787: GAME-CHANGING INNOVATION
Video via WIRED
I’m a huge fan of building RC copters and a frequent reader of “DIY Drones” so I definitely have a fine appreciation for the science and craftsmanship of aerial vehicles. Now when it comes to the logistics of designing an actual Boeing 787 Dreamliner? That’s got my attention.
Designed to be a super-efficient airplane (it has up to 20 percent better fuel efficiency than similar size planes), the 787 Dreamliner is made with composites that are up to 30 percent lighter than aluminum. During its construction, the ultra-high-strength fiber composites are applied to half the airplane with a specially developed taping machine and then heated in a giant oven.
“We really took a lot of new technologies in the areas of materials, airplane systems, and aerodynamics and we brought them all together and really pushed the envelope really hard,” explained Tom Cogan, Director of Airplane Development—which almost sounds like an understatement considering that just a half-inch square of the new composite can bear the weight of 15 cars.
With all these advances, it’s a dream becoming reality for what Cogan terms “a game-changing airplane.”
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