The Paris Airshow is almost here but plane maker Boeing just couldn’t wait to show off its new 787-9 Dreamliner’s ability to perform a near vertical takeoff.
The company released a new promotional video showcasing the new plane’s abilities over a lake in Washington, which included the most aggressive takeoff ever performed by a passenger plane.
While such near vertical takeoffs are common for military aircraft, in order to quickly gain altitude to avoid small arms fire in a war zone, they haven’t been possible in passenger aircraft.
Thanks to the Dreamliner’s lightweight carbon fiber body and powerful General Electric GEnx engines, the plane has remarkable performance for a passenger aircraft. In the past planes of this size were made from aluminium, which is strong yet heavy, decreasing performance.
In addition to being faster and more powerful, the new dash 9 variant is about 18 feet longer than its predecessor, boosting passenger capacity.
Boeing has 30 customers lined up for the new aircraft, with that tally likely to increase by the time the Paris Air Show comes to a close. The world’s largest air show sees Boeing and rival Airbus make a string of customer announcements as they battle each other for bragging rights. United Airlines appears to be the first U.S. customer, with plans to use the plane for its Melbourne to Los Angeles route.
Reassuringly for passengers, the incredibly steep ascent pictured above is something they will not have to experience. While flyers can expect a steep lift off, it will not be as extreme as that shown in Boeing’s promotion for passenger comfort reasons.
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