Lawrence Dong Transformed Engineering of Wide-Body Aircrafts
By James Moreau | 31 Jul, 2025

The aviation leader in configuration design used his expertise to guide Boeing’s development of next-generation airliners.

Chinese American Lawrence Dong’s aerospace engineering career is marked by significant contributions to large airplanes and commercial aircraft development.

A longtime Boeing employee Dong is best distinguished as the configuration leader for the 7E7 program that produced the revolutionary 787 Dreamliner.  

The Boeing 7E7 program was announced in 2003 for the Japanese airline launch customer All Nippon Airways which needed an efficient wide-body aircraft.  Under Dong’s leadership, the aircraft achieved up to 25% greater fuel efficiency and reduced emissions from the use of lightweight composite materials, advanced aerodynamics, and innovative electric systems for traditionally hydraulic ones.  

The 787 Dreamliner began service in 2011 and has since become the bestselling widebody in history, with nearly 1,200 currently in use.

From 2000 to 2002 Dong led Boeing’s Sonic Cruiser airliner project, a high-speed airliner concept.  The project ultimately came to a halt due shifting market conditions that prioritized lower operating costs and fuel efficiency, particularly following the 9/11 attacks.  The work Dong and his team produced wasn’t lost.  Many of the processes, materials, and technologies from the Sonic Cruiser project were incorporated into the 7E7 program.

Beyond these flagship projects, Dong has influenced several other key initiatives including the development of the 737 winglet and the 737-700 Convertible. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Dong earned a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan in 1984.