GTF set to fly again
The Pratt & Whitney PW1000G geared turbofan demonstrator is all hooked up to an A340-600 in Toulouse. The first A340-600 (MSN360) also known as F-WWCA, is set to fly again this coming week. The PW1000G is mounted on the number two pylon aside three Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines. According to P&W, ground runs on the A340 were supposed to be completed this past weekend.
The second phase of the flight test program has three key goals for Pratt & Whitney:
1. Validate the data from the 747 test bed by repeating phase one conditions.
2. Explore the acoustic characteristics of the PW1000G. This wasn't done on phase one because of the less than quiet JT9D engines on the 747SP.
3. Work with Airbus to improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the engine to find the best way to mount the PW1000G.
With the help of Apture, you can see the side-by-side differences between the PW1000G mounted on the A340 and the 747SP.
SPEEA & Boeing
With the IAM strike beginning its fourth week, the negotiations between the SPEEA and Boeing are set to unfold over the next eight weeks. The contract of 21,000 engineers expire at 12:01 AM on December 1. SPEEA has started tweeting updates during the contract negotiations. This ominous item was posted on Saturday:
NBAA Bound
The National Business Aircraft Association is hosting its annual convention in Orlando starting next Monday and this blogger will be on the ground covering it live. Twitter will be out in full force. Next week should bring us the new G250 from Gulfstream, Hawker 450 and certification of the Phenom 100 - and likely much, much more. For a business jet fan, this is Paris and Farnborough combined!
Movie Monday
I started last week with the 787 composite material lecture from University of Washington and this week, through the joys of the newly discovered treasure trove of content on Hulu (via Apture), I bring you one of my favorite IMAX films, Operation Red Flag! This documentary takes you inside the international air forces training operations that take place at Nellis Air Force Base outside of Las Vegas each year. This isn't typically a fighter blog, but the F-15E footage is amazing. Enjoy!
The Pratt & Whitney PW1000G geared turbofan demonstrator is all hooked up to an A340-600 in Toulouse. The first A340-600 (MSN360) also known as F-WWCA, is set to fly again this coming week. The PW1000G is mounted on the number two pylon aside three Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines. According to P&W, ground runs on the A340 were supposed to be completed this past weekend.
The second phase of the flight test program has three key goals for Pratt & Whitney:
1. Validate the data from the 747 test bed by repeating phase one conditions.
2. Explore the acoustic characteristics of the PW1000G. This wasn't done on phase one because of the less than quiet JT9D engines on the 747SP.
3. Work with Airbus to improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the engine to find the best way to mount the PW1000G.
With the help of Apture, you can see the side-by-side differences between the PW1000G mounted on the A340 and the 747SP.
SPEEA & Boeing
With the IAM strike beginning its fourth week, the negotiations between the SPEEA and Boeing are set to unfold over the next eight weeks. The contract of 21,000 engineers expire at 12:01 AM on December 1. SPEEA has started tweeting updates during the contract negotiations. This ominous item was posted on Saturday:
Debunking the rumor that SPEEA won't go on strike if the IAM are still on strike. That's just wishful thinking coming from Chicago.QANTAS Aires its A380
NBAA Bound
The National Business Aircraft Association is hosting its annual convention in Orlando starting next Monday and this blogger will be on the ground covering it live. Twitter will be out in full force. Next week should bring us the new G250 from Gulfstream, Hawker 450 and certification of the Phenom 100 - and likely much, much more. For a business jet fan, this is Paris and Farnborough combined!
Movie Monday
I started last week with the 787 composite material lecture from University of Washington and this week, through the joys of the newly discovered treasure trove of content on Hulu (via Apture), I bring you one of my favorite IMAX films, Operation Red Flag! This documentary takes you inside the international air forces training operations that take place at Nellis Air Force Base outside of Las Vegas each year. This isn't typically a fighter blog, but the F-15E footage is amazing. Enjoy!
on September 29, 2008 9:53 AM | Reply
In regarde to SPEEA and Boeing. Being a share holder in Boeing and a one time SPEEA member catches me on the fence. I know the long term financial outlook for BA leaves the Chicago folks with little choice but to let the SPEEA members go out on strike. There are many of us who are ready, willing and able to step up from the ranks and keep the mission going. With the economic crisis and big unemployment numbers on the board should have the on-strike red stop light burning bright. I know of alot of former Boeing trained engineers who would love to have just a little of your job security. I have also noticed that the contract houses are taking applications for Boeing MRB certified folks!
The Chicago management needs to hold their coourse and wait for the back bone of the strike to fail. How long can you really hope to hold out for your jobs when you start to see folks like me show up and start doing your jobs? In going on strike you have already outsourced your jobs!
I would recommend that if you walk out on your job to do yourself on favor first! Take all your personnel stuff with you when you leave. It will make it easier on us that are ready to take over.
Those of us from Texas want your jobs! We want BCA to be a new part of our great state haritage. Texans are comitted to getting a job done. We are happy for a good paycheck for a good days work.
I know that the ledarship in Chicago has looked at the economic bennifits in moving BCA here to Texas. We give everyone the right to work and we don't have to tax our workers for putting in a hard days work. Other incentives could cover the cost of a relocation to the Lone Star State.
This message brought to you by the hard working people of Texas.
on September 29, 2008 1:55 PM | Reply
No doubt that contribution from Lone Star will prove as flammatory as intended. As we all know, every aircraft part should be designed and made by the lowest bidder.
on September 29, 2008 3:09 PM | Reply
Texans are prepared to build Boeing Commercial Aircraft with the same equal quality required by Federal Regulations. One difference is that the part will be most likely being built in a non-union environment and for a price that our airline customers’ can afford.
Texas is read willing and has the able bodies to complete the task of building Boeing Commercial Aircraft. Texans want the work you refuse to do! We will do it for a decent wage. We know what it takes to take care of self. We are committed to good work ethics. We understand the world economy and know that to be competitive we MUST build the most reliable aircraft in the world with the best value.
I work for Boeing and appreciate the job they provide. I don’t have to sit on a street corner with a sign in my hand to let everyone know that I don’t like to work. Boeing has plenty of staying power. Now for the IAM what will you do when the money runs out?
Do like you did to the folks at Vought in Charleston, SC?
For all that still holds value in this world, I hope that the folks in Chicago stick to their guns and lock the doors and close the gates for each and every one of you that decided a good job wasn’t worth keeping. Somebody should post your names and pictures so everyone knows who you are so that the rest of us that are going to work can refuse you employment in the future.
There is no better made commercial aircraft in the world than a Boeing! Every employee at Boeing has done this by working as a team. The folks at BCA could do even better if they were IAM free.
This message is brought to you by Texans for BCA in TEXAS.
on September 29, 2008 3:49 PM | Reply
I didn't see it mentioned, but the new Twin Otter 400 is being unveiled to the world that weekend as well! Hope someone will be there to take some pictures, she looks beautiful!
on September 29, 2008 7:27 PM | Reply
Starting to get very annoyed with TEXAN continually high jacking this site to push his own agenda. If he is happy to work in a non-union environment at such a large powerful company than good luck to him, but if he wants his rights protected than he can't whinge when his out the door because of some unforeseen personal circumstance that comes his way.. Personally I believe the unions are like insurance a 'necessary evil' , they can cause a lot of trouble that the general rank and file members don't want, but, they have been the reason we enjoy good conditions, paid leave, etc. You can't have it both ways people.
on September 30, 2008 1:34 PM | Reply
Is Texas the epitome of anything beyond what TEXANS hold in their minds? That guy does seem to grate.
Boeing may want to move production out of Seattle at some point, they already took the headquarters. But, that move would take time.
It's interesting that SPEEA is taking it to the Company with their twittering. The IAM ought to have thought of that; but I would bet that the IAM was playing by the rules and the the ethical practices instilled in Boeing workers. Managers, on the other hand, seem to have some dispensation from being ethical.
The arrogance of mocking the other side is what some sports and business successes may seem to reinforce. Yet, that is counterproductive in the diversity-sensitive environment (to which Boeing supposedly offers) of the large corporation.
The unions need to put some effort into gaining respect for the workers; and, this is not done by power alone.
By the way, Paulson made 100M+ bucks in his dealings on the Street; this guy is the one who is driving how they ought to play? Give me a break!!!
Oh yes, what does that have to do with the Boeing-IAM problem? Well, I would bet that the collective accumulations of those financial types far outweighs any little tidbits that Boeing (or any other country) could offer IAM. Oh, that's socialistic thinking? No, the bailout thinking is socialistic.
on September 30, 2008 7:12 PM | Reply
The SPEEA "leadership" loves to pump out lots of propoganda, but at the end of the day, its members will study whatever the actual contract is and vote independently of whatever the union leadership recommends. If it's reasonable, we'll accept it, because unlike our IAM counterparts, we're not nearly as stupid and short sighted. The majority of us know how to do a simple cost/benefit analysis.
To the Texan: You post the same thing over and over again, we heard you already, could you give it a rest for a while?