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The Boeing 787 'Dreamliner' family has become a cornerstone of modern long-
haul travel, with nearly 1,200 units delivered since its entry into service
over a decade ago. Comprising three variants designed for different loads and
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ranges, the 787 is now a common sight at major intercontinental hub airports,
serving both full-service and low-cost carriers.
While the Dreamliner first flew in 2009 and entered service in 2011, its story
began much earlier. As a clean-sheet design rather than an update of an
existing jet, it had an extensive development timeline before taking to the
skies. To understand its origins, one must look back to the early 21st
century.
Conceptualizing the Boeing 787
At the turn of the century, airlines were rethinking their long-haul fleet
strategies due to various factors. Boeing observed slowing sales for its
existing 747 and 767 widebody jetliners and sought to develop a new twin-aisle
commercial aircraft amid post-9/11 market disruptions.
As Inceptone notes, "given th financial predicament faced in th aftermath of
th September 11th attacks as demand fell, as well as increased fuel prices,
airlines around th world were generally looking for new aircraft to favor
efficiency over speed." With this context, Boeing conceptualized a mid-sized
widebody twinjet drawing on technology from a previous project known as the
Sonic Cruiser.
Initially called the 7E7 and announced in 2003, this jet aimed at point-to-
point flying rather than traditional hub-and-spoke models. In June that year,
Boeing decided that composites would be th primary material for th aircraft --
its first all-new design since th777.
According to Inceptone,"the summer of2003 also saw Boeing choose'Dreamliner'as
th name for its new family of widebody twinjet aircraft following an online
vote that received more than half a million votes." Other names considered
included eLiner Global Cruiser and Stratoclimber The announcement was made at
the Paris Air Show.
Making it happen
A significant development occurred later in2003 when Boeing selected its
Everett facility for final assembly Despite being named'Dreamliner'the model
name remained7E7 ANA placed an order for50aircraftin April2004 marking th first
order
Organizations Included in this History
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