Dreamliner Nears Production

On Fri, 1 Dec 2006 00:10:27 -0700, "Jay Beckman"
wrote in :

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15976637/

The most amazing part of this article (IMO) is that Boeing is figuring to
build each one in only three days!!! Wow...


A few quotes from the article:

they look toward the Dreamliner's first flight in August and the
first delivery to customers in 2008 ...

After all the parts arrive from around the world, workers will
assemble the planes in a hurry...

In a nod to the globalized economy, Boeing is taking a novel step
for the company and allowing outside contractors -- many of them
overseas -- to design and build 70 percent of the Dreamliner. The
wings will come from Japan. Huge parts of the aircraft's body will
arrive from Italy. Britain will deliver engines, and China will
contribute rudders. France is producing the landing gear...

The plane, which will seat 210 to 330 passengers will be made of
composite materials on a scale never before attempted on a
commercial aircraft. ...

Boeing says. The plane is being promoted as using about 20 percent
less fuel than the Boeing 767, which the Dreamliner will replace
on may routes.

Analysts say that Boeing made the right choice in building the
Dreamliner. It has racked up far more orders than the A380, which
has netted what analysts call a lackluster 149 orders and
commitments for 17 more. The analysts also question whether there
is enough growth in the super-jumbo market for Airbus ever to make
money on the plane...