INSIDE AIR TRAVEL
Boeing's New Winner: The 787 Dreamliner
By the summer of 2010 an astonishing 16 Boeing 787s could be emerging every month from Commercial Aircraft's massive plant at Everett, Washington State, just outside Seattle. In monetary terms this would mean, in theory at any rate, revenue for Boeing of something in the order of $2,500 million every month, astonishing figures. And add to that the revenue from 737, 767, 777 and 747. The book price list of the aircraft is currently somewhere between $138m (smallest Dash 3 model) to $180m for the largest Dash 9, as recently ordered by Air New Zealand. Boeing however has to decide whether to ramp up production in order to satisfy customers' perceived needs, or the more long term Everett consideration. Too many too soon might not be a good idea either. The aircraft is sold out and build positions confirmed until the back end of 2011 although there are some leasing company slots not yet allocated. First Choice, seen here, will be the first UK operator.
With a firm configuration completed in September 2005, the Boeing 787 has to date amassed around 400 commitments from 30 airlines and leasing companies, easily a 'before first flight' record for an airplane of its size and complexity. ANA of Japan will be the first customer, not put off by its history as the lead airline for the Lockheed Tristar 1011, a commercial disaster that bankrupted Rolls-Royce. Rolls very successfully recovered (and are the ANA suppliers too). Lockheed Martin pulled out of commercial aviation.
To set the scene, the 787 Dreamliner fits in neatly to the Boeing product range (assuming the future demise of the 767), above the maximum 215-passenger single aisle 737NG and the highly successful 250-passenger plus 777. The 787-3 will accommodate 290-330 passengers and be optimized for routes of 3,000 to 3,500 nautical miles (5,550 to 6,500 km). The 787-8 Dreamliner will carry 210-250 passengers on routes of 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles (14,800 to 15,700 km), while the 787-9 Dreamliner offers 250-290 passengers on routes of 8,600 to 8,800 nautical miles (15,900 to 16,300 km).
In practical terms the new aircraft represents the work of 48 major suppliers in 12 countries spread around the globe and an unknown number of component suppliers. Just bringing them together for assembly is a huge operation; the center wing built near Nagoya (Japan), the main fuselage from Wichita, Kansas, and the engines from Derby (England). And these major components represent just the tip of the iceberg. Smiths of England make much of the core systems and landing gear actuation. They themselves outsource. Whatever the part the discipline must be there to ensure a new plane every other day if the 16-unit per month targets were to be achieved.
The new aircraft is said to be 20% more fuel efficient than present day aircraft of a similar size. The 787 is built from 50% composites, 20% aluminum, 15% titanium, 10% steel, with 5% covering other materials. Boeing expects to use between 65% and 70% outside suppliers, a 5% increase over the current practice. It will fly at Mach 0.85 (about the same as a 777 and 747).
Passenger comfort has been a major aspect of the new aircraft's design. The 787 will have sensors installed in the nose, which cause certain control services of the aircraft to react in turbulence. This is expected to help maintain a smoother ride throughout the flight resulting in less nausea for those subject to motion sickness. However the most innovative development is a cabin altitude of just 6,000ft, rather than the current 8,000ft, typified by Mexico City. The reduced altitude, similar to Johannesburg, has been proven to be much more acceptable to those used to normal sea level air pressure. Experiments using volunteers in pressure chambers have confirmed that lowering the cabin altitude below 6,000ft provides no further change. This development is another benefit of the immensely strong lightweight advanced composite materials used in the design.
The composite is one element of the aircraft that Boeing are keeping very much to themselves although they have been known to offer visiting potential customers the chance to take a hammer to a window and view the results. Not even a mark. "Ramp Rash", a serious problem in actual aircraft operations; the problems involved in working on a busy apron with lots of many unskilled truck drivers and other personnel, often unavoidably running heavy equipment into aircraft panels and loading bays, will be particularly excluded with the new material. Boeing hopes and expects that minor time consuming damage will be eliminated. Other innovations include the use of serrated 'chevrons' as part of the total engine package to reduce noise both inside and outside the aircraft and an air supply system, developed in conjunction with Denmark Technical University, which together with a new filtration system will increase humidity on the airplane. Perhaps the most obvious of the new ideas is a huge new window (which your editor saw first hand - left), 50% larger than the size of those found on modern jets, taking us back to the days of the fondly remembered (British) Vickers Viscount. From an engineering point of view, larger windows have always been a challenge and this latest development another beneficiary of the new materials throughout the aircraft. The windows themselves are electro-chromatic, eliminating the need for shades and also taller, allowing even passengers in the center of the aircraft to see out.
With the less rarefied cabin pressure, noise reduction and big windows the 787 will be a much less tiring aircraft to fly in, particularly over longer distances. It is in the area of passenger comfort that perhaps the major obvious advancements are being made. Boeing, its consultants and suppliers, have made enormous strides in the area from the actual aircraft boarding (a great deal more room is being offered), to the seat structures (lightweight frames and coverings offer much more space without increasing seat pitch and reducing capacity) and the mood lighting, a very sophisticated system fitted to cover every occasion and flight condition) A careful study is being undertaken of the toilet facilities with Boeing's Future Concept laboratory coming up with a whole series of ideas, some of which will be incorporated into the aircraft (see left). Crew rest is an area that the public will not see but has been given much thought, sectors up to 15 hours not really under consideration when the 777 was evolved in the mid-1990s. The 'big twin' now has excellent relaxation areas for both cabin and flight deck staff.
With six flight test aircraft, the plan is to assemble the initial bunch of aircraft prior to certification and then release them to the lead airlines, ANA and a Chinese partnership, in one fell swoop with high profile Olympic transportation very much in mind. It is ambitious, but according to Mike Blair, general manager of the program, a practical proposition.
One interesting aspect of the 787 is a new service called "GoldCare". Boeing has spent three years working with customers and the investment community developing a strategic new engineering model for operating an airline. As Boeing quite rightly says, whilst fuel costs are rightly grabbing the headlines, airlines are looking at every aspect of their operations to find efficiencies, no more so with the aircraft themselves. "Goldcare" is a long-term product, a contract covering as much as 25 years, the life expectancy of an aircraft. 787 customers buy a multiyear dollar-per-flight-hour program where Boeing takes responsibility for looking after the aircraft maintenance and spares logistics, allowing the customer to concentrate on the rest of the business. In addition to the operational advantage, airlines avoid a great deal of upfront costs associated with introducing new types &endash; typically ground servicing equipment; spares' purchase, financing and management; and infrastructure. With the aircraft having a high quality, centrally managed maintenance program, Boeing claims it will retain its value better and be easier to sell later in its life. That is good from a finance point of view. No orders yet for "GoldCare" but the company is optimistic that by the in-service date, customers would have signed up. http://boeing.com
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