

Boeing’s 787 Is as Innovative Inside as Outside - edw519
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/12/boeing-787-dreamliner-interior/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+(Wired%3A+Index+3+(Top+Stories+2))&utm_content=My+Yahoo

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idlewords
Actually, it's the lack of innovation that's kind of striking. Airliners are
such a mature technology these days that seems like the only improvements
possible are these kinds of minor efficiency and cabin comfort tweaks. It's
about as exciting as seeing the design changes on a modern city bus.

The last really innovative design I can remember is the scrapped 2001 Sonic
Cruiser - ugly as sin, but at least kind of cool:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_Sonic_Cruiser>

If you asked me as a kid what kind of plane I thought I would be flying in
2010, the 787 not what I would have drawn you. The future is here, and it kind
of sucks.

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tjr
I worked on the 787 (or, more precisely, on some networking simulation tools
that were used in development). They've got some reasonably innovative
technology in the cockpit, at least as far as innovation in avionics goes. The
industry doesn't tend to race ahead very quickly, as a whole lot goes into
certifying not only the avionics themselves, but even the tools used to
develop them.

I was working on a project a couple of years ago, using an 8-year-old version
of GCC, not being allowed to update because it would cost so much money to
certify another C compiler.

But really, compared to a lot of current jet avionics, there's some pretty
cool stuff on the 787.

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idlewords
I don't even mean to be so down on the 787. For what it is, it seems like a
cool step forward. I'm more upset about it being 2010 and there being no Mars
bases, floating robot cities, etc. There were some pretty clear promises made
about the future when we were kids that have really fizzled.

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rbanffy
ah... the overpromises...

What really disappoints me is that 40 years ago humans could cross the ocean
at mach 2.5 and fly to the Moon. Not only we retired our only supersonic
passenger fleet, we cannot even build a moon-rocket.

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jws
I think the only innovation I care about is that the seats are 1 inch narrower
than a 737.

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btilly
Ugh. I'm 6'3", and I only squeeze so far when surrounded by a couple of
overweight people who don't know how to tuck their elbows in. Losing 1" of
width doesn't sound like much, but it will make those awkward flights a little
more common and a little more awkward.

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stcredzero
I'm 5'4" and I hate people who don't tuck their elbows in. But even worse:
fatties who want the arm-rest up so that you can subsidize their air travel.
(They want to be able to leak over into your seat.) Yes, I fly a lot, and yes,
this happens.

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btilly
I've experienced the request to raise the arm rest. So far I've been able to
say no and make it stick.

In theory people who take up more than one seat are supposed to get charged
for more than one seat. However this rule is not that well enforced because of
how much outrage people have over being told to pay extra because of their
weight. (A condition which most people have little control over. Read _The End
of Overeating_ for the biochemistry behind how the modern food industry
induces overeating.)

Personally I would be in favour of a surcharge on anyone who significantly
inconveniences their seatmate, with a fraction of said surcharge paid directly
to the inconvenienced fellow passenger. I think that this would increase
politeness, and where it doesn't, the financial bonus would reduce _my_
frustration level.

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patio11
You know the Israeli day care center study, where parents who were fined for
picking their kids up later were more inclined to be late, because they
perceived the fine as a fee-for-service? I think that formalizing the
overweight-versus-space-donor relationship would lead to even more antagonism,
on the same theory: "What are you looking it? You're getting paid _good money_
to be sat on, shut up, I don't need to cooperate with you."

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btilly
I do know that study. The problem that study found is that the price they put
on being late was below the social stigma.

The solution is to make the price _above_ the social stigma.

I think a reasonable rate would be $100 fines, to be handed out no more often
than once every 10 minutes, half of which goes to the afflicted seatmate. If
you are in the space of seatmates on both sides, you pay the fine once per
afflicted seat mate. If you need to move to avoid continued paying of the
fine, then you owe the airline for a second seat.

This is on top of the social stigma of having had people come, and explain how
you're breaking the rules in front of the rest of the plane.

At that rate, a person who can't fit in a normal seat will see buying 2 seats
for their cross-country flight as the _cheap_ option. And one who isn't
comfortable sitting in one may think extra hard about remaining uncomfortable
rather than inconveniencing someone else.

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joezydeco
You know it's just going to look like every other airliner on the inside when
the carriers are done with them.

I'd be more impressed if they brought back the Tiger Lounge.
RRRRooooowwwww..... <http://www.flickr.com/photos/molly/223191766/>

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protomyth
One of the interesting things is that due to the strength of the composites
used in construction, the air cabin can be pressurized to 6,000 ft instead of
8,000 ft.

[http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/transportation/34...](http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/transportation/3493516.html)

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dimarco
Looks great for first class at least. I like how they shy away from coach.

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JimmyL
Most seat mockups are pretty worthless anyways - if you want to know what the
cabin will look like on (for example) AA's new planes, look at the seating in
their existing planes and change the backdrop.

Seating is often manufactured by third-party companies and installed
"aftermarket", and is designed to either harmonize with a company's existing
livery, or be outstanding enough that it becomes a marketing feature for the
airline.

