Dream award for Dreamliner

What do you call the greatest aeronautic achievement in America in 2011? You call it the “proudly Washington-made 787 Dreamliner,” that’s what!

Photo credit: Dave Sizer

Earlier this week the National Aeronautic Association announced that our very own Boeing 787 Dreamliner was chosen for the 2011 Robert J. Collier Trophy, one of the aerospace industry's most prestigious honors for excellence.

The competition was tough, but the Dreamliner beat its three contenders, the Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy, the Gamera human-powered helicopter, and Pipistrel's Taurus G4 electric-powered airplane.

The 787 Dreamliner is the first fuel-efficient, mid-size commercial airplane capable of flying long-range routes. It wrapped up 2011 by setting two world records in its class, one for speed and one for distance.

The Collier Trophy, first awarded in 1911, was designed to encourage innovation in aerospace by emphasizing improved performance, efficiency and safety. Past winners include Orville Wright, the Neil Armstrong and Apollo 11 Moon mission team, and Boeing for several airplanes, including the 747 and the 777.

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