Boeing 7E7: the plastic airplane

Boeing sees big future for medium-sized jets built with composite materials

With the recent debut of the new super-jumbo airliner by Airbus, the future of the 747 ended. Now, Boeing is gambling on their 7E7 Dreamliner to rescue the company from a multiyear tailspin. The 7E7 will not compete directly with the Airbus but should fill a definite need in the airline industry.

Airbus super-jumbo, the 747 killer
The use of new, lightweight composite materials for the primary structure provides resistance to fatigue and corrosion and significant weight reduction. It will have 20 percent less fuel consumption than other airplanes of its size.

The 7E7 should debut in 2008 and will be re-designated as the 787. It will have a range of about 9,000 miles, which could take it from Singapore to Denver without a layover and with increased passenger comfort. The cabin pressure as well as the humidity will be higher thanks to the seamless cabin built of composites.

Boeing 7E7 Dreamliner
The body of the 7E7 will be a seamless, rivetless, one-piece barrel of carbon-fiber composite that has more strength and lighter weight than conventional materials. It will be the “first passenger jet produced largely from the same kind of reinforced plastic used to make golf club shafts.”

“The 7E7 is intended to replace the company's aging 767, which has been trampled in recent years by the A330, a jet built by Airbus. At 217 seats, it will be 20 percent more fuel efficient than the 767 and is designed to fly short and long-distance routes, bypassing congested hubs that routinely snarl air travel.”

Boeing is gamboling that the 7E7 will be a way for them to claw back into a market they once controlled. The Dreamliner is “a massive gamble: If Boeing can make its new airplane fly, it has a good chance of revolutionizing the way airplanes are built. If not, it can count on watching Airbus fly away with the market”. More information here and here.

Comments

[Eric Stone]

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