787 does high speed taxi

[Rider]

Originally Posted by pdog

Except there's no way any actual airline would outfit their plane that way. Stuff 10 more chairs in there and you might have first class on a normal airline.

Yes that is exactly how it will be laid out. This is a luxury liner, not a max capacity type plane.

[goof2]

Originally Posted by KSGregman

It's about fucking time....we've been sitting on nearly a billion dollars worth of inventory related to that program for two years.

Hopefully there won't be any more surprises during the certification process and full rate production can begin next year. You guys should SEE the Dreamlifter..the heavily modified 747 Boeing uses to haul completed Section 41s out of Wichita...it's an impressive plane too.

Interesting, I'm surprised they have the Dreamlifter swing away at the tail instead of the nose. I would think it would make routing hydraulic and electrical runs to the tail a bit complex.

[LeeNetworX]

[KSGregman]

Originally Posted by goof2

Interesting, I'm surprised they have the Dreamlifter swing away at the tail instead of the nose. I would think it would make routing hydraulic and electrical runs to the tail a bit complex.

There is NO WAY the Section 41 (nose, cockpit and forward fuselage) would fit inside the Dreamlifter if they attempted to load it via the nose. It just BARELY fits inside the extensively modified fuselage, as it is.

We've got the Carbon Fiber Facility line that manufactures the Section 41 of the 787 running again now...slowly...hoping to get up to full production rate early next year.

[goof2]

Originally Posted by KSGregman

There is NO WAY the Section 41 (nose, cockpit and forward fuselage) would fit inside the Dreamlifter if they attempted to load it via the nose. It just BARELY fits inside the extensively modified fuselage, as it is.

We've got the Carbon Fiber Facility line that manufactures the Section 41 of the 787 running again now...slowly...hoping to get up to full production rate early next year.

I see what you are talking about.

Out of curiosity do you all buy the carbon fiber or make it within the company, and is it a wet layup or do you use a pre-preg process?

[Particle Man]

Originally Posted by KSGregman

that thing looks like a pregnant guppy with wings

[Speedracer42]

Some industry people had told me that during some time of the design process they were offering a $10k bonus to employees who could save a pound of weight off the aircraft. Not sure the truth behind that. But it doesn't sound too far fetched

[Rider]

Originally Posted by Speedracer42

Some industry people had told me that during some time of the design process they were offering a $10k bonus to employees who could save a pound of weight off the aircraft. Not sure the truth behind that. But it doesn't sound too far fetched

Yes this is true. Not sure of the exact amount but they were offering a bonus.

[Dave]

that thing reminds me of the old super guppy

[Avatard]

OK, so obviously a guppy-type mod on a 747 platform is possible. That thing is in fact 3 stories tall, not two...so it begs the question:

The Dreamliner was a lightweight composite, energy efficient rethink for point-to-point travel from anywhere on Earth to anywhere on Earth...something that would allow airlines a complete rethink in how they "hub"...Airbus chose an alternate strategy, and chose to become the "big dog" in the commercial airline industry with the 380 double-decker...

...and pundits have argued that Boeing's strategy is now bound to pay off better, especially given the current industry outlook...

...but now that the Dreamliner is pretty much done, why doesn't Boeing just fit some new high bypass engines, lighter composite wings, and a pop-top addition to the venerable 747 airframe, and handily eat Airbus's lunch on both fronts?