(John Anderson is the Chief Engineer of Boeing Programs at Goodrich Aerostructures)

I have always told my kids ‘Dream Big, Work Hard and that Good Things Would Happen’…..this has been a theme to the 787 development experience. A great message as a father to his kids, and good perspective on the 787 Product Development experience.

The 787 has been an incredible experience, both professionally and personally. I have been fortunate enough to have been part of the 787 Program from the pre-proposal efforts all the way through FAA Type Certification. It is challenge that few people get the opportunity to experience in their careers- this is only occurred ten times in Boeing’s history. And very few people get to stay with such a challenge and see it through from start to completion.

Dream Big…..that was the fundamental premise of the 787 Product Development Team. We had the mandate to develop an all new airplane, not just an iteration of current fleets, but a complete step change in airplane design. We started with a clean sheet of paper and a ‘What If’ approach. The 787 is an incredible machine and has taken the industry to new heights.

Work Hard…This is the hardest thing I have ever done - personally and professionally. This journey has included significant contributions from each and everyone’s families. The impact on work-life balance has required time away from home for a lot of people. I am grateful to my wife and kids for their support, and I thank all of the families for those who ‘worked’ on the 787 - both at the office and in the home.

Good Things Will Happen…..As I have always told my kids, you never are sure what will happen, and you may not get exactly what you wanted, but good things, great things only come from hard work. We had to assure the success of Goodrich, Boeing, The Supply Chain, The Airlines and the flying public. ‘Good Things’ are measured differently by each piece of the business model and you don’t always get what you wanted, but we always found a way to do what was best for the Airplane.

Dream Big was a foundation of our design, We - the employees AND their families - worked hard (very hard) and now we have a great Airplane. Good things are ahead for Goodrich, Boeing, the Airlines, and the Flying Public……nobody ever said it would be easy.

I can’t wait to board a 787 with my wife and kids to allow them to see what they have played such an important role in developing.

Life is good.

(Ross R. Bogue is vice president and general manager of Boeing Fabrication)

The 787 is the “stopper,” along the airport people stop to take its picture as we whisper along. Takeoff is smooth, quiet and powerful. The airplane just jumps into the sky. The magic of flight indeed!

The interior, the flight deck - it all works, it all works - so proud of our team across Boeing that has brought this plane to the world!

I started my career in the early days of composites, lots of people said “no you can’t” or “it will never..” at 37,000 feet today I allowed myself a smile - yes we can and we did!!

(Sheri Festa is a 787 Structural Analyst based in Boeing Long Beach, California)

I started working on the 787 program in 2007 and I was one of the first Southern California Boeing engineers to be involved in the development of the Dreamliner. I am a structural analyst and feel very connected to the Dreamliner because I have had the opportunity to work on several areas of the 787 and have collaborated with many of the global partners involved in making the Dreamliner a reality.

As an engineer on the Dreamliner, I am very proud of what this plane has to offer. The passenger experience is greatly improved in many ways. Since composites are stronger than aluminum, the cabin can be pressurized to simulate lower altitudes. Additionally, composites are non-corrosive, enabling more humidity in the cabin. These improvements will result in enhanced passenger comfort in flight and reduce the effects of jet lag. To me, what stands out most about the Dreamliner is the sleek aerodynamic shape, larger windows with electronic dimming, extensive use of composite materials and fuel efficient engines. The Dreamliner is all about design innovation and close team work across the global partners and I am proud to be part of the Dreamliner team. My father, Keith Rietfors, worked at the Long Beach facility as an electrical engineer for over 30 years. Over his career, he had the opportunity to develop many cutting edge airplanes, including the C-17. I now have the opportunity to work on this next generation aircraft and see it enter into service. My father was my inspiration to study engineering and to work in the aerospace business. To see the Dreamliner next to the C-17 represents a major milestone in my career knowing that my father and I had played roles in making this possible.

(Pradeep Mahalingaiah is a project engineer with Honeywell Aerospace in Bangalore, India)

It’s rare for someone to realize his dream come true — but that’s what happened when I received a golden opportunity to work on one of the world’s most advanced aircraft - the Boeing Dreamliner.

Seven years ago, I was a junior engineer working at Honeywell Aerospace in Bangalore, India. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to become part of a new team formed to work on the Crew Information and Maintenance Systems for the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, and my dream began to come true.

I participated on design activities with the Honeywell team in Phoenix, Arizona, traveling thousands of miles and being away from my family. As I learned the functional and operational scenarios of the system, the technologies involved and the supporting tools, the big picture of how this system is used by the airlines became clearer to me. I felt very fortunate to be given the responsibility to develop the new maintenance control display function for the majestic Dreamliner. This is the primary user interface that enables airline mechanics to quickly diagnose what is not working properly on the aircraft and repair it so that the aircraft is not delayed.

Working with Boeing and its other suppliers, our singular focus was to get the airplane systems ready for airline service. It was a true revelation of the depth of collaboration among the industry competitors towards achieving a greater goal.

Working on the system software design and development with teams from Bangalore, Phoenix and Seattle, I knew I was working with the best of the best. The technical challenges we solved resulted in three patents that were granted by the U.S. patent office. I continued to learn more and matured as an engineer in the process of working on the Dreamliner.

Today, as I experience the magnificent 787 and see the results of our work, it gives me a sense of pride to have been part of the team that made this happen. Working on the Dreamliner was an opportunity of a lifetime - a dream come true.

(this is a guest blog post from Hiroyuki Hioka, Japan Airlines’ Senior Vice President for the Americas)

When Japan Airlines placed its first order of 7E7s, I was working in Japan Airlines’ Tokyo headquarters in a department not related to fleet planning or aircraft purchasing. As an employee far away from this project, it meant that I had little knowledge of how a carrier like JAL was considering to use the new aircraft in terms of routes most beneficial for its efficiences.

As time passed, I started to learn more about this uniquely special aircraft and its design, not so much from colleagues as one might expect, but rather from some of Japan Airlines’ valued customers such as Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Toray Industries.

When we would meet, I would hear the excitement in their voices as they talked about the new aircraft. I recall one customer telling me about the carbon fiber, which he described as incredibly strong and solid. It was during this period of time when it became apparent to me that this aircraft was indeed something special.

In 2010, I transferred to Japan Airlines’ American region office. I would have never imagined back then that I would be welcoming the Boeing 787 Dream Tour and Captain Randy Neville to Boston Logan International Airport, where Japan Airlines will soon be the first carrier to operate 787 service to and from the United States.

On Sunday morning, I walked into the hangar and saw the 787 aircraft for the first time. It was a moment I do not believe I will forget.

The aircraft was beautiful and I was struck by how large it appeared. To me, it did not look like a mid-sized aircraft. It looked larger.

In the afternoon, together with our joint business partner American Airlines and Massport, we invited clients, frequent flyers and supporters to tour the aircraft. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive and so many customers told us how happy they were that we would soon be starting 787 service.

And, just a few hours ago, I enjoyed an additional unique experience. I was able to take the 787 from Boston back to my office in New York.

While the flight was just 46 minutes, it seemed to take much longer, leaving me a bit exhaused. Not because of boredom, but because there was so much to take in and I was trying to absorb it all.

From looking out of the large windows, to walking around the cabin and seeing all of the distinctive features, to feeling the aircraft’s smooth ride. After being so exhilarated, I stepped off the plane feeling a sense of tiredness, all in a positive way.

This weekend with the 787 Dream Tour has now given me full confidence that this aircraft is truly special, not just for its performance efficiencies, but for the in-flight experience that our customers will soon be able to enjoy.

Thank you to The Boeing Company and the 787 Dream Tour team for bringing the 787 to Boston Logan.