Interesting!  I didn't know this was coming off the line until I read this article about Airbus.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0%2C%2C13130-2256673%2C00.html

It's a graceful looking aircraft.  Look at that dihedral, it looks more like a sailplane rathered than a powered aircraft!

Its basically a 747 designed with the knowledge gained from research for the 787, should be a great plane!

An artists impression. The real thing will look quite different.

LOL!!!!

The expected wet blanket!   

So, you're saying the 787 WON'T have a dihedral like what is shown?   

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Isn't wing flex essential in calculating dihedral design?  The aerodynamic properties of the wing's shape must be it's shape in flight, not standing static where the wings may/will sag.

Oh yea, I forgot to add the  

I knew the pic is an artists rendition.  It was a light post with light commentary, before the wet blanket was cast over the thread.  And in order to conclude the picture is an exaggeration, we would have to have some sort of factual info, such as a pic of the real plane, or some reporting on the subject.  But to assume the plane won't look like what is depicted without substanciation, is just that.....assumptions, or wet blankets, take your pick.

Now, the real plane, once it rolls off the assembly line may or may not have such a graceful dihedral.  We don't know.  But until then, we have what Boeing releases in their press info.  Now, is Boeing given to releasing false information on their aircraft?  If Boeing practices releasing false info, then to be suspicious is warranted, but I have yet to be convince that Boeing practices falsification of press releases.

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What does your friend base that statement on?  Current practices?  The Boeing 787 and 747-8 will be making large uses of composites, by nature are much more flexable that the currently used metals.

Surely, you've seen Voyager and other Rutan planes in flight, whth their composite wings and all.  The flex on those wings seem unnatural as well.

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Take a look at the first pictures we saw of the 787 and compare them with how it looks now. Boeing does seem to take a fair amount of artistic licence when it comes to pictures of their future aeroplanes.


Whats more, composites need not be more flexible than metals. By composites I assume they mean things like Carbon Fibre. Which is lighter than metal. But as far as i'm aware not much more flexible.