Boeing's pace towards 787 first flight continues to accelerate as the static test airframe has completed the third and final pre-flight test required for ZA001 to fly, Boeing confirms.On Tuesday, Boeing completed limit load testing which flexed the wings of ZY997 to a deflection of over 17 feet (120-130%), considerably exceeding the test requirement which only called for the wing to be flexed to 100% of limit loads a 787 would encounter in service, says a source familiar with the testing.
Boeing says the test flexed the wings to an equivalent of 2.5 times the force of gravity.
The previous two required tests included:
- 1G check out, which deflected the wings to nearly 10 feet, checking for interferences in the flight control surfaces and was completed on March 20, 2009.
Today's test was used to further check for possible interferences of the movable flight control surfaces of the wing as well.
ZY997 has spent nearly a year entangled in the blue metal frame of the static test rig in Building 40-23 as ZY997's structure has been systematically tortured to find the outer limits of the Dreamliner's structural strength.
Later in the certification campaign, Boeing will conduct the ultimate load test, bending the wings to one and a half times, or 150% of limit load, to satisfy FAA safety requirements.
Boeing has not yet decided if it plans to bend the wings to critical load, demonstrating the conditions that would destroy the wing, a force greater than 150% of limit load.
ALSO SEE: Here to there: 787 pre-first flight milestones explained
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