After two long years of delays, Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, the line’s newest aircraft, finally made its debut amongst the clouds today. The delays in takeoff until now have been blamed on the multiple outsourcing partners in the construction of the aircraft. “They did too much outsourcing, too soon, with too little oversight,” said Scott Hamilton of the aviation consulting firm Leeham Co. “The customers have been mightily upset over the creeping delays.” And even though Dreamliner has now officially flown through the skies, it’s been said that it won’t begin flying passenger routes until at least 2011 which is likely leaving the same customers who were upset with the original delays, naturally still upset with the even further delays. To calm the people who are surely doubting the overall success and future of the aircraft, Boeing ensures that with the wait comes impeccable quality, and that by the time the aircraft does start flying passenger routes, everything about it will be complete and total perfection, no hiccups or things to complain about whatsoever.
“We think it’s a game changer because it provides so much value to the customer,” Jim Albaugh, Boeing executive vice president and CEO, said in a CNN interview. “We think this is going to be a very efficient airplane. It’s going to change the way people travel. It’s more environmentally friendly, it’s more efficient, uses less fuel, it’s going to cost the operator less to fly, it’s going to allow the passengers to pay less and feel better when they land.”
Albaugh cites that the efficiency of the aircraft stems from its design. The Dreamliner is the first aircraft made mostly of composite materials, giving it a lighter and faster body and ultimately, saving airlines as much as 20 percent in fuel costs. Boeing already has more than 850 orders, each plane, selling for $150 million. All of this sounds super fantastic and all but umm, does any of this really matter with a release date of 2011. Some of these pissed-off passengers may find other avenues and companies to use by that time. Come on Boeing, speed it up please or else Dreamliner might end up being called Failed Dreamliner. And that just wouldn’t be pretty. No one wants to fly on an aircraft with a name like that.
Via: CNN
