Boeing 787 Dreamliner has first flight in U.S. with passengers

Los Angeles Times ^ | November 5, 2012 | Hugo Martín

[Olog-hai]

The Dreamliner, with passengers, has finally landed.

United Airlines landed its inaugural domestic flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft Sunday morning at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, becoming the first U.S. carrier to fly the composite-plastic-fuselage aircraft.

The twin-aisle plane, delayed more than three years by production problems at Boeing Co., was designed to be about 20% more fuel efficient and less costly to maintain than similar-size planes. Half the plane is made of strong and light composite materials, including the fuselage and wings, instead of metal. …

[Army Air Corps]

Civil Aviation ping.

[Jet Jaguar]

Bump

[MS.BEHAVIN]

the composite-plastic-fuselage aircraft.

I had one like that once. It came in a box and I glued it together myself.

[ConservativeStatement]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2227845/Dreamliner-touches-OHare-Airport-flight.html

[AZLiberty]

The twin-aisle plane, delayed more than three years by production problems . . .

I hope they put up the passengers in a hotel while they were waiting.

[TruthWillWin]

But with all that high-tech there was one thing missing — Wi-Fi.

United Chief Executive Jeff Smisek told reporters that Boeing was working with federal aviation authorities to certify communications equipment to maintain broadband on a composite aircraft, a process that could take until 2014 to complete.

?? Was on a Southwest flight last month that had wi-fi.

[novascotianative]

where did this flight originate from?

[Olog-hai]

Article says Houston.

[Olog-hai]

Was it a plane with a composite fuselage?

[DennisR]

The difference is that one has an aluminum fuselage and the other a composite fuselage. The response to electromagnetic waves is different between the two.

[Talisker]

The difference is that one has an aluminum fuselage and the other a composite fuselage. The response to electromagnetic waves is different between the two.

LOL, yeah, right. That's why all the aircraft electronics in the planes differ between the aluminum and the composite fuselage versions.

[DennisR]

They do?

[maine yankee]

A flying bus

[ArrogantBustard]

certify communications equipment to maintain broadband on a composite aircraft

Your Southwest flight was NOT on a 787. It was probably on a 737 ... a standard aluminum aircraft.

[ArrogantBustard]

That's why all the aircraft electronics in the planes differ between the aluminum and the composite fuselage versions.

Have you ever worked with the FAA? Never was there a worse set of stodgy bureaucrats more adept at inaction, obfuscation, and procrastination.

[TalonDJ]

Was on a Southwest flight last month that had wi-fi.

They have to do the certification on a type (of plane) by type basis. Sometimes even by individual plane. And to DO the cert they need the plane to be in the fully final configuration. They can only now start doing it. 737s are easier to qualify because their inboard electronics is a known quantity. No last minute design changes happening on that plane.

[TalonDJ]

It does not matter what it is made out of. The certificaiton has to be done all ove rfrom stratch for EVERY plane. Even ones types that are AL.

[DennisR]

You are correct, of course. “Type cert.”