EVERETT, Wash., Feb. 3, 2010 - Boeing today publicly unveiled the first 787 Dreamliner to feature interior components. The third flight test airplane, ZA003, has a partial interior that provides a glimpse into the new flying experience the airplane will offer. Configured for flight-testing purposes, the interior includes instrumentation racks, flight-test equipment and workstations for engineers.
"This airplane is specifically configured to test the passenger experience elements of the airplane," said Tom Galantowicz, director of 787 Interiors, Commercial Airplanes. "Our engineers and flight-test team use a disciplined process to certify the various elements of the interior and conduct airplane-level verifications."
The interior includes 135 seats, multiple lavatories and two crew rests. Certifying the interior components involves analyses and testing of the lighting, lavatories, stowage bins, dimmable windows and galleys.
Passengers will be welcomed onto the 787 by sweeping arches, dynamic lighting, larger lavatories, more spacious luggage bins and electronic window shades whose transparency they can change during flight.
"Our team is making great progress and is looking forward to getting this airplane in the air later this month," Galantowicz added.
Flight
testing will continue in the months ahead. Delivery of the first 787 to
launch customer ANA (All Nippon Airways) of Japan is planned for the fourth
quarter of this year.
The 787 Dreamliner has 865 orders from 56 airlines, making it the fastest-selling all-new jetliner in aviation history.
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ZA001 and ZA002, which first flew on 15 December and 22 December, respectively, have accumulated about 60hours of flight testing, ZA002 is 14hours 30 minutes accumulated as of June 3rd 2010. Also, ZA003, ZA004, ZA005, ZA006 are in production. 787 Dreamliners are very busy in production: For 20 Flights and total accumulated 73 hours, 45 minutes for flight hours which tracked by the flightglobal.
"The pilots have told me the results we are seeing in flight match their expectations and the simulations we've run," says Scott Fancher vice president and general manager of the 787 programme.
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Six project pilots have had an opportunity to fly the 787.
ZA002,
which is currently undergoing an aqueous wash at the company's Everett,
Washington, facility following discovery of foreign object debris (FOD)
inside its fuel tanks, is expected to rejoin the flight test fleet once
the cleaning is complete.
ZA004, the next aircraft to fly, is expected to make its maiden flight in early February followed by ZA003 later that month.
ZA005 and ZA006, 787s powered by the General Electric GEnx, will join in March and April, respectively.
Boeing has targeted the end of September for first delivery to Japan's All Nippon Airways, but has provided itself an additional three months of margin, officially saying delivery will occur in the fourth quarter of this year 2010.
The 787 decreased operating costs becuase of its more fuel efficient performance, increased revenue potential from cargo capability is drawing customer interest.
Boeing engineers designed the 787 interior to better accommodate persons with mobility, sensory, and cognitive disabilities. For example, a 56-inch (142 cm) by 57-inch (145 cm) convertible lavatory includes a movable center wall that allows two separate lavatories to become one large, wheelchair-accessible facility.
Higher humidity in the passenger cabin is possible because of the use of composites, which do not corrode. Cabin air is provided by electrically driven compressors using no engine bleed air. An advanced cabin air-conditioning system provides better air quality: Ozone is removed from outside air; HEPA filters remove bacteria, viruses and fungi; and a gaseous filtration system removes odors, irritants and gaseous contaminants.
Light-emitting diode (LED) cabin lighting (three color) will be used instead of fluorescent tubes, allowing the aircraft to be entirely 'bulbless' and have 128 color combinations. The LED is based on the semiconductor diode. When a diode is forward biased (switched on), electrons are able to recombine with holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons. This effect is called electroluminescence and the color of the light (corresponding to the energy of the photon) is determined by the energy gap of the semiconductor. LED lighting touch control will give comfort and relaxation for the travelers long journey.
The 787 dreamliners will be able to fly everywhere and anywhere whereever they need to be there.
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