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| 787 Dreamliner program | |
|---|---|
| Name | 787 Dreamliner program |
| Manufacturer | Boeing Commercial Airplanes |
| First flight | August 15, 2009 |
| Introduced | October 26, 2011 |
| Primary user | airline operators worldwide |
787 Dreamliner program The 787 Dreamliner program is Boeing Commercial Airplanes' wide-body airliner initiative that redefined long-range narrow-body operations through composite materials, advanced systems, and global supply arrangements. Launched to compete with Airbus and reshape routes operated by carriers such as All Nippon Airways, United Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, and Qatar Airways, the program triggered debates among industry stakeholders including FAA, EASA, and global original equipment manufacturers like Rolls-Royce and General Electric. The program's development influenced aerospace policy in regions such as Washington (state), Kansas, North Charleston, South Carolina, and countries with major suppliers like Japan, Italy, and South Korea.
Boeing initiated the 787 program amid competition with Airbus SAS and market forecasts from analysts at Boeing Commercial Airplanes and consulting firms like IHS Markit, aiming to replace older fleets such as the Boeing 767 and to rival the Airbus A330. The design emphasized a composite fuselage and wings developed with aerospace partners including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Fuji Heavy Industries (now Subaru Corporation), Alenia Aeronautica (now part of Leonardo S.p.A.), and Spirit AeroSystems. Systems engineering drew on suppliers like Honeywell International, Rockwell Collins (now Collins Aerospace), and Hamilton Sundstrand (part of United Technologies Corporation then). The program introduced features such as higher humidity and cabin pressure similar to initiatives seen in Airbus A350 XWB, with flight deck innovations influenced by earlier work at Boeing 777 and avionics concepts from Northrop Grumman and Thales Group.
Boeing established a global supply chain with major partners: Spirit AeroSystems for the forward fuselage, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for center fuselage sections, and Toyo Seat and Geven among interior suppliers. Engine choices featured the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 and General Electric GEnx, with testing facilities at Test Flight Center locations and maintenance hubs near Paine Field and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. Final assembly took place at Boeing plants in Everett, Washington and North Charleston, South Carolina, while supplier relationships involved Safran, Vought Aircraft Industries, Eaton Corporation, and SKF. Program management used contractors such as Boeing Defense, Space & Security engineering teams and relied on software from IBM and Siemens for design and production integration.
Certification efforts engaged regulators including the Federal Aviation Administration and European Union Aviation Safety Agency, with participation from national authorities like Japan Civil Aviation Bureau and Civil Aviation Administration of China. Flight testing used prototypes registered in United States test registries and operated from facilities near Paine Field and Moses Lake Municipal Airport. The first delivery to All Nippon Airways followed a certification process similar in scope to prior Boeing entrants like the Boeing 747-8. Milestones referenced industry standards set by ICAO and involved compliance with rules from FAA and EASA.
Airlines such as All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, United Airlines, Qatar Airways, British Airways, and Air India integrated 787s into networks connecting hubs like Tokyo Haneda Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Heathrow Airport, and Doha Hamad International Airport. Long-haul services competed with operations of aircraft like the Airbus A330neo and Airbus A350 XWB. Maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities developed through partnerships with firms including Lufthansa Technik, Cathay Pacific engineering, Delta Air Lines technical operations, and Etihad Airways technical services. Labor issues and union interactions involved groups such as International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and local trade organizations.
The 787 family consists of multiple variants introduced to serve different missions, comparable to family strategies seen with the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo families. Engines offered were the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 and General Electric GEnx, with systems integration from Hamilton Sundstrand and avionics suites influenced by Rockwell Collins. Composite construction used techniques pioneered with partners like Hexcel Corporation and Toray Industries. Onboard systems included environmental controls influenced by research at NASA Glenn Research Center and cabin innovations inspired by studies from Boeing Research & Technology centers.
The program faced safety and reliability scrutiny involving incidents such as battery thermal runaway concerns that prompted inspections and remedies endorsed by the Federal Aviation Administration, with oversight and directives echoed by EASA and other authorities. Operational incidents involved airlines including Japan Airlines and United Airlines, and investigations were undertaken by agencies such as National Transportation Safety Board and national civil aviation authorities from countries including Canada and Australia. Grounding decisions and airworthiness directives required collaboration among engine manufacturers Rolls-Royce and General Electric, maintenance providers like Lufthansa Technik, and regulatory bodies.
Launch customers and major operators included All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, United Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, and American Airlines, with orders and commitments from leasing companies such as Air Lease Corporation, AerCap, and BOC Aviation. Competition for orders involved programmes like the Airbus A350 XWB and strategies from Airbus SAS; market analysts at IHS Markit, Boeing Commercial Airplanes forecasting teams, and banks like Goldman Sachs tracked backlog and cancellations. Delivery rates affected supply chains and investor confidence, influencing stock responses at Boeing parent Boeing Company and supplier equities such as Spirit AeroSystems and Rolls-Royce Holdings plc.
The 787 program influenced global industry practices among firms like Airbus SAS, Rolls-Royce, General Electric, and suppliers in Japan and Italy, reshaping production strategies and joint ventures with companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Leonardo S.p.A.. It affected airport route planning at hubs including Heathrow Airport and Narita International Airport and inspired research at institutions like NASA and corporate labs such as Boeing Research & Technology. The program's legacy touches labor relations with unions like International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and regulatory frameworks at FAA and EASA, while influencing subsequent designs including derivatives and competitive models from Airbus SAS.