# 787 first flight. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 15, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387 "2009-12-15T18:28:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/1 "2009-12-15T18:28:32Z")
Just watched the new Boeing 787 take flight for the first time. It’s on all the computers here at work Pretty amazing, just 2 years late. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/2 "2009-12-15T19:52:13Z")
I’m beginning to hear rumors that they were so discombobulated trying to get it off the ground that they forgot to design any method of landing. True story. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/3 "2009-12-15T20:06:51Z")
Congrats to Boeing! It’s about time! ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/4 "2009-12-15T20:45:57Z")
I’d be a little nervous flying on a carbon-fiber airplane. I’ve watched enough F1 races to know that when carbon-fiber parts break, they shatter instead of buckling. They had to add steel cables to hold the wheels on when the carbon-fiber suspensions break. ---
**Author:** ![Squooshed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Squooshed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squooshed)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/5 "2009-12-15T21:40:57Z")
They just landed safely at Boeing Field in Seattle. Got to watch it fly by right outside my window. Remarkably thrilling for something that probably ought to be mundane. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/6 "2009-12-16T00:04:00Z")
I wonder what they going to call their planes after the 797? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/7 "2009-12-16T00:16:44Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > I wonder what they going to call their planes after the 797? 7A7, 7B7, 7C7, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/8 "2009-12-16T00:46:54Z")
As fond as I am of Boeing planes, it might be nice if some of them looked a little… different? I mean, the 787 looks very much like the 767 and 777, albeit with a greater wingspan. And- I must stress this is purely personal preference- but I really prefer my long-haul passenger aircraft to have more than two engines. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/9 "2009-12-16T00:55:07Z")
Those engines are huge. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/10 "2009-12-16T01:31:24Z")
Today I volunteered to go to Boeing Field tomorrow to work a couple of jobs that travelled from the 737 factory in Renton. This will be my first chance to see the 787 close up. I still remember the day the first 777 took flight, that is the only time in my 25 years at Boeing I worked on a program from airplane number 1. [QUOTE=Martini Enfield] As fond as I am of Boeing planes, it might be nice if some of them looked a little… different? I mean, the 787 looks very much like the 767 and 777, albeit with a greater wingspan. [/QUOTE] This was intentional, saves costs when it comes to engineering. Except for the 747 and 787, every Boeing passenger airplane has used the same basic flight deck. Airbus has done the same, except for the A380, all their aircraft use the same structure from the belt line up. In my opinion, the 787 doesn’t look much like other Boeing planes. [QUOTE=cerberus] Those engines are huge. [/QUOTE] The engines are actually the same size as the engines used on the 767. They look larger because wings of the 787 have a smaller cross section than other airplanes that size. I have been working on the 737 line the last 12 years so they will look big to me too. I’ll be able to compare them to the 747 and 777 engines tomorrow when I finally get a close up look at the airplane. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/11 "2009-12-16T01:43:31Z")
Good stuff. A pity they had all those problems, lets hope it’s smooth flying through the test program. The boys and girls at Jetstar and Qantas in Australia are no doubt anxiously waiting for their new steed to arrive. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/12 "2009-12-16T02:19:10Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > 7A7, 7B7, 7C7, etc. And after the 7Z7? Hey, Eckhart, think about the future! ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/13 "2009-12-16T02:25:07Z")
I like the electric windows that dim with a switch. I’ve never been a fan of composite skins but I’m sure they’ve accounted for lightening strikes. Makes me wonder how they incorporate static wicks into the body of the plane. Also wonder if there are any plans for a heavy lift version with a 3rd main gear. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/14 "2009-12-16T02:41:54Z")
Let’s just not let the 787 be another “Titanic”, is all I ask. Please, okay? Quasi ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/15 "2009-12-16T03:09:28Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Let’s just not let the 787 be another “Titanic”, is all I ask. > > Please, okay? It’s not big enough Quasi, the A380 on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/16 "2009-12-16T03:22:49Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > And after the 7Z7? > > Hey, Eckhart, think about the future! 7Γ7, 7Δ7, 7Θ7, etc. Of course they’ll need to skip the letters that look like Latin letters. Then there’s Cyrillic, Hebrew, Arabic, and a whole bunch of others. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/17 "2009-12-16T04:59:43Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > As fond as I am of Boeing planes, it might be nice if some of them looked a little… different? I mean, the 787 looks very much like the 767 and 777, albeit with a greater wingspan. I think the 787 resembles a large bird. It has more style than any of the other 7x7s. Any of them look better than an Airbus. ---
**Author:** ![Improvisor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/50afbb/32.png) [@Improvisor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improvisor)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/18 "2009-12-16T05:25:48Z")
Great video of the take-off from Seattle Times: [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/flatpages/video/seattletimesvideo.html?bclid=30884189001&bctid=57438051001](http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/flatpages/video/seattletimesvideo.html?bclid=30884189001&bctid=57438051001) A very pretty plane, that is for sure. Also, it’s amazing how close those T-38’s are to the 787 when it is taking off (or how close they look to be). ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/19 "2009-12-16T05:52:05Z")
> [@jasonh300](#): > > Any of them look better than an Airbus. “If it ain’t Boeing, I ain’t going.” ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387/20 "2009-12-16T06:29:41Z")
> [@Improvisor](#): > > Great video of the take-off from Seattle Times: > > [The Seattle Times | Local news, sports, business, politics, entertainment, travel, restaurants and opinion for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.](http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/flatpages/video/seattletimesvideo.html?bclid=30884189001&bctid=57438051001) How weird am I? I’m not an aviation buff, though at one time I did want to be a flight attendant (stewardess, back then) and I love to fly, otherwise, I don’t pay much attention, but I actually _teared up_ when the thing took off! Part of it was the sheer love of our technological age, part of it was hearing the reactions from the crowd, and part of it was a “COOL!” factor. Thanks for that link. My favorite part comes around 5:20, when they show the plane from behind. The way the wings gently curve upwards, so beautiful! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/787-first-flight/521387.md?page=2)