The plane whose nose collapsed on the runway of London's Heathrow Airport was a model that defied expectations with an innovative set of design features as Boeing tried to steal a competitive advantage over its transatlantic rival, the European manufacturer Airbus.
A series of tragedies and mishaps has kept the aircraft in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. A 787-8 Dreamliner on Friday collapsed at London’s Heathrow Airport in an as yet unexplained incident.
It is one of three types of the aircraft, the others being the 787-9 and 787-10 models, which differ in design and capacity.
British Airways bought a total of 30 787s when the model was introduced. Boeing management hopes the Dreamliner will become the workhorse of their range and take the place of the 767 twin-aisle in the hearts of passengers and the minds of airlines fleet managers.
What are the specifications of the 787-8?
Passenger capacity: 248 people
Range: 13,530 kilometres
Length: 57 metres
Wingspan: 60m
Height: 17m
Weight: 228 tonnes
Production: As of October 2019, about 29 per cent of 787 orders were for the 787-8, with 366 delivered
The aircraft is 20 per cent more fuel efficient than similar sized commercial jets and is the first of its kind to have a composite fuselage and composite wings.
What makes the plane special?
For passengers the plane has some marketable features:
Electronic glass that is dimmable to five stages of colour and windows that are much bigger than any other plane.
Instead of taking air from outside via the engines, fresh air is drawn directly from outside the aircraft into the air conditioning system.
A much quieter cabin for passenger comfort.
Pilots have computerised head-height displays so they can view the monitors in front of them rather than looking down across the traditional flight deck control panel.
Have there been any other problems?
There were early problems with its lithium-ion batteries causing fires on board but there have been no fatalities.
What happened at Heathrow?
The nose of a BA Dreamliner 787 collapsed on the runway at Heathrow as the cargo aircraft was attached to a gantry walkway.
The plane was stationary at the time of the incident and was carrying freight – no passengers were on board.
The incident happened while the plane was being loaded for a flight to Frankfurt, Germany, having flown in from Moscow two days ago.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
