It was initially reported on this blog on November 27 that the nose section (PHOTO) delivered one day prior from Wichita was identified as belonging to Dreamliner Two (ZA002). This delivery would've been early as major structures are not scheduled to arrive until late December. Flightblogger has learned that the nose section was improperly identified at the time of publication.
The nose section has since been linked to a previously unknown airframe, LN9901 or ZY901.
Image added 9:39 PM 11/29
Unlike previous sections that have arrived from suppliers, the nose section was loaded onto a flatbed truck on Tuesday evening for transport to the Boeing Development Center at Boeing Field south of Seattle for testing.
When asked for clarification about the plans for this nose section, Boeing responded in this way:
...our policy is that we do not respond to questions with respect to 787 production details, particularly when they involve specific parts or airplanes. We also, as you know, are not going to comment on or "confirm" information obtained through unauthorized means.
The arrival nose section raises questions about its destiny. Could this section be used for additional drop testing? What about freeze testing? Or is this airframe going to be the unlucky victim of an onslaught of frozen chickens?*
*Editors Note: Non-frozen chickens have been shown to do just as much damage to an aircraft as frozen chickens.
**Editors Note Two: I was wrong about frozen chickens. They, in fact, do cause a lot more damage. I have no credibility on chilled poultry weaponry.
Update:
The center fuselage for ZY998 (fatigue airframe) was delivered on the night of November 28 from Charleston. It was loaded into the body join rig along with section 41 at position one in the factory. The wings are also being moved into position to begin the wing-body join.
on November 29, 2007 11:37 AM | Reply
Speaking of noses, the new pic at top makes me think of a cute blonde honey next to a beat-up ex-boxer turned bouncer. Beauty & the Beast!
on November 29, 2007 1:33 PM | Reply
You must've missed episode 14 of Mythbusters when they revisted the chicken gun and showed that the frozen chick actually actually did do more damage.
on November 29, 2007 2:01 PM | Reply
Decades ago, my father was a large producer of frozen turkeys in Australia. A shipment to England met with disaster in the form of ship's freezer breakdown in the Indian Ocean. In summer.
Eventually the birds were re-frozen & delivered, but not suitable for human consumption. The agent was an enterprising chap, & sold the spoiled lot to a large manufacturer of jet engines - for testing.
My dad immediately changed the company letterhead by adding - "Patronized by Rolls Royce".
on November 30, 2007 12:44 PM | Reply
So are they using a train or a truck to get it to Seattle? Its gotta be using the Snohomish/Woodinville sub if that's the case.. don't fit downtown if the 737-800's don't...
on November 30, 2007 12:45 PM | Reply
So are they using a train or a truck to get it to Seattle? Its gotta be using the Snohomish/Woodinville sub if that's the case.. don't fit downtown if the 737-800's don't...
on November 30, 2007 11:56 PM | Reply
They used a train to transport it. See the pictures at http://microvoltradio.com/kpae.htm
Yasobara
on December 1, 2007 12:09 AM | Reply
The above link does not work.
Go to http://microvoltradio.com/ and click Paine Field.
Yasobara
on December 1, 2007 9:24 PM | Reply
As this nose appears fully wired, could it by any chance be destined for the prototype with a very unpublicized midnight switch planned?