Boeing 787 Dreamliner maiden flight

[Propwash]

DATE: 29/04/10
SOURCE: Flight International
Boeing 787 shivers and sweats in Florida extreme-weather testing
By Max Kingsley-Jones

Boeing has undertaken a series of hot and cold extreme weather tests on 787 ZA003 in a special hangar at the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin AFB in Florida. The aircraft has been tested at temperatures as low as -43°C (-45° F) and has high as 46° C.


Source (Flightglobal)

[Desert Rat]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/b ... ing25.html

... ...

[sn26567]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/b ... ing25.html

Boeing insisted the planes are not grounded, merely not flying until inspections are completed

Can Boeing please explain what is the difference between "grounded" and "not flying"?

[TUB023]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/b ... ing25.html

Boeing insisted the planes are not grounded, merely not flying until inspections are completed

Can Boeing please explain what is the difference between "grounded" and "not flying"?

i asume that when they mean grounded, that nothing actually can be done with them, and when they mean not flying they can actually do some ground tests ... ?

[RoMax]

They can do ground tests with them. So that's probably the reason why they don't call it grounded.

But It's AGAIN Alenia, this is already the second time they do this with the Boeing 787 program.

Exactly a year ago, Boeing issued a stop-work order to Alenia's other 787 plant in Grottaglie, Italy, after Everett engineers discovered wrinkles in the 787 fuselage skins. The wrinkles arose because the edges of the fuselage stiffening rods, called stringers, that Alenia had manufactured were way out of the specified thickness.

[sn26567]

Boeing resumes 787 flight testing after three-day halt

Boeing restarted 787 flight testing Sunday and Monday following a three-day suspension to inspect the Alenia Aeronautica-produced horizontal stabilizers on its five flight test aircraft.

The manufacturer also is conducting testing on all its in-production Dreamliners. In what appeared to be the first major snag since launching flight testing last December, the company cited a "workmanship issue" that was "recently identified" with the horizontal stabilizers, explaining, "Some airplanes have issues with improperly installed shims and the torque of associated fasteners."

It insisted that first delivery to ANA in the fourth quarter "remains on track." According to both the Seattle Times and SeattlePI, two of the five flight test aircraft have resumed flying (the sixth and final flight test aircraft is slated to make its first flight next month).

Boeing made no comment on whether it has found issues with the horizontal stabilizers on flight test or production aircraft that would require rework.

Source: ATW Online

[Boeing767copilot]

EVERETT, Wash., Aug. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Boeing (NYSE: BA) Company said today that it now expects delivery of the first 787 in the middle of the first quarter 2011.

The delivery date revision follows an assessment of the availability of an engine needed for the final phases of flight test this fall.

While Boeing works closely with Rolls-Royce to expedite engine availability, flight testing across the test fleet continues as planned.

Boeing said last month that the cumulative impact of a series of issues, including supplier workmanship issues related to the horizontal stabilizer and instrumentation delays, could push first delivery of the 787 a few weeks into 2011. The delay in engine availability has extended that estimate to mid-first quarter 2011.

The schedule revision will not affect the company's financial guidance

[sn26567]

After this new delay, ANA now targets its first commercial flight in March 2011. The airline, which had initially expected the first delivery this year-end, says the delay is "regrettable".

ANA is aiming to operate its first 787 commercial flight to a domestic destination a month after the first delivery, to allow its pilots to familiarise themselves with the new aircraft before flying it on international routes.

ANA plans to introduce the 787 on international routes two to three months after the first commercial flight, which would put its first 787 international flights in May or June, most probably to Asian destinations. Europe and the US could follow later.

[sn26567]

Boeing Conducts Remote 787 Testing

Four of the five Boeing (NYSE: BA) 787 flight test airplanes are conducting remote test operations this week. ZA005 continues testing from its base of operations in Seattle.

ZA001, the first 787, is taking a break from operations out of Edwards Air Force Base in California for a week's worth of testing in Roswell, N.M. This is ZA001's second visit to Roswell. Last month the airplane conducted wet-runway testing there. Testing in the days ahead will include rejected-takeoff conditions. ZA001 has been on remote deployment to Edwards Air Force Base for several weeks, with a focus on takeoff- and landing-performance conditions.

The second 787 is conducting high-latitude and cold-weather testing at Keflavik Airport in Iceland.

"We've been watching for the right weather conditions for some time," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. "The team was happy to see the forecast in Iceland met our needs and we deployed to Keflavik earlier this week."

The hot weather in Yuma, Ariz., with temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), has provided the necessary conditions for another set of tests happening on ZA003. Its deployment is expected to last about another week.

ZA004 has spent an extended time operating out of Victorville, Calif., conducting flight loads survey testing. This testing measures external pressure distributions throughout the flight envelope. ZA004 is set to do testing in Glasgow, Mont., after it wraps up its California testing.

Artificial ice shapes have been affixed to the leading edges of the wings and horizontal and vertical stabilizer of the fifth 787 to complete another group of tests required for certification. Ice-shape testing verifies the airplane's performance in the presence of ice. Natural ice testing has already occurred.

"Flight test is staying very busy," said Fancher. "We continue to be very pleased with the performance of the airplane. We're definitely putting it through its paces, subjecting it to the harshest environments and conditions to ensure it is ready for revenue service."

The 787 flight test fleet has conducted more than 1,650 hours of flying over more than 540 flights.

News Release Issued: EVERETT, Wash., September 3, 2010 11:20 AM EDT /PRNewswire/

[earthman]

Roswell, Area 51, will it turn out that the delays in the 787 program are due to unexpected issues with some alien technology...

On a more serious note though, what brilliant mind came up with the idea to do wet-runway tests in a dry and hot place like that?? What's next, heat tests in Alaska? High altitude @ AMS?

[RoMax]

On a more serious note though, what brilliant mind came up with the idea to do wet-runway tests in a dry and hot place like that?? What's next, heat tests in Alaska? High altitude @ AMS?

Because that airport has the capabilities/infrastructure/place for doing such tests. If they have to wait at an airport until it rains hard enough to do the tests, they loose a lot of time.
Most airports they are using for the 787/748 testing are already used by previous testing programs like the 777, so I assume it's possible to do wet runway tests in a dry and very hot place.

[earthman]

I'll just assume then that the water does not evaporate from the runway before the plane lands.

[RoMax]

I'll just assume then that the water does not evaporate from the runway before the plane lands.

I assume a lot of the water will evaporate, but they will make sure that the runway is always wet enough during the tests.

[smokejumper]

I'll just assume then that the water does not evaporate from the runway before the plane lands.

I assume a lot of the water will evaporate, but they will make sure that the runway is always wet enough during the tests.

The runway has been designed and constructed with a dip that retains water. Even in hot temperatures, the water does not evaporate immediately and a water hose constantly replenishes that which does.

Temperatures in the Southwest US do indeed get high. In July 1990, I was in Phoenix (Arizona) when the temperature was 123 degrees (F) or 50.5 (C) for three consecutive days. These temperatures were uncommonly (usually only gets to a high of 48 (C), but they do get even higher on occasion.

The Phoenix Airport closed at 2PM each day due to the take-off speed vs. the runway length. In the mid-1980’s, I was Director of Marketing for a European bus manufacturer and the company engineers could not believe how hot it gets in the Southwest US. I had to pull government meteorological records for them to understand the situation. They had to re-design the engine cooling system to accommodate the heat; even the system used for Saudi Arabia was not enough.

[sn26567]

Boeing Begins Testing on 787 Dreamliner Fatigue Airframe

Boeing has begun fatigue testing on the structural airframe of the 787 Dreamliner at the Everett, Wash., site. Fatigue testing involves placing the 787 test airframe into a test rig that simulates multiple lifecycles to test how the airplane responds over time.

"Unlike static tests, where loads are applied to the airplane structure to simulate both normal operation and extreme flight conditions, fatigue testing is a much longer process that simulates up to three times the number of flight cycles an airplane is likely to experience during a lifetime of service," said Jim Ogonowski, structures vice president, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

While the structural test program already has validated the strength of the airframe, fatigue testing looks at long-term, continued use. This is the natural progression of testing on a new airplane and part of the process to achieve U.S. Federal Aviation Administration certification.

Video of the fatigue test can be found at http://bit.ly/9zV4jM.

News Release Issued: EVERETT, Wash., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/

[HAWK21M]

Very Informative Video.
Any Approx duration for a completion of a Fatigue test?
It seems a long process.

[sn26567]

First pics of a 787 in the colours of Royal Air Maroc and Japan Airlines on A.net:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Royal-Ai ... 1791383/L/

[torchus]

Royal Air Maroc ... any chance we'll see the 787 at BRU ?

[earthman]

What's with the black stuff where the JAL 787's doors should be?

[galaxy]

What's with the black stuff where the JAL 787's doors should be?

They are black holes from which nothing, not even one passenger can escape during the flight.