Side view of 787

A side view of the 787 shows the composite structures loaded into the first position for final assembly.

Boeing says the Dreamliner will bring big-jet ranges to midsize airplanes--up to 8,500 nautical miles for the 787-9. The plane is expected to be able to reach speeds of Mach 0.85, comparable to that for a 777 or 747, but also be 20 percent more fuel-efficient than planes of similar size. That fuel economy stems in part from the generous use of carbon composite materials.