Located at the Museum of Flight are a large number of static aircraft on display. One of them is a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The Museum of Flight website contains a
The 787 is the first production airliner to make extensive use of composite materials. These composites are used on the fuselage, wings, tail, doors and interior. The aircraft includes one-piece barrel fuselage sections instead of multiple riveted aluminum panels. This reduces material waste and material need.
Composite materials such as the cabin-fiber reinforced plastic on the 787 have a higher strength-to-weight ration than traditional airplane materials. With lighter-weight materials, modern systems,
improvements in aerodynamics, and new jet engines, the 787 Dreamliner is 20 percent more fuel-efficient than similarly sized airplanes.
Passenger Experience
When designing the 787, Boeing worked with universities around the world to study how altitude, humidity, air contaminants, lighting, sound and space configuration affect passengers. The studies led Boeing to add significant passenger experience improvements in the 787. These included the largest windows of any commercial airplane with unique dimming capabilities. The composite fuselage not only allows for larger windows, but can withstand higher internal air pressure and humidity levels improving passenger comfort.
The 787-B is designed to seat 242 passengers in a typical three-class configuration. Airlines choose the seats and seating arrangements for their Dreamliners as well as the connectivity and in-flight entertainment. Since the Dreamliner is a long-haul airplane, airlines may choose to include crew rest compartments overhead in the front and/or back of the airplane, so that crew can be rotated during long flights.
First of the Twenty-first Century
The first 787 Dreamliner rolled out in 2007, 13 years after its predecessor, the 777. The new aircraft included many new design features intended to improve the passenger experience. The extensive use of carbon-fiber composites allowed for larger windows and higher cabin pressure at altitude. A newly designed interior resulted in a spacious, more attractive cabin.
Dreamliner ZA003
This aircraft was the third Dreamliner off the production line (notice the 003 on the nose wheel door). It served as a test aircraft and made its first flight in 2010. It was also the first 787 to be partially outfitted with the new passenger cabin interior. After certification, this aircraft flew around the world as part of a promotional tour. It made 40 stops in 23 countries and was displayed at three air shows.