dreamliner

Airbus plans to fly its brand-new energy-efficient A350 XWB over the Paris Air Show on Friday, the company said after a successful second test flight.

The wide-body A350 made its maiden voyage June 14, but Airbus has been noncommittal about whether it would make it to the aerospace show. A second flight on Wednesday was enough for the French aircraft manufacturer to plan on it.

"How to cap off a great week at #PAS13? How about a flyby of the #A350? Looks like a good possibility for tomorrow at the air show!" Airbus tweeted on Thursday. Later in … Read more

LE BOURGET, France -- Boeing's 787 Dreamliner is getting new competition from the new Airbus A350 XWB from its French rival, but the Seattle company announced commercial successes that will expand use of its energy-efficient jet.

At the Paris Air Show here, Boeing announced that customers have committed to buy 102 of its newest model of the 787, the extra-long 787-10. The company currently only sells the shorter 787-8, which can handle up to 250 passengers, and is in the final assembly for the first the 787-9 model, which handles up to 290.

The 787-10 will accommodate up to … Read more

Boeing today announced the 787-10 Dreamliner, the third (and longest) plane in the often-troubled 787 family, and an aircraft that the aviation giant said will be the most fuel-efficient in the industry.

The unveiling was timed to the Paris Air Show, which is being held this week in Le Bourget, France. That show is the aviation industry's biggest event of the year, with many companies working hard to make sure their latest projects can be announced, or shown, there. Boeing's chief rival, Airbus, made its long-awaited first flight of the A350 XWB on Friday to ensure that that … Read more

Airbus has confirmed that the A350 XWB will make its first flight Friday, a milestone that marks perhaps the last highly touted inaugural flight for years to come.

Over the last 10 years, aviation enthusiasts have been treated to a series of exciting first flights, from Airbus' A380 to Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and 747-8 Intercontinental. But with no other game-changing airplanes set to be launched in the next five years or more, the A350's first flight could be it for a while.

There has been significant speculation in recent weeks that the plane would take flight in time … Read more

From comics without pictures to bioengineered veins, it was again a week during which we saw some very futuristic technologies come to life.

A design student in Germany created a graphic novel for the sight-impaired that tells a simple story through touch. "Life" is a simple tale told using only circles of varying textures to describe a single life cycle.

The first-ever bioengineered vein was recently implanted into the arm of a 62-year-old Virginia man with kidney disease. Cultivated from donated human cells on tubular framing to form a vessel-like shape, the replacement part performed better in preclinical … Read more

Boeing has begun final assembly of the first 787-9 Dreamliner, the newest member of the Dreamliner family, Boeing announced Sunday.

The aircraft maker began joining together large sections of what it's billing as a "super-efficient jet" last week after its partners delivered the first sections on or ahead of schedule, the company said.

"Integrating the 787-9 into our production system on time is another clear sign that we are well prepared and well positioned for the work ahead," Mark Jenks, Boeing's vice president of 787 Airplane Development, said in a statement.

The announcement comes … Read more

Five months later, Boeing's 787 Dreamliner is once again aloft.

United Flight 1 took off from Houston Monday morning en route to Chicago. It marked the first flight of Boeing's next-generation airliner since the entire worldwide fleet of Dreamliners was grounded by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in January in the wake of multiple on-board fires.

The fires were found to be related to the plane's batteries, and in the months since then, Boeing and its suppliers have worked to correct the problems. Last month, the FAA approved Boeing's proposed fix to the battery issues, … Read more

After weeks of testing, the Federal Aviation Administration announced on Friday that it has approved Boeing's plans to fix batteries on its 787 Dreamliner airplanes.

The FAA said it will start instructing operators next week about the changes that will keep the batteries from catching on fire. This will allow airlines to get the planes up and running again.

"A team of FAA certification specialists observed rigorous tests we required Boeing to perform and devoted weeks to reviewing detailed analysis of the design changes to reach this decision," FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said in a press release. … Read more

After three months of sitting on the ground, it's looking like Boeing's 787 Dreamliner jets may be able to soar again.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Federal Aviation Administration is rumored to announce as soon as Friday that the jets will soon be allowed for takeoff. People familiar with the matter told the Journal that the FAA believes that Boeing has proven that the redesigned batteries are now safe.

Boeing's Dreamliners were grounded in January after a battery fire on an All Nippon Airways flight let to a forced evacuation of the plane. The FAA … Read more