Boeing 787 Dreamliner

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a family of long-range, mid-size, wide-body, twin-engine jet airliners that can accommodate 242–330 passengers in a typical two-class seating configuration. The airliner features a high degree of technological innovation in design concepts, construction materials and control systems. It is the world’s first major commercial airliner to have a fuselage, wings and tail made from composite materials. The variable camber wings with raked wing tips lead to a high cruising speed and reduced fuel consumption. The airliner makes extensive use of electrical systems in place of many pneumatic components; it has an advanced fly-by-wire control system which automatically optimises the wing’s configuration for maximum efficiency, and new technologies are used for the flight-deck instrumentation. The aircraft is powered by next-generation engines – General Electric GEnx-1B or the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000. Three variants have been built: the initial 787-8, a stretched 787-9 variant and the largest variant, the 787-10. The 787 first entered service with ANA on 26 October 2011. It is now operated worldwide by over seventy airlines including major flag carriers, low-cost long-haul operators and leisure airlines. Nigel Richardson describes the evolution, design and development of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with high-quality illustrations and technical information.