. More 787's coming with the 747-8 freighter right on its tail.

 

[777 fixer]

787 #2 just flew with no issues. More 787's coming with the 747-8 freighter right on its tail.

They better knuckle down if they are to repair their reputation with the airlines.

 

[777 fixer]

Here are some pics from the flight of the second aircraft.

 

[Seatacus]

747-8 freighter had first flight..........