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"The first ever non-stop flight from Tokyo to Boston, via Japan Airlines, took place on April 22 using the 787-8 Dreamliner. As a result, the East and West got a little more \"connected.\"\nThe flight not only marks the first commercial use of the 787 Dreamliner in the U.S., but it's also a step up for environmentalism.\nBoeing calls the 787-8 Dreamliner \u2014 the model used for both the initial nonstop flight from Tokyo to Boston as well as its return trip \u2014 a \"superefficient airplane.\" It uses 20% less fuel than any other airplane of its size.\nThe 787-8 Dreamliner is primarily made of carbon fiber \u2014 making it much lighter than other existing airplanes \u2014 and uses power-efficient LED lighting to create a relaxing ambience for flying. The Dreamliner also features larger windows and nacelles, or outer coverings, that help mitigate noise.\nCompared with the recognizable Boeing 747, the Dreamliner travels twice as far, pushes 20,000 pounds more thrust on takeoff and is 20 meters longer.\nAccording to David Mackey, Interim CEO of the Massachusetts Port Authority, which owns and operates the Boston Logan International Airport, more than 400,000 people flew from Boston Logan to Asia last year \u2014 and that's with the decreased tourism Japan faced after its 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.\n\"This nonstop service connecting New England to Japan is historic and will help businesses prosper, open up new leisure destinations, and bring nations closer together,\" Mackey said.\nBoeing Japan President Mike Denton, who was on the inaugural flight, also said that these long-haul flights are exactly what the 787 was designed to fly. And with fewer layovers, they bring increased flexibility to travelers \u2014 the Japan Airlines Tokyo to Boston flight can get you to your destination in just under 12 hours.\n\nSEE ALSO: How Tech and Social Media Are Changing Travel\nAs an added bonus, the atmosphere and lighting design of the Japan Airlines cabin are meant to recreate Japan's four distinctive seasons, such as having pink hues to represent Japan's spring cherry blossoms, or sky blue tones for its summer months. With such a relaxing ambience, you might not even want to get off the plane.\nAnd for those of you who can't make it to Tokyo just yet, don't fret \u2014 you can still dream up your own Dreamliner on Boeing's website.\nThumbnail courtesy of egmTacahopeful, Flickr\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2012/04/24/dreamliner-787-boston-asia/>