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Full morning at Future of Flight. The Boeing Tour was amazing. Saw 747, 777 and the new 787 Dreamliners in production. Jacki reminisced about the days she worked with Ford, Fosters Brewing and BHP helping with safety on the shop floor. Although Michael & Kirsten kept reminding Jacki she didn't have to complete a safety audit as part of the tour.
Kirsten thrilled as our tour guide was also called Kirsten. Her daughter has just moved to Australia as an Au Pair and lives in Sydney.
It is incredible to reflect that Captain Vancouver took 10,041 hours to get from London to the US 200 years ago and now we can do it in less than 24 hours with the new aircraft. Didn't know that New Zealand was the first country Boeing sold 2 planes to when they were starting out. We participated in customer research on cabin design and won a $15 voucher. It went towards Kirsten's top she wanted. Sign of the times that the most planes on order are now from India or China. Remembering they range in price from US $240 mill to US$330 mill BEFORE fit out!.
Impressive that LEAN manufacturing techniques are saving 37% energy and 25% water and significant cost and time to delivery.
Learned the 3 most important factors in design is consideration of Gravity, Draft, Lift and Thrust.
The design of the 787 is aimed at customer comfort with larger windows with touch control for light and dark, improved cabin pressure and special lighting that helps adapt to change in time zones.
Headed back into city at 1pm.
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