The newest airliner from the Boeing company, the 787 landed in Phoenix on Friday as part of its world tour roll out. Hundreds of people here in Phoenix played a role in the development and design of the plane and its systems. KJZZ’s Al Macias reports.
AL MACIAS: The huge blue-and-white twin engine jet touched down at Sky Harbor late Friday afternoon. The plane is the first commercial jet to be made of composite materials which makes it lighter and more fuel efficient. The plane was built at the manufacturer’s home in Seattle. Boeing and Honeywell engineers worked together here in the Valley, developing flight controls and other systems. Cheryl Sizelove is with Boeing, and she says the 787 is very special to the local team.
CHERYL SIZELOVE: This is a chance of a lifetime for the engineers working this program, they only get one of these in their lifetime. It’s revolutionary, and I mean all of the enhancements the improvements over other airlines, other airplanes, it’s just amazing.
MACIAS: John Bolton is with Honeywell. He says the company is applying the technology and lessons learned from the development of 787 Dreamliner.
JOHN BOLTON: We’ll look at that and utilize that similar technology for other applications in other aircraft with Boeing in Seattle as well as other applications with business jets.
MACIAS: The plane has many high-tech systems and cutting-edge technology, but windows that can be dimmed and larger overhead luggage bins may be what passengers remember most when they fly the 787.