Dreamliner to feature lie-flat seats in all travel classes

April 1, 2008

Boeing announced radical changes in the flight control software and the wing design of the 787 today. Following the
changes, the fuselage in the straight level flight will not be horizontal, but will have a pitch of 20 degrees,
allowing the installation of lie-flat seats in all three travel classes.

The changes were made at the request of airline customers. According to a Boeing spokesman, "it is not the first
time the delivery of a new airplane model is delayed by customer requests. But for the very first time, the only
reason for a delivery delay is to improve the passenger comfort."

The changes came after wind tunnel tests revealed that the 787 wing had a surprisingly high lift even at slightly
negative angles of attack. This allowed changing the design so that the fuselage would be tilted in straight level
flight and at the same time still allow takeoffs and landings like a conventional airplane.

In the first and business classes, seat rows will be laid out as individual terraces, allowing more privacy than on
conventional airplanes with a horizontal floor. A prototype business class cabin design by the launch customer ANA
shows orchids hanging from the seatbacks. In the economy class, the seats will look more like hammocks than
conventional airline seats.

The new layout required redesign of many systems, from the hydraulics system that will now have to deal with
pressure differentials, to the way the service trolley moves on the now tilted cabin floor. The service trolley
will now be hooked to a cable with a counterweight mounted under the cabin floor. This brings a safety improvement
too, because when the Dreamliner hits turbulence, a pulley will automatically move the trolley to a safe position
while the flight attendants head for the nearest seats available. Airlines are exploring the option of mounting the
trolley on rails, so that the passengers could call it and serve themselves even during turbulence.

Ironically, the new layout will require the installation of handrails in the cabin, which will make the Dreamliner
cabin look a bit like commuter buses which are dreaded by most frequent flyers.

(Source (http://tinyurl.com/395w9a))

Riiiiiiight. Have you checked the date?

:=


Do they provide steps to help you walk up and down the cabin :}

Dreamliner? what Dreamliner?

As Aero-News (http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=2ef24754-574a-40b8-b685-941f878de0fd) just reported, Boeing has canceled the 787 program in favour of a 767-500 aircraft.

Boeing? What Boeing?

I heard EADS had bought Boeing. That way the government HAS to buy their tanker :}

service trolley moves on the now tilted cabin floor. The service trolley will now be hooked to a cable with a counterweight mounted under the cabin floor. This brings a safety improvement too, because when the Dreamliner hits turbulence, a pulley will automatically move the trolley to a safe position

They missed a trick here.

Better that the aisles had moving walk ways. That way the trolley could be chocked and locked and silently conveyed up one aisle and down the other.

They could also have arranged the seats on min-conveyors so that someone wanting the toilet could simply have their seat moved onto the conveyor and it would move up/down the aisle as appropriate. This would have had the advantage that it would form an orderly queue, it would stop at the nearest available convenience, there would be no requirement to fight your way past the trolley dolly's trolley.

Better that the aisles had moving walk ways...you mean a conveyor belt INSIDE the airplane?


so that someone wanting the toiletYou wouldn't need a toilet if the floor sloped that much, just a little opening at the back.

It was called the Dreamliner as like the Boeing Concorde it was just a dream!!!!

Not even remotely funny or clever. Boring attempts at an Aprils Fool joke are worse than any attempt at all. See the flying penguins for a quality spoof.

Rubik

Calm down. The one above cost 20 mins and a bit of thought. The Penguins one looks like it's cost at least a Million Pounds and should be a 'quality spoof''

"The Penguins one looks like it's cost at least a Million Pounds and should be a 'quality spoof''" and presumably regarded as money well spent by the BBC since, after all, it's only we poor April Fools, the licence payers who are paying for it ....

Jack

PS Tigs 2 - I do hope that you have completely recovered from your contretemps the other day.

"The Penguins one looks like it's cost at least a Million Pounds and should be a 'quality spoof''" and presumably regarded as money well spent by the BBC

It's an ad for their new iPlayer thing. So, considering the phenomenal coverage they've received today, I'd say that it was money very well spent! :ok:

The Dreamliner became a Nitghtmareliner!:ugh::ugh::ugh::D