PERHAPS the highlight of this year's Farnborough Air Show will be the first glimpse in the UK of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, for which Rolls-Royce supplies engines.

Since December, Derby-built Trent 1000 engines have been helping the new aircraft complete a number of tests as it progresses towards its certificate of airworthiness.

At present, Boeing is testing a number of Dreamliners at its base in Seattle, in the USA. But on Sunday, the aircraft will make its first transatlantic trip to the UK for the start of Farnborough the following day.

The Dreamliner has already earned the nickname of "limousine of the skies" among aviation journalists.

That may be true in terms of comfort but its fuel use is far more efficient than a limousine. It is being hailed as one of the most fuel-efficient and eco-friendly aircraft to date.

This is thanks in no small part to the Trent 1000 engine.

According to Boeing the engine is not only fuel efficient but also quiet, particularly when the aircraft is on the ground.

Nick West, communications director at Boeing UK said: "More than 25% of the value of the aircraft was produced in the UK. The value of each $165 million aircraft to the UK economy is, therefore, $41 million."

According to Boeing UK, the size of the market for this size of aircraft is 3,500. The company is expecting the Dreamliner to take a 50% market share.

Mr West said: "We expect to sell 1,750 aircraft and 850 have already been sold. Over the 20-year lifetime of the programme, it will be of multi-billion-dollar benefit to UK manufacturers."

Its arrival at Farnborough will give potential customers a closer look at their investment and both Boeing and Rolls-Royce will be hoping its presence at the show will lead to more orders.

Boeing says the Dreamliner will give passengers a smoother and quieter flight experience. Firstly, passengers will have more space, with wider aisles and seats than any other aircraft.

The windows on the Dreamliner are three times bigger than the average (27cm by 47cm), allowing all passengers a view of the horizon. Electric dimmers on windows will allow passengers to determine how much light they let in. It is also claimed passengers will suffer less jetlag. The Dreamliner is fitted with an LED lighting system which recreates the sunrise and sunset of the passenger's destination so passengers are eased into the time zone change.

The Dreamliner is also fitted with a system that can sense changes in air pressure and turbulence in advance.

The aircraft can adjust itself to minimise its effects, resulting in a reduction in motion sickness of up to eight times and a much smoother ride all round.

And the Dreamliner has less air pressure in the cabin, allowing more oxygen to be absorbed into the blood, so passengers should experience fewer headaches and less dizziness and fatigue.

According to Boeing, the Dreamliner test programme is progressing well and is about 40% complete.

A major milestone came in December when the aircraft completed its first flight, with Rolls-Royce engines on the wing. Since then the aircraft has completed more than 1,000 hours of flowing.

It is hoped that full production of the aircraft will start later this year.