Boeing lets it ride on new 7E7 plane

The company is gambling by taking a different direction with its new plane.
SEATTLE (AP) -- The first new American commercial jetliner to be built in more than a decade won't be the biggest or fastest passenger plane in the sky.
Nor will Boeing's 7E7 Dreamliner stun onlookers with a radically different appearance. Rival Airbus sneers at the "little airplane" as nothing special, and the basic design is another "cigar with wings" -- the shape that has defined jets for decades.
But the midsized 7E7, being tweaked and simulated in Boeing design labs and three-dimensional computer design images, should offer plenty to wow airlines and the first paying passengers in 2008.
Boeing says the new plane will fly faster, higher, farther, cleaner, quieter and more efficiently than any other medium-sized jet, using 20 percent less fuel.
Analysts say further 7E7 orders, which Boeing promises will be announced soon, could signal not only a successful new plane but also a renaissance for the company.
"For the first time in a while, Boeing has seized the industry initiative," said aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group. "When it comes to making a plane that's more economical -- it's just a matter of time before everybody falls in line."
Gamble
It's still a gamble. By adopting a sharply opposed strategy to that of Airbus, which thinks its superjumbo A380 will be the jet of choice following its 2006 debut, Boeing risks misgauging years' worth of demand. That's what happened with two projects it dropped in the past three years -- the 747X, an enlarged jumbo jet, and the super-fast Sonic Cruiser, which was seen as pricey even before the economic fallout from Sept. 11, 2001.
"That was a case where we misjudged the market a little bit," said David von Trotha, Boeing's chief engineer for product development. "What we thought would be attractive ... turned out to be different from what the market wanted."
All signs are that the 7E7 -- the 'E' stands for efficient -- is headed for a better fate.
Alan Mulally, chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said that Boeing was in talks for deals involving more than 400 7E7s beyond the initial, record 50-plane order from All Nippon Airways last month, including more than a dozen firm offers.
Features
Here are some of the noteworthy features planned for Boeing's 11th passenger jet series:
UFuel savings. The 7E7 will be no slouch for speed, cruising at 560 mph -- comparable to the largest jets. But the big appeal to cash-pinched airlines is Boeing's promise that it will allow them to cut fuel costs and fly long, point-to-point routes between cities that can't fill a bigger plane.
UCabin comfort. Boeing is trying to sell airlines on jumbo-sized windows, complete with electronic shades to darken the panes. In addition, the design calls for slightly wider seats and bigger restrooms and overhead bins.
UBetter air quality. With the 7E7, passengers will feel like they are at a maximum altitude of 6,000 feet, rather than the normal 8,000 feet. Boeing also is considering adding humidifiers to further reduce dryness. That's feasible because the 7E7 will rely more heavily on composite materials -- instead of aluminum -- meaning there is less risk of corrosion from the added moisture.
UMore composites. The 7E7 will go far beyond any previous commercial aircraft in its extensive use of composite materials, such as carbon and graphite, which will comprise 50 percent of its weight.
Not only will that make it 15 percent lighter than comparable planes, trimming fuel and operating costs, but Boeing expects composites to be more durable, reducing maintenance and corrosion.
ULess Noise. Anyone who's flown on an older Boeing 747 knows how annoying a noisy airplane engine can be. Boeing is isolating certain loud functions with the 7E7, such as pumps and motors, and using sound absorption technology to further reduce the noise to the cabin.