Posted: 6/7/18 | June 7th, 2018
I’m an aviation geek, which implies I like all things associated to planes (even if I’m terrified of flying). Planes fascinate me. They have around 8,000 parts and evaluate multiple tons but still manage to stay up in the sky without falling apart!
I imply have you ever seen one of those bolts holding up a wing? It boggles my mind how such a small thing can hold so much weight. say thanks to you, aerodynamics, engineering, and the workers at Airbus and Boeing!
In March, I was invited to the Boeing plant in South Carolina for the delivery of Singapore Airlines’ new 787-10, the first 10-series Dreamliner plane. As part of the invited media crew (including some other AV geeks, like Brian Kelly, Ben Mutzabaugh, Zach Honing, and Kendis Gibson), we spent a few days at the plant and then flew the delivery flight from Charleston to Singapore.
It was really one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. For those other guys, it’s par for the course. They go on these all the time. But, for me, this was a brand new experience. I imply getting invited to the factory and then to fly on the first flight? Woah! So cool.
But South Carolina to Singapore is a long flight. The overall flight time is 22 hours. The overall time on the plane for us? 24.5 hours because we weren’t enabled to leave the airplane during our refueling stop in Osaka.
That’s right. I spent a bit much more than an entire day inside an airplane.
And how does one spend a full day on a plane? Here’s how:
Hour 1
We board the plane (Boeing has their own gateway at their plant), where we are greeted by the crew and Singapore Airlines executives. I sit down in my business-class seat, get my pre-flight champagne, and marvel at the new in-flight home entertainment (IFE) system. It’s the very best I’ve seen. The screen is huge with super-sharp definition and the system saves all your information and preferences so you can get back to your films quickly.
It also minimizes the back-and-forth between menus by keeping choices open at the bottom of the screen while you scroll and tons them without having to toggle. compared to the crappy IFEs we have in the states, it’s like magic.
Hour 2
After takeoff, I begin to view Justice League. It’s terrible, so I relocation to the galley to get drunk…I imply sample the red wine selection. OK, we got drunk. There’s no other method to put it. Those flight attendants pour heavy glasses.
Hour 3
Continue to drink in the galley.
Hour 4
After getting sufficiently toasted, I quote everyone good night and go back to my seat. While the other AV geeks pick apart the seat for length, angles, cubby access, and everything in between, I am just pleased to be able to sleep in such a fantastic seat. The seat is 26 inches wide, which is plenty long for a man like me. The padded interior muffles noise and is set back enough to ensure that you can create a bit cocoon hidden from the rest of the cabin.
Hour 5
Keep sleeping.
Hour 6
More sleeping.
Hour 7
Counting sheep.
Hour 8
Dreaming of Batman. Wait? Am I Batman?
Hour 9
Still out like a light.
Hour 10
Eventually, I come to and pound some water to get rid of my hangover. I feel pretty good for someone who got just six hours of sleep. I roam the cabin quietly as many of the other passengers on the plane are still asleep. I eat the dinner I missed and begrudgingly finish Justice league (seriously, it’s terrible).
Hour 11
I spend an hour composing blog messages and working on my upcoming memoir.
Hour 12
Now, I’m going stir crazy because I’ve been on this plane for 12 hours and still have another 12 much more to go! I drink another glass of red wine and keep on writing. It’s pretty unexciting. I’m at the point where the novelty has used off and begin to fidget around.
Hour 13
Work some much more while viewing Geostorm (another awful movie). I’m not sure what is with me and awful films but I seem to gravitate towards them on planes. I believe it’s because it’s a good time to just get lost and not think. I just want to see cheesy plots and stuff blow up.
Hour 14
Time for another nap!
Hour 15
I get up and notice everyone is also getting up so I go chat with people. It was really interesting being on a plane with journalists. here I am under no deadline (I imply this short article is for something occurred two months ago) and these men are furiously filing stories for when we land so they can all be the first to report on the plane. here are a few of the articles they wrote:
Singapore Airlines new 787-10 in pictures (Flight Global)
Boeing Delivers the World’s first 787-10 Dreamliner to Singapore Airlines (The points Guy)
The new Singapore Airlines Boeing 787-10 (Sam Chui)
That new Airplane smell (USA Today)
Hour 16
The cabin lights finally come on and we get ready to land. There’s a light snack, I compose some more, and then get to reading a book.
Hour 17
After 16 hours, we’re in Japan. By now, you’re probably wondering how the plane made it so far? I imply this plane is only expected to be able to fly around 8,055 miles and Osaka is 7,255 miles away. Simple: without a fully-loaded cabin of people and luggage, a plane is extra light and can make it extremely far on a extremely full storage tank of gas!
Hour 18
While on the ground, they refuel the plane, switch out the crew, and bring in some new food (catered by Singapore Airlines this time around and not Boeing). I view all journalists make videos and do interviews then chat with the CEO of Singapore Airlines, who provides me some sushi suggestions in Singapore (I never got to eat at them but he suggested Kuiiya and Chobei). the most I did was take some photos.
Hour 19
Takeoff time again.
Hour 20
After another breakfast (delicious eggs with spinach and seaweed), I relocation to economy class to see what it’s like while trying not to get up the Singapore Airlines workers trying to sleep. There’s a lot of legroom and the seat has a steep recline (which is good when you recline but bad when the person in front of you reclines because it cuts off a lot of your space). The seats are also really comfy and with soft padding.
After Qatar’s A350 economy, they might be my favorite economy seats.
Hour 21
I take advantage of having my own row in economy and take another nap.
Hour 22
Dreamland.
Hour 23
I get up and go back to company class for breakfast. The sun is coming up and we’re getting ready to land. I’ve given up on films and just started writing. before we land, I take some pictures and see who wishes to get dinner later in the day.
Hour 24
Time to land in Singapore. I’m always awed by the fleet of cargo ships off the coast of Singapore. As far as the eye can see, the denizens of global trade go to and fro as we land and pull into the gate, we are welcomed with water cannons and a celebratory event.
***
Spending 24 hours in a plane was an experience I’ll (probably) never have again, but surprisingly, it wasn’t as bad as I had believed it would be. The Dreamliner is pressured at only 6,000 feet compared to other planes which are pressured at altitudes around 8,000 feet. feet. So, walking off the plane, I felt pretty refreshed and less fatigued.
I never really discovered it before but after costs 24 hours in a tube, that science Boeing was speaking about does really hold as much as snuff.
I didn’t feel as jetlagged or that normal gross feeling I have after a long international flight. (Who else likes to shower best away after a long flight? Anyone? Makes me feel refreshed!)
This new Singapore 787-10 will be a regional craft so, at most, you’ll be in this plane for only about six hours. They are only going to fly it around Asia and Australia. I would say this will be one of the nicest six hours you’ll have on a plane, no matter what class you are in.
I have a new favorite plane to fly around Asia, which, thanks to Singapore’s partnerships with Chase, American Express, SPG, and Citi, also their partnership with United implies I can utilize points to do it for totally free (thanks to travel hacking!)
But, the next time I get on this plane, I’ll be pleased it won’t be for another 24 hours. That’s a bit as well long for me.
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Note: I was part of the press core for the introduce of this plane. Singapore Airlines covered my hotel, flight, and any meals I had during official events. I was not compensated monetarily for this.