King of the skies briefly touches down to rest its wings
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner still provided plenty of interest for enthusiasts as they got a rare sight of the 60m-winged jumbo jet.
The visit to Dublin was organised by Boeing in order to showcase their newest model to potential buyers attending the European Airfinance Conference in Dublin.
It has landed a number of times in Shannon over the past two years as part of a series of test flights before the model entered commercial operation.
Irish media were also allowed a tour of the super-efficient aircraft, which has only entered commercial service since last October.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner can transport up to 290 passengers at maximum speeds in excess of 1,000 km/h.
One of its key attractions is its fuel efficiency with its twin engines using 20% less fuel than existing similar sized aircraft, which allows a range of up to 15,750km without re-fuelling.
It also has a seating configuration which accommodates nine passengers in a row rather than the usual eight.
One of the more striking features for passengers are the extra large windows — 70% bigger than those on traditional aircraft — which give even those seated in the central row wide views of the passing skyscape.
Other novel features include the redesigned overhead lockers, which can each accommodate four carry-on suitcases.
The flight experience is also considerably more comfortable for passengers as Boeing proudly boasts that its air circulation system has 7% more oxygen than in its older models.
“You will certainly feel better at the end of a transatlantic flight than you normally would,” said a Boeing spokesperson.
Only five Boeing 787 Dreamliners are in commercial use, although Boeing has already sold 870 models in deals worth €135bn, with its order books full until 2020.
At the moment, the Japanese airline All Nippon Airways is the only air carrier using the aircraft in European skies as part of its Tokyo to Frankfurt service.
Irish air travellers may have to wait a bit before they can fly on one out of Ireland. However, it is understood that Ethiad Airways plans to use the aircraft on its Dublin to Abu Dhabi route, though it is unlikely to come into service before 2014.
* It’s plastic (sort of): The Dreamliner is made of materials that are lighter and more durable than traditional aluminum.
* The air onside: Passengers will feel like they are at an altitude of 6,000ft (1,800m) — 2,000ft lower than a standard flight.
* More space: The first feature passengers will notice.
* Fuel efficiency: It’s 20% more efficient than similar-sized planes.
* Bigger windows: 30% bigger than on similarly-sized aircraft and with electronic dimmers.
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