After years of struggle, Boeing is finding new efficiencies in the way it builds its cutting-edge 787.
What a difference a year makes!
In 2005, it seemed Airbus (Toulouse, France) had become an unstoppable force in the world of aircraft manufacture. For the fifth year in a row, the company would log more commercial jet orders than any other company-1,055 to be exact. It was also celebrating the maiden flight of its new A380 super jumbo. Capable of hauling 555 passengers or 150 tons of freight nearly 8,000 miles, it looked like the aircraft was going to revolutionize the airline industry, knocking the iconic 747 off its king-sized perch.