Which Boeing airliner was the first to use a carbon-fiber composite fuselage made in large barrel sections?

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was the first major airliner to use a carbon-fiber composite fuselage built in large barrel sections.

Instead of assembling a conventional fuselage from many aluminum panels and frames, Boeing designed the 787’s main fuselage sections as large composite barrels. These sections were manufactured by suppliers and transported to final assembly, where they were joined with the rest of the aircraft.

The approach reduced the number of traditional fuselage joints and helped lower structural weight. It also required new manufacturing methods, specialized tooling, and an international supply chain. Production difficulties and delivery delays became a major part of the 787 program’s early history.

The 787 is not the first aircraft ever to use composites, and it is not made entirely from carbon fiber. Its distinction is the extensive use of composite primary structure, especially the large one-piece fuselage sections, on a high-volume commercial airliner.