Disembowelling US industry Part 73

Mike Bair, Boeing VP and general manager of the 787 program was telling me in Dubai about the selection of Panasonic as the second supplier for their X Series wireless in Flight Entertainment (IFE) for the 787. (Which will be superb and allows easy, quick cabin re-c0nfiguration).

This is of course as I reminded him, not a Boeing product but assembled in Californian from Chinese tails, Japanese fuselage wing stubs, UK de-icing, and undercarriage, Japanese toilet cabins, all carried in specially modified 747’s from Spain.

Meanwhile their program to diss the A380 continues, he tells me, trying to raise the wind about horizontal separation and take off slots - remember the bollocks about the tail fin falling off the Airbus over Rockway ? Shit, why can't they ban US overflights the way they did with Concord(e), that would really fuck the uppity "old Euro" crew.

I suggested the 787 should be designated the 787/UN because it had bits from so many nations. He took another pull on his sweetened lime soda in the cool evening quiet of the Bastakia courtyard and smiled wryly. He said something I didn't quote catch.

If IFE and a comparison of the Thales (French) wireless system with Panasonic X excites you read more here.