787 DREAMLINER

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The 787 Dreamliner is Boeing’s all-new family of mid-sized commercial airplanes. It is being designed as a fuel-efficient wide-body jetliner with significantly lower operating costs. The airplane will allow more people access to economical, point-to-point travel in both the overseas and domestic markets. The 787 will provide airlines with unmatched fuel efficiency while providing passengers with unparalleled comfort for a better flying experience.

Vought Aircraft Industries is building the 787’s aft fuselage sections 47 and 48
in a new facility located in North Charleston, South Carolina.

Background
The Boeing board of directors granted authority to offer the airplane for sale in late 2003. Program launch occurred in April 2004 with a record order from All-Nippon Airways
for 50 aircraft.

The 787 Dreamliner family consists of three airplanes. The 787-8, the first model in production, will carry 223 passengers in three classes of seating with a range of up to 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 kilometers). The 787-3, a model of the 787-8 optimized for shorter flights, will carry 296 passengers in two-class seating on ranges up to 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 kilometers). The 787-9, a longer version of the 787-8, will carry 259 passengers in three classes with a range of 8,300 nautical miles (15,400 kilometers). Initially, the aircraft was called the 7E7 – “e” reflecting its efficiency advantages. In January 2005, Boeing reverted to its traditional nomenclature by naming it the 787.

Responding to airlines around the world, Boeing has designed an airplane that will use 20 percent less fuel for comparable missions than any similarly sized aircraft and travel at speeds similar to today’s fastest wide bodies at Mach 0.85. Airlines will enjoy approximately 45 percent more cargo revenue.

Passengers will notice a variety of differences in the 787 – from its larger windows and unique interior architecture to its cleaner air.

Dreamliner sales have taken off. Boeing has received orders for more than 850 aircraft. The order pace is the fastest for any commercial airplane in history.

Composites
The majority of the primary 787 structure is made of composites known as carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. No commercial aircraft has used composites on such an extensive scale. By comparison, the Boeing 777 is 12 percent composites and 50 percent aluminum. The 787 will contain just 20 percent aluminum. Composites make up nearly 100 percent of the 787’s skin and 50 percent of all materials in the plane.

Jets made of composites require far fewer parts, so there is less to bolt together. Since composites weigh less than aluminum, the planes should burn less fuel. The superior strength of the composite fuselage will allow the passenger cabin to withstand higher pressurization, making it easier to control cabin temperature, humidity and ventilation.

Boeing unveiled its first full-scale composite fuselage section (dubbed the one-piece barrel) for the 787 in January 2005. The structure, 22 feet long and nearly 19 feet wide, was the 787’s first major development piece. It is a fuselage section 47, which Vought now manufactures for Boeing.

Building the barrel piece, which includes stringers, starts with computerized lay-down of composite tape on a huge barrel-shaped mold made from interlocking mandrels. The tape is comprised of super strong carbon fibers pre-soaked in epoxy. The large mold is rotated as the tape is applied. The uncured composite material is then wrapped with caul plates and polymer bags and placed in an autoclave for curing. The autoclave’s heat triggers a chemical reaction that turns the uncured composite material into a toughened, reliable and high-strength structure.

The final step is unwrapping, inspection and tool removal. Dreamliner engineers run numerous tests to verify structural integrity and have discovered that the composites are tougher than they initially predicted.

Because composite materials are more durable than aluminum, government regulators may call for fewer inspections. The corrosion and fatigue benefits of a composite structure bode well for 787 operators.

Composites are used extensively today in military aircraft. Other composite structures that Vought builds include the Global Hawk wing, the C-17 horizontal stabilizer and nacelle, and the V-22 fuselage.

Approximately 70,000 square feet of Vought’s 787 facility is dedicated to a composites manufacturing “clean room” with interior clear heights of 40 feet. Its 787 autoclave is 76 feet in length and 30 feet in diameter, making it the world’s largest by volume.

Vought’s Role
In November 2003, Boeing named Vought as one of its structural partners for the Dreamliner, responsible for building aft fuselage sections 47 and 48.

Vought selected a site adjacent to the Charleston International Airport as the location for its new, 342,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. The 240-acre site in North Charleston, S.C., was chosen based on several factors, including access to a deep-water port, airport and rail system infrastructure, and readily available land and workforce.
 
Groundbreaking for the campus took place in February 2005. Grand opening celebrations occurred on June 8, 2006 for the Vought facility and December 5, 2006 for Global Aeronautica.

Production Update
Production activities at the North Charleston campus began in 2006. Vought delivered its first 787 composite sections to Boeing on May 10, 2007, representing 23 percent of the airplane's entire fuselage structure.

Each shipset consists of two one-piece barrels (aft sections 47 and 48) that are joined together by Vought, with electrical, hydraulic and mechanical systems components installed prior to being delivered to Global Aeronautica for shipment to Boeing.

Section 47, the last passenger section of the 787, measures 19 feet in diameter and 23 feet long. Section 48, the first cargo hold section of the airplane, measures 14 feet in diameter and 15 feet long.

As of June 2008, Vought has delivered six shipsets and one developmental unit to Boeing. This number includes units designated for full-scale static and fatigue testing, which will not be delivered to customers. Vought’s aft fuselage sections 47 and 48 are delivered to Global Aeronautica and then transported to Boeing’s Everett facility using the Boeing “Dreamlifter,” a specially modified 747. 

Approximately 600 people currently work in Vought’s production facility, with another 200 engineers and other support personnel in Dallas dedicated to the 787 program. Vought’s employment in North Charleston is expected to peak in the 2011-2012 timeframe.  Roughly two-thirds of these jobs are in manufacturing. Of the remaining one-third, about half are in technical support, with the remainder in various other support functions.

Vought has work share on virtually every Boeing jetliner in production. Through its heritage companies, Vought has built major structures for the 747 since its initial production in 1968. These include the main fuselage section, doors and the tail section. For the 767, Vought builds the center wing box, aft body section, horizontal stabilizer, doors and various nacelle components.