Birth of a new generation of aircraft equipped to combat the damaging effects of long journeys. A few weeks ago a private company in the city of Seattle in the United Stated, Showed the first example of a brand new airplane and step resulted in the flight test with a complete electronics and its two test pilots completed a quiet firts flight of 3 hours.

Fotografía por Dave Sizer

This baptism would not be remarkable were it not that the protagonist was the first prototype of the future family «787» in Boeing, a machine which as expected is a new line of aircraft, which incorporates a long list of mechanical and electronic innovations but above all the plane is advertised as better equipped to combat the dreaded jet lag, this gap that occurs in the body after a long plane flight, due to the time change that brings with it the distance.

Moreover, according to its designers, the future will allow complete 787 flights cheaper, at least for the airlines, and machines promise to be more «friendly» with the current environment because they consume less fuel, produce less polluting gases and are quieter in takeoff and landing.

But the main point that highlights the curriculum of the new «Dreamliner» are the substantial improvements designed to benefit the health and comfort of passengers. These differences will significantly improve the quality of flights.

Health and comfort:

The turmoil and anxiety are the biggest annoyances that beset any traveler. The new 787 is equipped with sensors capable of detecting small changes in the flow of air to the onboard computer responds in a manner consistent altering the configuration of ailerons, flaps and rudder of the airplane, automatically, to compensate for these «wells» air. Conclusion: it achieves a more stable flight and therefore a reduction of up to eight times the number of passengers suffering from dizziness, nausea, and this kind of disturbed by constant motion.

Interior:

All booth equipment consists of an original lighting system made based on color LEDs that allow pilots to achieve a sophisticated control of hues. For example, during daytime hours flying display shades of blue ceiling, «like heaven», so as to create more visual sense of open space and therefore less «claustrophobic» in confinement-sensitive passengers.

In the structure of the new 787 replaced much of the aluminum, the basic material of the structure of any aircraft, manufactured synthetic compounds based on graphite and other similar materials.

This means two things: it can «pressurize» the car more efficiently and with greater pressure. Therefore, the blood of the passengers can absorb up to 8% more oxygen than during the actual flight of an aircraft with less internal pressure. This improvement in blood oxygenation helps to reduce headaches, dizziness and feeling of fatigue that plague the end of a long journey in the air.

In addition to replacing synthetic metals also raise the humidity in the flight without risk of creating corrosion. The more moisture in the air circulating in the cabin, it generates less «dry» nose and throat and more comfort for the traveler.

The average window of 787 is 65% larger than that of a current jet, which ensures less sense of “closure” and, of course, better views. In addition, the windows have no curtains and sliding like the present. In fact do not have curtains. To «darken» are used an electronic control that modifies the transparency of glass and decreases or increases, at will, the intensity of light that passes through and reaches the cabin.

Cabin:

One of the efforts of the engineers was aimed at making aircraft quieter inside the plane. That took from redesign of the turbine blades to better sound insulation layers and control systems and vibration reduction. He even changed the technology of air conditioning the aircraft for this run more quietly. All depending on which passengers can talk without shouting or those with sensitive ears can sleep without resorting to plugs.

What’s coming. 7 months lie ahead for tests and flight tests of growing demand and expansion. And, provided that no new arrears are recorded (remember that the 787 total and 24 months of delay on the original development plan) in late 2010 the first issue will trade at the hands of its first customer, the airline is Japan’s ANA and its lucky passengers will see if such technology does, indeed, improve health, quality and comfort of today’s increasingly uncomfortable and crowded flights daily.