Tuesday, December 15th at approximately 10AM PST something super cool is going to happen. The first flight of the Boeing 787 aircraft. Better known as the Dreamliner.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "Paul! You haven't blogged in over two weeks! No explanation! No nothing! And now, you show up all high and mighty and wanna talk about a jet!?"
In my defense I've been super busy. I have three projects all due this Friday. Yes. It's true. I've been slaving away for weeks. My family hasn't seen me. (I'm here in the house, they just can't find me. My dogs haven't eaten. I haven't slept in over 3 weeks. All so I can put food on the table and see a smile on my daughter's face on Christmas. No, it's not much. Just a sock with cotton in it. I've painted a face on it. But it's all I can afford. The economy...you know.) So fine. Be cruel to me. Yell and scream! Hate me! HATE ME! I'm doing the best I can.
I just thought I'd point out that tomorrow will change the way we all fly. But fine. Be that way. Don't care that the 787 is made mostly of carbon composites which are lighter and require less fuel. Fine. I guess you don't like our planet. I hope you're happy when we all get warmer!
Anyway. I'm sorry. I'm tired. But tomorrow I'd like you to pause at 10am PST and think about this super neato airplane. Better yet...go to this website...
You can watch the whole flight live.
And if you don't want to...can you at least do it for America? Or are you too busy what with Christmas and all of that.
What if Abe Lincoln was too busy with Christmas and all of that to do important Lincoln stuff that Lincoln scholars think was super important?
Do me proud. Watch this...
I love all of you more than you deserve.
Paul
PS. There's a certain someone in Germany who asked for something a while back. I haven't forgotten.
Yay!
ReplyDeleteLooks great, I'll make sure to check it out!
"I love all of you more than you deserve."
Now THAT reminded me of Bilbo's speech in LotR^^
aw, I missed it. I'll have to check after work and see if they have archived it. I like this sort of stuff.
ReplyDeleteI actually turned the news on yesterday, but there was no mention of this (not that I knew it had happened). Hmph. There was something about a new kind of kangaroo, but I forgot about it by the time the commercials ended, and switched it off when they began talking yet again about Joe Lieberman.
Then I remembered that they said there would be something about the discovery of a new type of kangaroo. Too late. For all I know, Joe Lieberman has been discovered to be a kangaroo.
When he jumps, does he go "Boeing, Boeing, Boeing"?
Just checked out details on the plane. Very cool. When you mentioned that it's made of composites, I had two thoughts: 1) It's about time; race cars have been built out of composites for almost 20 years, and 2) Wouldn't there be more turbulence since composites don't flex?
ReplyDeleteI see though that they've got a computer-controlled stability system that adjusts the flight surfaces rapidly to reduce turbulence.
The adjusting window tinting is cool too, and the noise-reducing shark's teeth, and... All in all, very nifty piece of work.
It's one of those "costs more up front but will cost less in the long run" things, like what politicians are fighting about these days. Obviously, the aviation industry has more sense.
A certain someone in Germany... Hmmm... that might be me, but I haven't been in Germany in a long time-- maybe it is not me? ~ponders~
ReplyDeleteIt's probably AceWissle...
ReplyDeleteFor those who wonder about the weight advantages of using composites, you can get an idea by going to a shop that sells motorcycle gear.
ReplyDeleteGo to the helmet section and pick up some of the regular helmets, then go to the display of the expensive carbon-fiber helmets and pick one up. As you do, be careful not to throw it against the ceiling accidentally.
With that much weight difference in something as small as a helmet, you can imagine (or actually probably can't) the weight difference when applied to a commercial passenger jet.
Oh, and for those wondering what the kangaroo thing was about:
ReplyDeletehttp://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/tree-kangaroos-papua-guineas-rare-fuzzy-creatures/story?id=9270647