PARIS: The Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed in India on Thursday (Jun 12) is the pride of the US company’s catalogue for long-distance planes: A fuel-efficient, wide-body aircraft able to transport up to 330 people.
LIGHTWEIGHT
After first entering service in October 2011 with Japan’s All Nippon Airways, 2,598 of the planes have been ordered by more than 80 airlines around the world, with 889 still awaiting delivery.
Its appeal is its lightweight structure, half of which is made from composite materials, allowing it to burn up to 20 per cent less fuel over long distances than older, equivalent-sized passenger planes.
It can be used for “point-to-point” services, meaning it can fly direct to a destination instead of relying on a “hub” system used by heavier aircraft.
Boeing says the use of the 787 has opened up 180 such “point-to-point” routes, more than the 80 initially banked upon.
Source: CNA
