for July 9, 2007
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Hot Topic: The B787 Rollout & Other Rants and Raves!
On
this the day after Boeing rolled out their uber-plane, the B787, we all took
a good look at newest entrant in the commercial aviation revolution. One
could not miss the plethora of press platitudes that have become a
ceremonial rite of passage for plane buffs. To be sure, we realize the level
of accomplishment that the B787 has reached and the IFExpress staff felt
that we had to look thru the fog of joy with a bias toward reality.
Realizing there are also unanswered questions we thought it best to take a
look at the real and quixotic hoopla surrounding such an auspicious
occasion. One staffer noted that during the rollout there were probably more
smiles by employees and guests that there were in all US airports in one
year.
RAVE: Congratulations to the people of Boeing, their partners, and their suppliers who brought this incredible feat of engineering to life. A special tip-o-the-hat to the engineers who have given a good part of their lives to this cause. The plane's cocoon-like body is like no plane you or I have ever seen before. Boeing has a cutaway view of the fuselage in their Dreamliner Gallery in Everett Washington and we think they ought to take the car-sized slice of the plasti-plane on tour to airports around the world. That fuselage cutaway is a variable geometry work of art.!
RANT: Al Mulally was not even invited to this event, it was reported. Al was the airplane company boss who brought the plane to life and then left to take over the helm at Ford last year... since it was obvious that helmsmanship would not happen to him at the Chicago-based Aerospace company. That should tell you something about the (insert descriptive noun here) who snubbed him. Oh well, he will just have to be satisfied listening to the event on his car radio on his way to the bank.
RAVE: Airbus boss, Louis Gallois sent a wonderful letter of congratulations to Boeing proclaiming Sunday, 07/08/07 a day that belonged to Boeing. Nice touch!
RANT: With superlatives that gushed from press spinmeisters like honey, the interior of the plane, they said, will actually make people want to fly (Yes, even in Economy) because of new and bigger windows, quieter surroundings, cleaner air at lower atmospheric pressure, mood lighting, and "more room." Sure! Remember, Boeing does not make seats and they do not control the seat pitch (spacing). We will be surprised if there is eventually more legroom and backside breadth and we will publicly acknowledge any airline that rolls out this plane with an economy seat size and pitch that allows one to enjoy a flight for more than 8 hours. With airline profits on the rise, full load factors, lowest costs in decades, can't there be a little more room in the back of the bus and a slightly improved seat to help put a few more smiles air travel?
RAVE: According to many, the B787 will be the "greenest" commercial aircraft (on a per passenger basis) and have arguable one of the lowest carbon footprints around. In the future, a lot of weight is going to be put on footprints and this will only heighten the demand for a plane that is virtually sold out till 2015.
RANT: Our last blast is about the unknowns. Like the 3 witches in Macbeth, they serve to potentially modify the B787 experience. Only time will tell:
- Witch 1 - Lightning: We hear every commercial aircraft is hit at least once each year by lightening. To ameliorate the effects of these high current pulses, Boeing engineers have been busy putting huge aluminum bus bars in places like wings and stabilizers. We think you get the drift.
- Witch 2 - Labor Unrest and Shipping: The good thing about international partners that a company can shop for foreign skill sets, offset international sales with labor contracts, and hopefully keep competitor nations from building a better widget or contributing to the other guys widget. This is all well and good but the B787 team better look for show stoppers coming out of left field. Here is a short list: Loss of speedy or planned shipping solutions, Hacking into IT connections, Labor strife, Loss of intellectual property secrets, Currency fluctuations and Inflation just to name a few. Remember, it is a lot cheaper and easier to fix your car if it is in your garage...not on the road 100 miles away.
- Witch 3 - In Service Problems: Lets say your B787 is sitting on the ramp and some joker with a baggage loader punches into the fuselage and we see the equivalent of a automobile bumper bender. The damage may be much greater than that exhibited to the naked eye. Aluminum screams "I have been hit" but experience with bumpers may lead one to wonder if anything was actually damaged.
Well we have rained on the parade again so to reprieve ourselves, here are a few links to B787 stuff you probably won't find without a lot searching.
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Shandong Airlines selects
Rockwell Collins avionics for 18 aircraft
7/9/2007 9:40:21 PM
The Carlyle Group to Acquire
ARINC Incorporated
7/9/2007 9:38:57 PM
Telenor Satellite Services
Launches New Secure Networking Technology
7/9/2007 9:38:12 PM
Boeing Celebrates the Premiere
of the 787 Dreamliner
7/9/2007 9:37:02 PM
Boeing, Air Berlin Announce
Order for 25 787 Dreamliners
7/9/2007 9:36:43 PM
Qantas to Purchase 20 More
Boeing 787 Dreamliners
7/9/2007 9:36:17 PM
Boeing, CIT Aerospace Sign
Order for Additional 787 Dreamliners
7/9/2007 9:34:58 PM
Boeing, ALAFCO Sign for 10
Additional 787s
7/9/2007 9:34:19 PM
Boeing Honors 7-Series
Airplane Family with Special Customer Show
7/9/2007 9:33:39 PM
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