Local company's tech takes flight with Boeing's new jet

ZEELAND, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – Boeing is calling the new 787 Dreamliner the future of flight.

The new passenger jet made its first flight on Tuesday, a successful four-hour test flight meant to make sure the plane flies correctly. No problems were reported.

Several local companies have had a big hand in bringing the new plane together. Gentex in Zeeland played a part in its development and is watching its technology take off.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has taken flight, and the plane is a hit, especially with employees at Gentex Corporation in Zeeland, who watched the maiden flight carefully.

"There were a couple of stations with television monitors and you could see people watching and cheering," said Craig Piersma of Gentex.

Gentex employees were especially interested in the flight of the 787 Dreamliner because he company produced a feature never before seen on a jumbo jet; windows that can be dimmed.

"These windows are going to act like sunglasses for the airplane," said Piersma.

There have been window shades on airliners before, but the Dreamliner's dimming windows end the glare coming through tiny portholes.

"So if they're hot they can darken the window, if they'd like to see outside they can darken it to a level that cuts the glare but allows them to see outside," said Piersma.

Gentex landed the five-year $50 million contract to bring the dimming technology to Boeing, and is also looking to bring the technology to smaller business jets.

"By pressing a button, this window will start to darken, so what's happening here is there are two pieces of glass, there is a gel, electrochromic gel, between these two pieces of glass, an electric current is flowing that gel and it's beginning to darken," said Piersma.

Gentex hopes the technology spreads to other size planes, since it could open new possibilities for plane design.

"It eliminates the window shade, so from an aesthetic standpoint it allows you to make larger windows, which adds passenger comfort," said Piersma. "Now they can control how much light is being transmitted into the cabin."