Composite materials make up about 50 percent of the Boeing 787’s structure by weight.
The 787 was designed with a much greater use of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer and other composite materials than earlier commercial jetliners. Boeing’s published descriptions commonly state that composites account for approximately 50 percent of the aircraft by weight. Major composite components include the fuselage sections, wings, and other structural elements.
Using composites helped Boeing pursue lower structural weight, improved fuel efficiency, and reduced corrosion compared with an aircraft built predominantly from traditional aluminum alloys. The 787 still contains substantial metal components and is not an entirely composite airplane. Its construction also differs from the Airbus A350, another modern wide-body aircraft that makes extensive use of composites. The 50-percent figure refers to the aircraft’s weight share, not the percentage of its surface area or the number of individual parts.