A Girl Never Forgets Her First Dreamliner
Oh, the Dreamliner. Pete and I have been wanting to fly this plane for years. And since we saw that PBS three-part documentary called City in the Sky featuring the masterful two-engine wide body Boeing beauty, we have been in awe. It’s revolutionizing the experience and the efficiency of air travel.
For all you plane enthusiasts and experts (I'm looking at you, Grandpa! 😄), this one's for you. Or if you are just interested in following our journey, thanks for reading! 😄
Here are some of the features we noticed on our Boeing 787-10 trip from Japan to Singapore:
The Engine! Boeing adopted several new noise-reduction technologies and applied them to the development of the Dreamliner. And it shows! The experience overall was much quieter than your average commercial jet. I fly A LOT. Every time I do, I pretty much sit in the same seat every time I fly--right side of the plane, window seat, about 3-4 rows from behind the wing, so I can see all the flaps at work. Just the flaps and not the slats; those are at the front of the wing and not visible from where I sit.
No window shades! But that doesn't mean you have to go blind looking at the sun throughout the duration of the flight. The Dreamliner offers this super awesome automatic window shading feature. With a press of a button, you can darken or lighten the windows, limiting the amount of light that comes through. All the while, you never have an obstructed viewing. You can see everything going on outside your window in full detail. This was amazing to me because on long haul flights, I'm usually that person who has to have their window shade up the entire time. Why you ask? You guessed it again! Motion sickness. I have to keep my gaze out the window so I can keep my eyes on a fixed point. Keeping the windows open during long hauls is kind of annoying to others, I imagine, who are trying to sleep. So then what I do is keep the shade 1/4 open and crouch down like silly person just so I can see something--a cloud, a star, a wave, anything, to feel where my body is in space. Inner ear issues + motion sickness = fun times. But I digress...
There was a digital touch screen in front of every seat. Not just for watching your favorite tv show or movie, you can also track your flight. But not just any average tracking feature--you can manipulate the map and explore cities all over there world. You can see the window seat view of the map and verify what country/city is out your window. You can get a flight preview, which is animation of the pilot's officially filed flight plan, exploring the path of your plane and seeing the major cities in each country you fly over. You can even see a 3D view of your position in the air! It gives you a 360 degree shot to show you your plane's direction, elevation, position, etc. And all the while your playing with those features, you get real time up-to-date info about you plane and trip, including the local time at arrival and departure cities, estimated time of arrival, time until landing, ground speed, true airspeed, tail wind, outside air temperature, time since departure, distance traveled, altitude... Pete and I loved it. Perfect feature for air travel aficionados like ourselves 😊
The first snack they gave us was dried peas and crackers. I will try anything (except hearts of palm, keep those things away from me at all costs). So naturally, I gave these a try. The dried peas were delicious and crunchy. They didn't really retain any of their pea flavor. They were a bit tasteless actually, which worked fine for me. Apparently the only place you can get these are during a Singapore Airlines flight. There was a statement on the back that read "Salted and lightly seasoned snack exclusively packed for Singapore Airlines.”
Don't even get me started on the printed menu. It was as beautiful as a Playbill from a Broadway show on its opening night in NYC! 👍🏻
The flight attendants were dressed to the nines. Women wore intricately detailed and multicolored floor length traditional Peranakan dresses. They all had full face of makeup and their hair up in a tightly wound French twist. The men wore sharp black suits.
The captain was very methodical in his welcome announcement, and it was surprising to hear. He wasn’t just reading a cue card or repeating something from memory. It was thoughtful and intentional, friendly message and tone. You felt like you knew him right away without even meeting him. Put me at ease right away, which is exactly what they are supposed to do.
Free pillow and blankets, similar to most long haul flights. But these were the best I’ve ever experienced (not ever having flown in first class in my adult life). Super soft. Super cozy.
There was a built-in mirror in the tray table with a little flap to open and shut it. Neat feature, especially for those who tend to be a bit messy when they eat.....yes, guilty.
The tray table folds out to two different sizes—not just for different sized meals, but different sized people.
There's a small compartment perfectly sized for your iPhone or smart device built into the back seat pocket.
A floating cup holder! A small plastic flap folded down from the back seat pocket. When it locks in place, you noticed a small hole, perfectly sized to fit the cups Singapore Airlines gives you during the flight. No more worrying about knocking over your drink while you eat--it has its own perfect place 👍🏻
The smell!! I can’t describe it. But it’s fresh and clean and unlike any other plane I've been on. This might be the extra O2 Dreamliners pump into the plane to help with motion sickness. It’s true! I learned it on the PBS documentary. Thanks, PBS! 😄
The wing tip of a Dreamliner is sleek and aerodynamic. It’s not your average sharklet or winglets you see on your commercial Boeing and Airbus models. From what I can observe, it looks like there are static dischargers—10 of them to be exact. These help discharge lightning and static during the flight. They are essential for the massive computer and automatic system that guides the plane. They are also a different material from the wing, which I’m sure is to make the Dreamliner even lighter.
For all you plane enthusiasts and experts (I'm looking at you, Grandpa! 😄), this one's for you. Or if you are just interested in following our journey, thanks for reading! 😄
Here are some of the features we noticed on our Boeing 787-10 trip from Japan to Singapore:
The Engine! Boeing adopted several new noise-reduction technologies and applied them to the development of the Dreamliner. And it shows! The experience overall was much quieter than your average commercial jet. I fly A LOT. Every time I do, I pretty much sit in the same seat every time I fly--right side of the plane, window seat, about 3-4 rows from behind the wing, so I can see all the flaps at work. Just the flaps and not the slats; those are at the front of the wing and not visible from where I sit.
No window shades! But that doesn't mean you have to go blind looking at the sun throughout the duration of the flight. The Dreamliner offers this super awesome automatic window shading feature. With a press of a button, you can darken or lighten the windows, limiting the amount of light that comes through. All the while, you never have an obstructed viewing. You can see everything going on outside your window in full detail. This was amazing to me because on long haul flights, I'm usually that person who has to have their window shade up the entire time. Why you ask? You guessed it again! Motion sickness. I have to keep my gaze out the window so I can keep my eyes on a fixed point. Keeping the windows open during long hauls is kind of annoying to others, I imagine, who are trying to sleep. So then what I do is keep the shade 1/4 open and crouch down like silly person just so I can see something--a cloud, a star, a wave, anything, to feel where my body is in space. Inner ear issues + motion sickness = fun times. But I digress...
There was a digital touch screen in front of every seat. Not just for watching your favorite tv show or movie, you can also track your flight. But not just any average tracking feature--you can manipulate the map and explore cities all over there world. You can see the window seat view of the map and verify what country/city is out your window. You can get a flight preview, which is animation of the pilot's officially filed flight plan, exploring the path of your plane and seeing the major cities in each country you fly over. You can even see a 3D view of your position in the air! It gives you a 360 degree shot to show you your plane's direction, elevation, position, etc. And all the while your playing with those features, you get real time up-to-date info about you plane and trip, including the local time at arrival and departure cities, estimated time of arrival, time until landing, ground speed, true airspeed, tail wind, outside air temperature, time since departure, distance traveled, altitude... Pete and I loved it. Perfect feature for air travel aficionados like ourselves 😊
The first snack they gave us was dried peas and crackers. I will try anything (except hearts of palm, keep those things away from me at all costs). So naturally, I gave these a try. The dried peas were delicious and crunchy. They didn't really retain any of their pea flavor. They were a bit tasteless actually, which worked fine for me. Apparently the only place you can get these are during a Singapore Airlines flight. There was a statement on the back that read "Salted and lightly seasoned snack exclusively packed for Singapore Airlines.”
Don't even get me started on the printed menu. It was as beautiful as a Playbill from a Broadway show on its opening night in NYC! 👍🏻
The flight attendants were dressed to the nines. Women wore intricately detailed and multicolored floor length traditional Peranakan dresses. They all had full face of makeup and their hair up in a tightly wound French twist. The men wore sharp black suits.
The captain was very methodical in his welcome announcement, and it was surprising to hear. He wasn’t just reading a cue card or repeating something from memory. It was thoughtful and intentional, friendly message and tone. You felt like you knew him right away without even meeting him. Put me at ease right away, which is exactly what they are supposed to do.
Free pillow and blankets, similar to most long haul flights. But these were the best I’ve ever experienced (not ever having flown in first class in my adult life). Super soft. Super cozy.
There was a built-in mirror in the tray table with a little flap to open and shut it. Neat feature, especially for those who tend to be a bit messy when they eat.....yes, guilty.
The tray table folds out to two different sizes—not just for different sized meals, but different sized people.
There's a small compartment perfectly sized for your iPhone or smart device built into the back seat pocket.
A floating cup holder! A small plastic flap folded down from the back seat pocket. When it locks in place, you noticed a small hole, perfectly sized to fit the cups Singapore Airlines gives you during the flight. No more worrying about knocking over your drink while you eat--it has its own perfect place 👍🏻
The smell!! I can’t describe it. But it’s fresh and clean and unlike any other plane I've been on. This might be the extra O2 Dreamliners pump into the plane to help with motion sickness. It’s true! I learned it on the PBS documentary. Thanks, PBS! 😄
The wing tip of a Dreamliner is sleek and aerodynamic. It’s not your average sharklet or winglets you see on your commercial Boeing and Airbus models. From what I can observe, it looks like there are static dischargers—10 of them to be exact. These help discharge lightning and static during the flight. They are essential for the massive computer and automatic system that guides the plane. They are also a different material from the wing, which I’m sure is to make the Dreamliner even lighter.
During the flight, I entertained myself with loads of music. I always start off a flight with my Plane iTunes Playlist. It’s chocked full of classical and instrumental music. I have pieces like Jupiter: The Bringer of Jollity from The Planets, Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (no, Dad...it’s not what you think....I like it because of the duo oboe harmony 😉) and Hungarian Dance No. 5.
I also find myself in a fantastic mood during air travel when listening to the entire John Williams canon, for example. Maybe you don’t know John Williams? He wrote the scores for these little known movies called Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Hook, Indiana Jones, E.T., and the first few Harry Potter movies. I also have several of his (seriously) lesser known marches, such as the March from “1941,” The Cowboys Overture, and John Williams Olympic Fanfare and Theme. Yup, he’s the guy who wrote the theme to the Olympics we hear every two years. He as my high school band director’s favorite composer. And since high school band music always brings back such great memories for me, I inevitably am reminiscing about the “good ole’ days” when I’m flying. Once I go through the entire plane playlist, which is about 1-2 hours (depending on how many songs I skip), I pick my favorite broadway musical of the hour and go through the entire show. It’s a wonderful way to pass the time, since I can’t watch a movie or a tv show on the screen. For those that have been reading the blog —right, you guessed it. Motion sickness. Audio books don’t generally work because there is usually not background sounds in the reading. I like to drown out the sound of the engines with music.
I saw Vietnam and Taiwan from my window today. Later in the flight, I’ll also be seeing Malaysia. How many people can say that?? Unbelievable, this trip is.
During the flight, the pilot came on the loudspeaker to explain he is asking the cabin crew until further notice. No biggie, just weather. But his remorseful and apologetic tone about this major inconvenience made it seem like what he was asking was a burden for us to bare. It was genuine and sweet. This pilot makes my day.
A young person (early 20s maybe?) sat on the aisle next to Pete throughout the trip. He was wearing one of the face masks you sometimes see Asians wearing. They are not worn out of fear of catching something, they are primarily worn to not spread an individuals’ germs to others. So really, it’s quite thoughtful if you think about it. What makes his face mask unique from all the other ones I see is that it’s black. Almost all of them are hospital white. His also has a face on it. I’d like to think it’s way of expressing himself within the Japanese culture, while also being smart and safe and traditional.
An incredibly surprising thing happened about 4 minutes before landing. Pleasant piano music through the speakers upon landing
Hazing approach. Incredible cloud formations. Smooth decent. Just lovely.
Overall, a perfect first flight on the Dreamliner. And I can't wait for my second! It will be with American Airlines flying back to the states 😄
I also find myself in a fantastic mood during air travel when listening to the entire John Williams canon, for example. Maybe you don’t know John Williams? He wrote the scores for these little known movies called Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Hook, Indiana Jones, E.T., and the first few Harry Potter movies. I also have several of his (seriously) lesser known marches, such as the March from “1941,” The Cowboys Overture, and John Williams Olympic Fanfare and Theme. Yup, he’s the guy who wrote the theme to the Olympics we hear every two years. He as my high school band director’s favorite composer. And since high school band music always brings back such great memories for me, I inevitably am reminiscing about the “good ole’ days” when I’m flying. Once I go through the entire plane playlist, which is about 1-2 hours (depending on how many songs I skip), I pick my favorite broadway musical of the hour and go through the entire show. It’s a wonderful way to pass the time, since I can’t watch a movie or a tv show on the screen. For those that have been reading the blog —right, you guessed it. Motion sickness. Audio books don’t generally work because there is usually not background sounds in the reading. I like to drown out the sound of the engines with music.
I saw Vietnam and Taiwan from my window today. Later in the flight, I’ll also be seeing Malaysia. How many people can say that?? Unbelievable, this trip is.
During the flight, the pilot came on the loudspeaker to explain he is asking the cabin crew until further notice. No biggie, just weather. But his remorseful and apologetic tone about this major inconvenience made it seem like what he was asking was a burden for us to bare. It was genuine and sweet. This pilot makes my day.
A young person (early 20s maybe?) sat on the aisle next to Pete throughout the trip. He was wearing one of the face masks you sometimes see Asians wearing. They are not worn out of fear of catching something, they are primarily worn to not spread an individuals’ germs to others. So really, it’s quite thoughtful if you think about it. What makes his face mask unique from all the other ones I see is that it’s black. Almost all of them are hospital white. His also has a face on it. I’d like to think it’s way of expressing himself within the Japanese culture, while also being smart and safe and traditional.
An incredibly surprising thing happened about 4 minutes before landing. Pleasant piano music through the speakers upon landing
Hazing approach. Incredible cloud formations. Smooth decent. Just lovely.
Overall, a perfect first flight on the Dreamliner. And I can't wait for my second! It will be with American Airlines flying back to the states 😄
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