The Dreamliner is the first airliner ever to be constructed with an airframe consisting primarily of composite materials. This makes the plane lighter and more environmentally friendly in the long run. It is 20% more fuel efficient than the Boeing 767, which it was designed to replace, as the 767 is aging out of service. It has a smoother nose profile and raked wingtips, which greatly reduce the drag and allow it to fly further on less fuel. It has one of the longest ranges of any twin engined widebody aircraft, outstripped only by the Boeing 777-200LR. It also equips chevron toothed engine cowlings, which reduce noise pollution both in and outside the aircraft. All these specifications combined together make it a more economical long range aircraft, as Qantas have proved in putting it to use between Perth, Australia, and London Heathrow.
From a passenger perspective, the reduced weight of the plane itself allows the cabin pressure to be set to a lower altitude. Most aircraft have a cabin pressure setting equivalent to 8000 feet, as lower altitudes mean heavier air and thus increase the weight of the plane. The Dreamliner is configured to around 6000 feet, meaning the air is more oxygen rich, and you don’t feel as fatigued when you reach your destination (I can attest to the fact that the cabin of the 787 is more comfortable and less fatigue inducing!). It also features some smaller gimmicks for passenger comfort, such as non LED mood lighting, and window dimmers instead of physical shades. The cabin is configured to a 9 abreast configuration, similar to the Boeing 777, and offers remarkably more comfort for passengers.
Technical specs aside, it truly is a beautiful aircraft to watch and travel on.
I was looking up pictures of the Airbus a380 for Important Science Reasons just now, and lemme tell you. I was not at ALL prepared for the sheer size of this fucker.
I mean
jesus christ it’s a flying building
shIT.
okay one more but just because I also think it’s really pretty
whee! THE MORE YOU KNOW.
Jesus Fuck it’s big plane!
and if you think THAT’S huge, check out the Stratolaunch, a plane built to carry literal full-sized rockets to the edge of space! it’s brand new and it’s so fucking huge that they’re not actually sure they can land the thing safely.
its wingspan is 385 feet, almost twice that of the Airbus. and it weighs 1.3 million pounds when fully loaded. I know I said the Airbus was a flying building, but I was wrong. THIS. this is a skyscraper with wings glued on.
remember when you were a kid and you used to build ridiculous shit out of legos that never would have worked in real life? THAT’S THE STRATOLAUNCH.
fingers crossed that this ridiculous fucking thing actually flies! they’re doing test flights soon.
I was looking up pictures of the Airbus a380 for Important Science Reasons just now, and lemme tell you. I was not at ALL prepared for the sheer size of this fucker.
I mean
jesus christ it’s a flying building
shIT.
okay one more but just because I also think it’s really pretty
ifesbob 