Boeing's 787 Dreamliner Does A Near-Vertical Takeoff

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is no tiny flower. The plane holds 280 passengers, has a nearly 200-foot (about 60-meter) wingspan and is over 200 feet in length. It's smaller than a 747, but you still might expect it to be a lumbering creature, raising itself into the air in a gentle arc.

The 787-9 is turning out to be the acrobat of the Boeing family. Boeing released a promotional video Thursday that shows off the plane's chops. The most stunning stunt is a near-vertical takeoff featuring the jet cruising along the runway and then climbing into the sky at a startling angle. It's the sort of thing that would have passengers clinging to their seat arms.

The Vietnam Airlines-branded plane is in rehearsals for the Paris Air Show, which takes place from June 15-21. The major trade show features a series of flight displays that allow manufacturers to put their latest airplanes through their paces to entice buyers.

The Boeing video goes on to feature some sharp aerial moves with tight turns and sweeping speed, making it seem like the Dreamliner's daddy might have been a fighter jet. The takeoff remains the star of the show. Chances are pilots won't need to pull off such a dramatic maneuver in regular service, but it's fun to know the jet is capable of pushing passengers' guts into their spines if it wants to.


Paris Air Show 2015 Dream Display: A Boeing test pilot’s perspective - Boeing Test Pilot Chad Lundy steps us through the breathtaking Vietnam Airlines 787-9 flying display at the Paris Air Show today, explaining how the crew positions the airplane to best show off its maneuverability and grace and highlighting the operational and environmental benefits of the innovation built into every Dreamliner.