I think airplanes are pretty magical. One of my favourite things is when I’m driving on the N2 past the airport and a plane is coming in to land or has just taken off, and if your timing is right you are directly beneath it as it flies over the highway.

Such clever things.

It’s no surprise then that they get better and better with time (except for economy class – that just gets smaller) and can do the most amazing things. I think the fact that you can now fly direct to JFK from Joburg is great because I still remember those days of refuelling and stops in Kinshasa and Nairobi. Sigh. And just take the sheer size of the A380. How that even gets off the ground is pure mindblowing-ness.

But let’s look at the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for a moment, as it practices for the Paris Air Show.

 The 787 Dreamliner, according to Boeing, is a twin-engine jet that can seat anywhere between 250-350 people. It has a state-of-the-art flight deck and is designed as a fuel-efficient aircraft. Most importantly, the aircraft is said to be light-weight and is thus capable of performing swift manoeuvres.

Whilst that take-off looks insanely impressive and near-vertical, it’s mostly just the trick of the camera. A 767 pilot spoke to CNN:

Some of what you’re seeing on takeoff is a trick of perspective. It looks like the takeoff is at a near vertical 90 degree angle — trust me it’s not.

It still looks great, the way it glides and does its thing so effortlessly.

[Source: Indian Express]