New Boeing's on a higher plane

BOEING'S Dreamliner will change aviation standards for good.

It's so luxurious, it'll have fliers on cloud nine.

Passengers on this 787 will enjoy a brightly lit blue ceiling, which gives the illusion of being open to the air.

They'll also get a quieter ride. A series of small adjustments have been made (straighter pipes in the air conditioning, for example) that result in fewer squeaks.

There's a raft of new technology to give a smoother journey and the manufacturers promise passengers fewer headaches and a lower risk of that dry-mouthed feeling.

The Dreamliner was in the UK for the first time this week at Farnborough Airshow.

It was welcomed to the show by model and former air stewardess Danielle Lineker, wife of footie host Gary.

Thomson Airways said it would be the first UK firm to fly the revolutionary aircraft from January 2012.

Mark German, head of aircraft management at TUI Travel, Thomson's parent company, said: "The wings have sensors that can detect the conditions. The nose and tails automatically adjust to compensate, meaning much less turbulence.

"Air-conditioning coming from outside, as opposed to off the engines like other planes, means the air will also be cleaner. The composite materials the plane is made from mean that we can increase the humidity from five per cent to 15-20 per cent. So you won't get as many headaches."

By all accounts, it's an impressive piece of kit to operate.

Stuart Gruber, Thomson's 787 test flight pilot, said: "Pilots are going to love it. I felt like a big kid with a new toy the first time I flew one!

"But as fun as it is to fly, passenger safety always remains a priority."

On a trip to Boeing's US factory in Seattle, we learned that windows are three times the size of average aircraft windows so you don't have to bend forward to look out.

They also have five settings and can be adjusted from transparent to 99.9 per cent opaque. This is to eradicate the annoying limitations of shutters people have to adjust manually.

The blue lighting I mentioned is complemented by yellow sides that give an impression of a sunset, and other soothing lighting combinations are available.

The colour can change to appetising amber for a meal and the light dims afterwards to evoke post-dinner candles.

Visiting the Boeing factory was an eye-opening experience.

The production process is incredibly and reassuringly convoluted and Boeing aim to be producing ten 787s a month in a year's time. The captains are in for a treat in their luxurious cabins.

I tried one out on a visit to the Boeing gallery, a centre showcasing the wide range of interior designs and other specifications of the plane.

Airlines browse the gallery like you or I would visit Ikea.

I had a "test sit" on a few seats in the showroom and for a split second I was mentally decorating the inside of my own plane.

It'll be a few lifetimes' wages before I can afford that, though...