EVERETT, Wash. - When you're going to take a flight, the first thing you have to deal with is the hassle at the airport. There's parking, the security lines, standing in a narrow jetway waiting to get on the airplane.
But when you actually set foot on the jet, Boeing wants the 787 Dreamliner to make you forget all that came before.
As Boeing designed the interior of the Dreamliner, they were thinking a lot about the dream part. Teams of researchers toured the world holding focus groups with people from different cultures.
There were differences.
"Some cultures preferred certain surfaces." says Blake Emery, Boeing's Director of Differentiation Strategy.
Others liked architectural lines. But Emery says two things stood out in common - weariness of airports and the fundamental romance of flying, from the roar of takeoff to looking down at where you live.
To get to that experience, a lot of things inside the jet needed to change. Because of the strength of the plastic composite structure, windows are now 67 percent bigger than the windows on a Boeing 777. There are no more shades. The windows can dim themselves electronically with the touch of a button.
Blue lighting makes you feel like the ceiling of the airplane is taller than it is, making the interior of the jet seem larger. The lighting can be warmed up during meal times and that can make the food look better.
Bigger bins on each side opens up head room in the center section of business and first class.
But all these improvements are designed in part to help Boeing's customers - the airlines. You and I may be chasing the lowest price on a seat in economy class, but the money makers are the business class and first class customers. Those passengers aren't going to pay much higher prices to be unhappy.
"They tend to chase, and seek out the airplanes they prefer," says Kent Craver, Boeing's regional director of Passenger Satisfaction and Revenue.
The 787 is so far proving to be Boeing's fastest seller.
Flight test airplane No. 3 is being used for interior testing. While the five other test aircraft are packed with racks of test equipment, most of the room inside Dreamliner No.3 is set to test interiors. There are computers and orange test wiring inside, too, but most are aimed at checking climate controls and safety equipment like smoke alarms. Boeing must prove the interior is safe to the FAA.
