A DREAM FLIGHT??

Boeing just rolled out it's new 787 for the world to see, and it seems to be getting a lot of positive buzz. Boeing's PRESS RELEASE and website gives a lot of details, but here's the quick summary: The plane is lighter in weight, meaning that it will use about 20% less fuel. It's also supposed to be much quieter when taking off and landing.

Depending on how the 787 is configured, it will hold between 210 and 330 passengers....a lot fewer than the behemoth Airbus A380, which will carry between 550 and 800 passengers...assuming that Airbus ever gets one of the planes ready, and that some airline actually buys one. I'm guessing airports would have to be reconfigured to handle the gigantic plane, and for me, boarding, traveling, then arriving along with 800 others just doesn't sound like much fun at all.

The other interesting fact about the new 787 is that while some models will be set up for short hauls, others will be able to fly up to 8500 miles, so I'm wondering if the name "Dreamliner" has more significance than just being a 'dream' of an airplane. I wonder what the sleeping facilities will be like....CNN reported that these planes will be able to fly from Los Angeles to Sydney...and although they never said 'non-stop", that's what I assumed. Short of stopping for a few days in Hawaii, then another few days in Fiji, the flight from the states to Australia has got to be trying...and tiring. A comfortable seat, one that's wide enough and has enough room to recline nicely would surely make the trip more enjoyable, especially for those of us who can't afford to upgrade and must fly in coach.

It will be interesting to see how this plane works in the real world. Flying in today's world has become such a hassle and so painful, yet more and more of us continue to fly. A more comfortable plane would certainly help....now if we could only find a way to make the airline employees more cheerful and helpful, maybe the skies will be friendly once more.