Look at the size of that thing!

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is finally here.  After almost four years of delays, the first Dreamliner was delivered in September of this year.  Several delays ranging from manufacturing defects to assembly issues plagued the release of the 787, costing billions more in R&D than initially anticipated, but with the delivery of the first one, it would appear the payoff may have been worth it.

The aircraft itself is impressive.   Through the use of composite materials and newer technology for the engines, the aircraft has received an efficiency boost equal to that of the large jumbo-jets, but at the size variation of a medium sized jet.  This link from the Boeing website gives some good specifications for the aircrafts -8 model variant, with the most notable specification being:

Range:
7,650 to 8,200 nautical miles (14,200 to 15,200 kilometers)

The range of the aircraft is quite impressive, and with an overall fuel savings from the aircraft, flights overseas could become cheaper in the longrun, giving a large incentive for companies ranging from airlines to cargo to invest in the aircraft for their overseas operations.

The introduction of the Dreamliner is going to pave the way of the future for the airlines, giving an overall lower cost and high efficiency to their operations.  As a pilot, I look forward to hopefully flying this aircraft one day.  There are several variants that are being looked at, and they range from regional sizes to cargo variants, showing that the aircraft is very versatile, and may eventually replace the simple 727's and 757's we see now in domestic use.