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Boeing 737-800w ~ Posky

Boeing's Next Generation 737-800 and 737-900 are the largest members of the strong selling 737 family. Unlike the other Next Generation 737s, the -800 and -900 introduce new fuselage lengths, extending 737 single class seating range out to 189, compared with 100 in the original 737-100.

Like the -600 and -700, the -800 and -900 feature the Next Generation improvements including more efficient CFM56-7B turbofans, the new wing with greater chord, span and wing area, larger tail surfaces and the 777 style EFIS flightdeck with six flat panel LCDs which can present information as on the 777 or as on the 737-300/400/500 series, the latter allowing a common pilot type rating for the two 737 families. A HUD is optional. BBJ style winglets are offered as an optional feature for the -800

Boeing 777-300ER ~ Posky

Boeing's 777-300 is powered by the world's most powerful turbofan engines.

The stretched 777-300 is designed as a replacement for early generation 747s (747-100s and 200s). Compared to the older 747s the stretched 777 has comparable passenger capacity and range, but burns one third less fuel and features 40% lower maintenance costs.

Compared with the baseline 777-200 the 300 features a 10.13m (33ft 3in) stretch, comprising plugs fore and aft of the wings. The longer fuselage allows seating for up to 550 passengers in a single class high density configuration. To cope with the stretch and the up to 13 tonne (28,600lb) increased max takeoff weight the 300 features a strengthened undercarriage, airframe and inboard wing. Other changes compared with the 777-200 include a tailskid and ground manoeuvring cameras mounted on the horizontal tail and underneath the forward fuselage. Otherwise changes have been kept to a minimum to maximise commonality.

Boeing publicly announced it was developing the 777-300 at the Paris Airshow in mid June 1995 where it revealed it had secured 31 firm orders from All Nippon, Cathay Pacific, Korean Airlines and Thai Airways. Later that month Boeing's board authorised production of the new aircraft.

The 777-300 rolled out on September 8 1997, followed by first flight on October 16 that year. The type made history on May 4 1998 when it was awarded type certification simultaneously from the US FAA and European JAA and was granted 180min ETOPS approval. Service entry with Cathay Pacific was later in that month.

Like the 777-200, a 777-300ER long range version has been developed. Changes made to the 777-300ER are more powerful General Electric GE90-115B engines (currently the world's most powerful jet engine), raked wingtips, strengthened body, wings, empennage, nose gear, engine struts and nacelles, new main landing gear, and provision for extra fuel tanks. The range, carrying 365 passengers, is increased up to 13,427km (7,250nm).

Roll-out of the first 777-300ER was made on November 14 2002, followed by the first flight on February 24 2003.

Boeing 787-800 ~ TDS

The Boeing 7E7 was announced on 29th January 2003 following the cancellation of the Sonic Cruiser. The aircraft was renamed the Boeing 787 in 2005.

This important design marked a major shift in technology for Boeing, which aimed for maximum fuel efficiency in a number of ways. Chief among these was a radical change of construction material, with much of the aircraft being built of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). Additionally, the fuselage was produced as 'barrels' rather than sheets of material, reducing the number of fastenings required. This further increased the weight savings. Many of the aircraft's systems are now electrically operated, replacing the heavier hydraulic systems of earlier Boeing designs with lighter technology.

The engines are new designs with increased fuel efficiency. Both the General Electric GEnx and Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 designs are available. Boeing decided to use bleedless designs, another major change for aircraft of this class. Interestingly, Airbus decided not to use bleedless technology on its competing Airbus A350 design and it remains to be seen which approach offers the greatest benefits over the other. The rear engine nacelle has a distinctive rippled look which reduces noise as the engine exhaust and external air mix.

For passengers, there have been a number of technology improvements. Most noticeably, the windows are amongst the largest in a civil airliner and are lower on the fuselage than is usual, so that passengers have a better view downwards. The lighting system use LED technology allowing each customer great flexibility on the lighting schemes it can use. The pressurisation system features a lower cabin altitude than normal and allows increased humidity, both factors which will contribute to passenger comfort during a long flight.

With all these technology advances and a distributed manufacturing program that was very new to Boeing, it is not suprising that the program encountered a number of delays. However, the first aircraft was delivered to a customer, All Nippon Airways, in September 2011.

Lockheed Tristar ~ HJG

The Lockheed TriStar was the second widebody airliner to be launched, and although it was dogged with early financial and development problems, particularly with the engine, it went on to gain an excellent reputation in service for its reliability, economy of operation and low noise emissions.

The L-1011 TriStar was the last Lockheed airliner to be developed and was launched in March 1968 in response to an American Airlines requirement (that also resulted in the DC-10) for a large capacity medium range airliner. Lockheed initially studied a twin engined layout, but it was decided that three engines would be necessary to ensure it could takeoff at max weights from existing runways.

Work on the L-1011 prototype began early in 1969, resulting in a November 16 1970 first flight. The engine choice of Rolls-Royce's advanced three shaft design RB211 however dogged the TriStar's early career. Rolls-Royce went bankrupt in February 1970 largely due to higher than estimated RB211 development costs, severely harming both Lockheed and the TriStar sales program. The problems were able to be resolved after the British government nationalised Rolls-Royce, guaranteeing the supply of production engines. Despite the initial problems the RB211 proved to be extremely reliable and efficient in service and grew into a family of variants.

The first L-1011 model that entered service with Eastern and TWA in April 1972 was the initial domestic L-1011-1 (which was built in greater numbers than any other TriStar variant). Subsequent models to be developed were the -100 with more fuel and higher weights, the -200 with higher thrust engines, and the long range shorter fuselage -500, described separately.

Production ceased in 1983, when 250 had been built. The prototype was sold to be broken up for spares in 1986.

Many aircraft were converted to improved models: the -50 with a higher MTOW and strengthened fuselage, wings, and undercarriage, the -150 with a higher MTOW, the -250 with RB211-524B4 engines (as on the 500) for US carrier Delta, a small number to freighters with a large cargo door as -1(F) and -200(F), and quite a few to -100 and -200.

An ex Air Canada TriStar 100 was converted in 1992 by Marshall of Cambridge (Engineering) Ltd for Orbital Sciences Corporation as the "Stargazer" flying satellite launcher. After launching the Pegasus Air-Launched Space Booster from the TriStar, the Pegasus itself launched a satellite into low Earth orbit.

Another TriStar 100, ex Worldways Canada, was converted in 1995/1996 by Lockheed Aeromod Center to a flying hospital for Operation Blessing International Relief & Development Corporation, a non-profit humanitarian organisation. Apart from the hospital equipment, the aircraft is fitted with systems to be independent from local ground-based equipment.

Approximately 156 TriStars remained in service in 1998, of which 122 were standard fuselage models. In 2000 this number had gone down to about 137, of which 109 standard fuselage models, and at the end of 2002 this had further dropped to 51 active TriStars, of which 23 standard fuselage ones.