DREAMLINER'S FUEL NIGHTMARE FOR BOEING
8 July 2004 / The Times
By Ben Webster
Boeing is being forced to rethink the design of its new jet after
admitting that its distinctive shape would waste fuel.
The company had claimed that the 7E7 Dreamliner, expected to make its
maiden flight in 2007, would be the most eye-catching aircraft in the
skies. But First Choice, the holiday company that yesterday revealed
it was ordering six Dreamliners, said that it would be pressing
Boeing to redesign the plane.
Chris Browne, managing director of First Choice, said that passengers
did not care what the plane looked like as long as fares were cheap
and the interior was comfortable.
She added: "Aerodynamics are far more important than the appearance.
While it might be nice to look different, the key issue is to reduce
fuel consumption."
As a launch customer, First Choice has the right to negotiate with
Boeing over the design of the Dreamliner.
The present design has an elongated nose and a tail fin that curves
out of the fuselage rather than jutting upwards. It looks sleeker
than existing snub nosed aircraft, but tests by Boeing's engineers
have shown that it causes more drag and therefore increases fuel
consumption.
Boeing has already been criticised by environmental groups for
sacrificing efficiency for the sake of appearance.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester, chairman of the Parliamentary Sustainable
Aviation Group, has written to Sir Michael Jenkins, Boeing's UK
president.
In the letter, he accused Boeing of "deliberately and calculatedly
manufacturing an aircraft with less than optimum fuel consumption".
He added: "Do you not agree that we need new aircraft that reduce
exhaust emissions to an absolute minimum if we are ever to get air
transport's climate change contribution under control?"
Jeff Hawk, Boeing's director of environment, said: "There is a trade-
off in the design, in which we lose a little in terms of overall
efficiency. We wanted people to recognise the plane so they could
identify with the brand."
But Randy Baseler, Boeing's head of marketing, said that the
manufacturer would be prepared to reconsider the design if airlines
raised concerns. "Airlines are saying to us, 'We want to bring back
the magic of flight'. They want something recognisable, but we
realise they don't want to pay a big fuel penalty for it," he
said. "The tail is being studied very carefully and it could have
some changes."
Mr Baseler said that aspects of the Dreamliner's design, including
extensive use of composite materials, would make it 20 per cent more
efficient than existing airliners.
Boeing also claims that the Dreamliner, which will have between 200
and 300 seats, will be more fuel-efficient than a 550-seat Airbus
A380.