Boeing 777x Improves Efficiency and Environment

This month, Boeing unveiled its latest edition of passenger jet at the 13th edition of the Dubai Airshow. Labeled the 777x, this new model will become the "largest and most-efficient twin-engine jet in the world," according to Boeing. [1]

A picture and overview of the new Boeing 777x [7]

Boeing reports that the 777x will consume 12 percent less fuel and cost 10 percent less to operate than any competing jet by the time it reaches service. These fuel savings can be credited to their choice of engine, the GE9X produced by GE Aviation. The GE9X will become the most efficient engine the company has ever developed and will improve the specific fuel consumption of the Boeing 777x by 10 percent over its predecessor. Not only that, the engine itself will be 5 percent more efficient by specific fuel consumption than any comparable engine by the time the new jets come into service. This improvement in fuel consumption means that emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides will be reduced as well. Indeed, GE Aviation reports that the new engine will reach record lows in noise and harmful emissions for the company. With all these factors, the GE9X is the ideal engine to power the Boeing 777x. [1][2]

A rendering of the GE9x engine that will power the Boeing 777x [8]

The other chief factor in increasing the 777x's efficiency over the competition is its massive wingspan. Its wings measure 212 feet (64.8 meters) on the ground, but its folding wingtips increase this span to 233 feet (71.1 meters) in the air, greater than any jet Boeing has produced so far. As a result, the 350-passenger 8X edition will boast a range of 9,300 nautical miles (17,220 kilometers) and the 400-passenger 9X edition will have a range of 8,200 nautical miles (15,185 kilometers). Such range allows for longer flights and less stops per trip, reducing operating costs and increasing convenience for travelers. In fact, the 777-9X will have the "lowest operating cost per seat of any commercial airplane." [3][4]

The wingspan of the 777x as compared to previous Boeing jets [9]

Even though production will not begin until 2017 and the new jet will not be conducting flights around the world until 2020, demand is already at a record high for the 777x. Boeing reports that there are "259 commitments from 4 customers," bringing sales to a total of $95 billion, the highest ever for a commercial jet product launch by dollar value. The 777-8X will compete with the A350-1000 from Airbus, while the 777-9X will be comparable to Airbus's A380 jumbo jets but with a greater payload than any jet in Airbus's lineup. [5][6]

While it will be a long time before this jet comes to fruition and competitors such as Airbus will continue to make their own improvements, Boeing has made their pitch to establish themselves as the frontrunner in the future of airline business with their most efficient passenger jet yet.


Sources:
[1]"777x Family." Boeing: Introducing the 777X. <http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/777X/>.
[2]"GE9X." GE9X. <http://www.geaviation.com/newengine/>.
[3]"Stretched Potential for Boeing 777." 777X. <http://www.flightglobal.com/features/Boeing-777-special/777X/>.
[4]"Introducing the 777X." Boeing 777X Airplane. <http://www.newairplane.com/777x/>.
[5]"Dubai Air Show: Boeing Leads Order Books Race." BBC News. BBC, 17 Nov. 2013.<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24978226>.
[6]Johnsson, Julie. "Boeing 777X Borrows Dreamliner Wing While Dodging 787's Stumbles."Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg, 16 Nov. 2013. <http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-17/boeing-777x-borrows-dreamliner-wing-while-dodging-787-s-stumbles.html>.
[7] <"http://www.aspireaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Screen-Shot-2013-06-28-at-21.53.00.png">
[8]<"http://ainonline.com/sites/default/files/uploads/763-ge9x_2013.png">
[9]<"http://www.flightglobal.com/Assets/GetAsset.aspx?ItemID=44763">

What I Learned From College Projects

Spacecraft Propulsion System Project – Professor James Cutler

The purpose of this project was to design a propulsion system to transport a small satellite from Earth’s orbit to the orbit of the Mars moon Phobos. This involved conducting a trade study to determine what kind of propulsion system (e.g. electrical, chemical) to use, using criteria such as system and propellant mass, maximum and minimum thrust, and required power. Once a system was decided upon, another trade study was conducted to determine what type of fuel and oxidizer to use, using criteria such as ease of ignition and specific impulse. Next, we did some research to determine the appropriate nozzle, tanks, and valves for the system. Various calculations were performed to determine the volume of the tanks and ratio and volume of the fuel and oxidizer. MATLAB simulations were performed to determine the orbit this system would create and whether it would be sufficient enough to reach the desired orbit. All of this project, including the final report and presentation portion, was conducted via computer in the aerospace engineering building’s computer lab. This project taught me how to use trade studies in making design decisions, how to simulate orbits and trajectories in MATLAB, and how to use calculations to set design parameters.

Exhaust-Driven Fan Testing – Professor Tim Smith/Professor Donald Geister

The purpose of this project was to develop a design process for an exhaust-driven fan for use by a student team. The goals of the fan were to maximize its thrust to weight ratio while minimizing its thrust specific fuel consumption. Using an already-developed thrust stand in the aerospace lab, we tested three different propellers for thrust, velocity, and power output. After calibrating the thrust stand, we took the pertinent measurements and used them to calculate the thrust to weight ratio and thrust specific fuel consumption. From these numbers, we could recommend a design for the student team to use. This project taught me how to properly conduct tests using a thrust stand and how to interpret the data it creates. It also taught me how to compile and present lab data in a digestible and understandable manner and gave me an idea of the parameters that go into the design of fan blades.

Cubesat Re-entry Project – Professor James Cutler

The purpose of this project was to develop a structure to help a Cubesat satellite safely re-enter Earth’s orbit after collecting data. This project involved researching current technology that was feasible for this mission and working it down to a smaller scale to fit the requirements. We designed an Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator to protect the scientific payload. Using MATLAB, orbit simulations for the re-entry were performed and a landing zone for the spacecraft was determined. We also used MATLAB to map the performance of the IAD. Power and communication systems were researched and from this data, we calculated the power needed to operate the system. This project taught me how to use already existing technology and apply it to a smaller scale. I learned how to research and compare different power and communication hardware and find products that would fit within our power requirements. 

Why My Band Experience Should Help Your Engineering Department:

Through my 8 years of college and high school, I was a part of two of the greatest organizations I could ever hope to be associated with: The Rochester High School Falcon Marching Band and the Michigan Marching Band. These two ensembles shaped me as an individual and a professional, and the values that I learned will always be a vital part of who I am as an engineer. 

The Michigan Marching Band performs the 'cake' formation in pregame

First of all, these ensembles reinforced discipline and responsibility. One band member being out of step or playing the wrong note can ruin an entire performance. Thus, it is vital that all members of the ensemble spend time outside of rehearsal practicing and memorizing music and drill. It also means attending every rehearsal and performance, be it at 4 in the afternoon or 6 in the morning. Engineering requires a similar discipline, from regularly attending meetings to doing your individual part of a massive project. 

Secondly, these ensembles display a vast amount of collaboration and teamwork. The optimal performance of both drill and music requires all band members to watch and listen to each other so that adjustments can be made on the fly if necessary, because nothing ever goes perfectly when put into practice. Nothing ever goes perfectly in engineering projects either, so a similar willingness to adjust and troubleshoot is needed in the industry as well. 

Third of all, strong leadership is needed at all levels for the ensembles to succeed, from teaching new members to march properly to perfecting their musical performance to keeping the group focused on the task at hand. I served in a prominent leadership role as a section leader in the Falcon Marching Band my senior year, and served as a mentor to the underclassmen in my last couple years in the Michigan Marching Band. Engineering requires strong leadership at the top as well in order to get anything productive accomplished. 

Myself sitting in the bleachers as a member of the Falcon Marching Band

Finally, both ensembles, especially the MMB, worked under a strict deadline to get shows ready and had to manage time wisely to allow for completion of other schoolwork. Time management and working under a deadline are prominent components of the engineering industry. 

Thanks to my time in the FMB and MMB, I have acquired some essential skills that will make me a very successful engineer. 

The MMB Alto section before the 2012 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, LA

My Story and My Passion

My interest in propulsion systems and aerospace engineering in general stems from my experiences at Rochester High School. While attending RHS, I was a four year member of the robotics team and excelled in my math and science courses. As a member of the robotics team, we were given six weeks every year to construct a machine that could perform a certain task and perform it better than any other machine once entered into competition. This six-week cycle gave me a first taste of what engineering was like: finding a solution to a problem through collaboration and innovation within a specified time frame.

Rochester High School FIRST Robotics team at 2008 National Championship in Atlanta, GA

After four years of building machines and competing in the contests that followed, I knew I wanted to be an engineer. Once I reached the University of Michigan, I had to decide what engineering field I wanted to be in. All my life, I had been fascinated with airplanes, rockets, and all things that could fly. I loved science fiction and enjoyed the thrill of flying in an airplane. So in the end, it was no surprise that after two years at the University of Michigan, I decided to declare my major in aerospace engineering. 

The more I learned about the field, the more I knew I had made the right choice. Every bit of the aerospace curriculum was interesting to me, but it was the propulsion systems in particular that piqued my interest. I loved learning about the composition of gas turbine engines and rocket engines and the different types of propellant that can be used. There were so many ways thrust could be created, both conventionally and unconventionally. I was intrigued by the possibilities of electrical propulsion and even nuclear propulsion systems being integrated into the structures of future spacecraft. 

Both of my senior design projects were focused around propulsion. In the first, my team of seven engineers worked to create a chemical propulsion system that would successfully transport a small satellite to the Mars moon Phobos and back. The second project involved creating a test procedure to help design an exhaust-driven fan for a student competition group. In this project, my team of four engineers used a test stand in the aerospace lab to generate thrust and velocity measurements from several different fan blades. Using this data, we could determine which fan blade was optimal for use in the machine. 

Even though the propulsion system field has dramatically improved since man started to take flight, there are still many ways to do better. These systems can be more efficient, more powerful, more environmentally-conscious, and lighter. In becoming an aerospace engineer, I want to be a part of perfecting the propulsion system formula. I want my company to produce the best jet/rocket engines in the world, now and into the future.