Boeing (NYSE: BA) unveiled its 787 Dreamliner on July 8. The Dreamliner is the fastest-selling airplane ever, with more than 600 planes ordered so far. To put that in perspective, only 1,500 747s were sold over 39 years. Production on the 787 is sold out until 2013. And a competing aircraft is still years away. Boeing's astute decision to build a midsize aircraft when Airbus was planning a now-delayed 550-seat behemoth, catapulted the company into an enviable position. The 787 is in high demand, the company's main competitor is in shambles, and the threat of a serious competitor entering the market is a long shot. The Dreamliner has given Boeing a virtual monopoly in large-aircraft manufacturing for the foreseeable future.