The long-awaited Boeing 787 Dreamliner finally took to the skies for its first commercial flight.
The 787 Dreamliner touches down Image: Boeing |
The medium-haul aircraft, which Boeing views as its major weapon in the battle against rival Airbus, finally left the ground on its first fare-paying trip from Tokyo's Narita Airport to Hong Kong on the 26th October 2011 in the livery of All Nippon Airlines (ANA). Passengers included dignitaries, journalists and members of the public who had won tickets through an online auction. One passenger paid $34,000 for a seat.
The flight was a major relief for Boeing after the state-of-the-art, 250-seat airliner faced production problems, including an onboard fire during a test flight, which delayed delivery of the first aircraft by more than three years and has resulted in several significant order cancellations.
However, now in operation, the 787 Dreamliner aims to set the standard for reduced environmental impact of air travel. With the majority of the aircraft being made of carbon composites, there is signficant reduction in weight and, thus, fuel economy. The wings, with a 60m span, are also designed to be altered in flight to maximise aerodynamics, further enhancing fuel consumption which Boeing claims to be 20% lower than any other aircraft in its size.
Fitted with either Rolls Royce or General Electric engines, and designed for easy exchange between the two, the aircraft has a range of more than 15,000km depending on load with a stated 20% reduction in co2 emmissions. The Dreamliner also includes revolutionary designs to widen the interior, reduce noise and enhance passenger comfort; such as a humidified cabin to help prevent airsickness and electronically dimming windows. A turbulence damping system will also be added to later versions.
The first flight was also a boost for BP's aviation division, with ANA's aircraft using Air BP's BPTO 2197 lubricants for the Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines, working to SAE AS5780 standards. BP lubes are also being used on the ANA 787's for the Hamilton Sundstrand auxiliary power units.