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April 2010 Archives

Travel Day: TEB-YUL-AMS #pondcrossing

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on April 30, 2010 8:04 AM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Travel Day: TEB-YUL-AMS #pondcrossing, originally uploaded by flightblogger.

A very special travel day for this blogger. Several journalists from Flight, AvWeek/Business & Commercial Aviation; AIN are heading across the pond today for the opening of a new Bombardier Service Center in Amsterdam before heading to Geneva for EBACE. Our ride today is a Bombardier Global 5000 (N340GF) that will take us to Montreal then across the pond to Europe. Follow me on Twitter with hashtag #pondcrossing for live updates throughout the day.

Update 17:19 UTC: Greetings from the North Atlantic! After a quick hop from Teterboro to Montreal-Dorval, we gassed up for our second leg to Amsterdam, filling up with 10800L of fuel. Our track today takes us above the commercial aircraft flying the pre-set North Atlantic Tracks crossing over Golf through Charlie between FL410 and FL450. We'll get our clearance to cross the Atlantic via on-board datalink then switch to HF radio to report our position every 10 degrees. Before you ask, yes the Global 5000 can make the trip direct from TEB to AMS, we had to pick up three more people at Bombardier HQ.

One funny moment from our arrival in Montreal. The ground controller inadvertently called our aircraft "Gulfstream 340GF". The controller - whose office is right next to the Bombardier factory - realized his faux pas saying "My apologies for calling you a Gulfstream." One of our pilots, Phil Seaver, replied "No worries, I've been called worse."

Update 18:55 UTC: We're headed rapidly for the Shannon FIR which begins at waypoint DOGAL, roughly an hr and a half from Amsterdam. This is my first time doing a daytime eastbound crossing and the day is rolling along quite rapidly. My body will think it's the middle afternoon when I'm supposed to be getting ready to go to bed. I have a feeling that's the worst kind of jetlag. Interesting note, the aircraft we're on has 180 min ETOPS certification, but can be extended incrementally up to 240 min as needed. On this flight we never get beyond 180 min with our alternate airports in Gander, Keflavik and Shannon.

More to follow.

A Closer Look: 787's Extreme Weather Testing

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on April 28, 2010 4:43 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

VALPARAISO, FL -- January 2014: A 787 spends the night at a remote parking stand at a Canadian airport following a 14-hour flight from Asia. The composite jetliner waited in the bitter cold for its return to the gate in preparation for its next trip across the planet. After soaking in the sub-zero temperatures during the long winter night, the aircraft is returned to the gate and to defrost before its next departure.

While this is a moment in the not-so-distant future, Boeing is ensuring that their customers will be able to thaw out and cool off the 787 when it is handed over to ANA later this year.

It's almost as if the aircraft was painted for the occasion. The icy white and blue "light" flight test colors stood out against the frozen surroundings of the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base in Valparaiso, Florida.

Boeing's third 787 test aircraft, ZA003, arrived in Florida on April 18 after a five-hour, 2000nm trip from its home base at Boeing Field in Seattle, the longest point-to-point flight undertaken by the new aircraft to date. Ninety-eight people were onboard the aircraft during its flight, including Tom Sanderson, Boeing's ZA003 flight test director.

After being de-fueled, ZA003 was brought inside the C-5 Galaxy-sized hangar on April 19th, and the testing got underway on April 20th heading into the first round of cold soak that began at a temperature of -15F. A second round followed on April 22nd, subjecting the airframe to -45F, moving later to a two-phase hot soak, with temperatures of 90F and 115F.

MUCH MORE BELOW THE FOLD

Continue reading A Closer Look: 787's Extreme Weather Testing.

Breaking: Boeing halting 787 deliveries to Everett until June

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on April 27, 2010 5:44 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Boeing will hold shipments of fuselage section for Airplane 23 at supplier partners to allow them to catch up, pushing the start assembly to early June, company sources confirm.

The halt in deliveries to Everett will not cease production activities at Final Assembly, the aircraft currently on the line, numbers 19, 20, 21 and 22 will continue undergoing assembly.

Program sources tell FlightBlogger that the plan is to hold deliveries for up to 24 manufacturing days, beginning at the end of this month and stretching into June. A typical month contains 22 manufacturing days with a 5-day work week. The hold is expected to last a total of four weeks and four days.

787 production had been running at a two aircraft per month pace, accepting deliveries from Boeing Charleston and supply partners every 10 manufacturing days. Production was supposed to accelerate from two to two and a half aircraft per month beginning in August.

Happy 5th Birthday A380!

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on April 27, 2010 2:42 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

On April 27, 2005, the A380 (MSN001) make its first flight from Toulouse in the south of France. I'm terrible at remembering birthdays, so a big tip of the hat to NYC Aviation on this one.

Podcast: Embraer pulls back the curtain on ideas for the future

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on April 26, 2010 3:27 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

IAG's Addison Schonland sat down with Embraer's Mauro Kern who just assumed the role of Embraer's executive vice president for new programs for airline markets. The 30min conversation covers a lot of ground and really gets into the Brazilian airframer's thinking on future aircraft projects. Embraer - more or less - has narrowed it down to re-engining the E-Jets, building a new turboprop or building a new narrobody to compete with the CSeries, dubbed the E-195X. While Kern identifies these three options, he concedes that the turboprop market today is likely not strong enough to justify an offering from Embraer. With a decision set for the end of the year, Kern also emphasizes that idea of a further integrated and networked 'intelligent' aircraft as a driver of efficiency will be key to any future offering.

LISTEN TO THE COMPLETE PODCAST

MRO Americas is a wrap, go inside the show with iFDN

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on April 26, 2010 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

While it wasn't mentioned that much here last week due to our breakneck pace, MRO Americas was a terrific show. During the accelerated trip to Phoenix, Flightglobal journalists Lori Ranson, Brendan Sobie, Steve Trimble and I produced two issues of Interactive Flight Daily News. The team put together eight videos that give a good sense of the maintenance, repair and overhaul trends the commercial and militart sides of the industry are seeing right now. Day Two in particular features excerpts from United Airlines President John Tague's keynote speech which delivers a sobering assessment of the airline industry and its broken business model.

DAY ONE // DAY TWO

MRO day 1.jpg

MRO day 2.jpg

April 26 - The Week Ahead Open Thread

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on April 26, 2010 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

CO/UA?

Will they...Won't they? Will it be United and US Airways (NO) or United and Continental (maybe, maybe not)? This is exhausting. Someone poke me when they make up their minds.

That being said, if these two do finally make a love connection, the state of United's narrowbody fleet renewal becomes an even bigger open question. Continental was one of the launch customers for Boeing's 737 Sky Interior and the carrier is an all-Boeing mainline operator. The outstanding Continental 737 orders may answer the question straight away, pushing fleet a fleet renewal decision far into the future.

The Painting of Florida One

In classic PTQ (put together quickly) fashion, Boeing and Southwest have adapted their high-speed trip down the 737 line for the carrier's newest logo jet, Florida One (N945WN). Pay no mind to the fact that the aircraft going down the moving line in Renton is a 737-800, the important part starts when it hits the paint hangar. When you're done watching the 737 PTQ video, head on over to SWA photographer Paul Thompson's photostream for some great up-close shots with Florida One.

Airbus On Strike

The European airframer's workforce began a 12-hour strike today, shutting down production of the A330/A340 line. The staggered strike, organized for higher pay and increased hiring, is expected to be extended to the A320 and A380 lines later this week.

United's 777s goes 3-3-3

As a very frequent flier of United's 777 fleet, I was quite excited to hear of the transition from 2-5-2 to 3-3-3 with Panasonic IFE in economy. The aircraft (N794UA) is now in the wild and was rumored to be flying between San Francisco and Dulles late last week. The @unitedairlines posted a few photos of the new economy interior (one // two).

Eurotrip!

If I wasn't fully convinced that spring travel season is in full swing after last week's Phoenix to Florida run, there will be no doubt come this Friday. I'll kick off two weeks on the road as I head first to Amsterdam for the opening of Bombardier's new service center, followed by EBACE in Geneva. I'll have a bit of a breather ("Europe is like the size of the Eastwood Mall. We can walk to Berlin from there.") for a few days followed by the Airbus Innovation Days - formerly known as the technical press briefing - in Broughton near Manchester in the UK.

First 787 painted for Royal Air Maroc sees daylight

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on April 24, 2010 1:54 AM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Airplane 17, the first 787 for Royal Air Maroc left the paint hangar early Friday morning, becoming the second customer with a painted Dreamliner on the flight line. Parts for ZA150 began arriving in Everett in late January and the aircraft moved to final assembly in early February. RAM's 787 fleet will be powered by the GEnx-1B, the first production 787s to be powered with the General Electric engine. While technically the second painted airline, ZA150 actually becomes the third unique customer to occupy a spot on the flight line as the second were Airplane 10 and 16 for LAN, both painted in white as they await their final coat of paint for the Santiago-based carrier.

Video Credit Matt Cawby

Kicking it Cold with ZA003

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on April 22, 2010 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Good morning from Eglin Air Force Base in Valparaiso, Florida. The secret is out, I'm with ZA003, which is undergoing cold soak testing here at the McKinley Climatic Laboratory. More to follow.

Boeing reports 1Q earnings, but what's the difference between 'first' and 'initial'?

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on April 21, 2010 6:52 AM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

PHOENIX -- Boeing's first quarter 2010 earnings are out this morning and something immediately caught my eye in the release:

The 787 program continued flight testing during the quarter, as an additional two airplanes joined the two airplanes already in the flight test program. The Dreamliner completed key flight test milestones such as flutter, stall and ground-effect tests. On March 28, the static test unit successfully completed the ultimate load test with a fully pressurized cabin. First delivery is expected in the fourth quarter of 2010. Total firm orders for the 787 at quarter-end were 866 airplanes from 57 customers.

The 747-8 program began its flight test program during the quarter, completed initial airworthiness testing, and ended the quarter with three airplanes in the flight test program. Initial delivery is expected in the fourth quarter of 2010.

What's the difference between "first delivery" and "initial delivery"?

Breaking: Boeing 787 granted Type Inspection Authorization

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on April 20, 2010 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

PHOENIX -- Boeing tonight announced that the Federal Aviation Administration has granted the 787 an expanded Type Inspection Authorization, marking the official kickoff of the aircraft's certification campaign.

The importance of this milestone cannot be understated. Establishing a final configuration of the aircraft, validated through flutter and ground effects testing, allows Boeing to present a conforming article to regulatory authorities who will now participate in testing over the remainder of certification campaign.

Though, the receipt of TIA comes nearly two months off of Boeing's original targets, which initially aimed to achieve this milestone by mid/late-February. The airframer maintains that the TIA milestone did not prevent test progress, though a handful of important changes in both aircraft hardware and software, while not major, did prove time consuming.

None of this is to suggest that Boeing will miss their 2010 delivery target to ANA, however, the airframer is acutely aware that when a milestone originally pegged to the 25% mark of an 8.5 month plan occurs at the 50% mark, margin is surely getting tight.

In September 2007 before the first program delay was even announced, the 787's flight test program was planned for just five months to meet a May 2008 delivery target. Nearly two years after that assessment, signed off on by the company's senior leadership, Boeing added an additional three months of margin to the flight test program, preserving its 8.5 month plan, but providing a buffer the type of contingencies it is seeing today.

A complete month four flight test update will be posted in the days to come.

April 20 - The Week Ahead Open Thread

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on April 20, 2010 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

MRO Americas

For the first half of this week, I'll be in sunny Phoenix, Arizona for the MRO Americas. MRO, for those of you not familiar with the aerospace industrial alphabet soup stands for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul. This blog has focused primarily on the development and manufacturing of new aircraft, but what happens after they're handed over to customers? These multi-million dollar assets need a lot of loving care, and the business of providing that care is a massive part of the industry. The Flightglobal team will be producing two issues of Interactive Flight Daily News, which will be posted here.

Europe Vs. The Volcano

As this week unfolds, air travel in and around, to and from Europe will be very slowly getting on its feet again. The eruption of the Ejyafjallajökull volcano - dubbed E15 by the US military for its seemingly random arrangement of letters was inflicting $200m in lost revenue daily to the airlines of the world. Has the dust (ash) settled? Or will volcano delays become a way of life for the airline industry? The impact is not only on airlines. Aviation manufacturing supply chains that rely on the air shipment of structural sections will find movements impeded by this latest aerospace industrial crisis. Is this the end of a tumultuous event or the the first chapter of a new reality for aviation?

Boeing vs. Airbus, Finally.

EADS, and Airbus by extension, announced this morning that it plans to bid on the KC-X tanker contract solo. EADS was not able to find a US partner to make its bid, so the European airframer will fly solo in its quest to crack the US defense acquisition market. During the previous competitions (I've lost count), EADS' presence was downplayed, giving prominence to its US partner, Northrop Grumman to present a "American face" to its bid. EADS taking the reins on KC-X is certainly a bold move, but it clears away some of the natural spin. One can only hope this is the beginning of the final chapter of the KC-X tanker saga, one that pits Boeing vs. Airbus in the most direct way possible.

Boeing Earnings

On Wednesday, Boeing is set to announce its first quarter 2010 earnings. While I won't be covering it directly because of MRO, I'll be doing a post-mortem later this week on the 737 Re-Engining, 787 and 747-8 updates provided on the call.

Airline Earnings

Airlines will be announcing first quarter earnings this week and that should provide an interesting barometer of the economic health of the planet. Naturally, this presumes that a massive virtually unpronounceable volcanic ash cloud doesn't complete curtail that recovery.

Something Extra

The second half of this week will take me somewhere a bit different. I can't yet disclose where I'm headed due to an embargo, though stay tuned on Thursday.

Travel Day: DCA-IAH-PHX

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on April 19, 2010 5:57 AM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Travel Day: DCA-IAH- PHX, originally uploaded by flightblogger.

Good morning from seat 21A on Continental Flight 559 to Houston. Taking advantage of Continental's new membership in Star Alliance. Haven't flown CO in almost a decade. This 737-800 is my ride this morning on the first leg to MRO Americas. Going to be an extremely
busy week for the US crew from Flightglobal, as we'll be putting together our second iFDN (interactive Flight Daily News) that we started in Singapore. Stay tuned folks, there is going to be a very special surprise coming later this week. P.s. Any one know what the tail number on this flight is? Door plaque (installed in RNT) said build no 700.

UPDATE: Well, with all your help I figured it out. The plaque on the door read "certificate number", which now makes a lot more sense and referred to Boeing's production certificate PC 700. First leg on 559 was flown with N26208 and the second was a wingletted 757-200 (N14118), which I misread as ship 778. That's what I get for trying to read nose landing gear door markings through the opening on the jetway.

Going to California: 747-8F readies for Palmdale relocation

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on April 16, 2010 6:31 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Early next week, Boeing's 747-8F flight test program will begin to transition to Palmdale, California for the core of the jumbo's certification campaign. RC521 is expected to fly from Boeing Field to Palmdale as early as Monday, April 19. Meanwhile, RC501 continues flutter testing while it is based at Moses Lake, while RC522 continues ground and flight testing at Boeing Field. The remainder of the 747-8F's flight test campaign is expected to be based at the company's Palmdale facility.

Flying through an ash cloud? Here's what Boeing says you should do.

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on April 16, 2010 3:44 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Boeing Commercial Airplanes, which just officially joined twitter this week, sent out a link today to a 1999 article in Aero magazine, the company's technical journal, about encountering volcanic ash clouds. If you should find yourself inside a volcanic ash cloud, Boeing recommends taking nine steps to getting yourself, your crew and your passengers out of harms way. While you can read the complete article here, I'll went ahead and illustrated the recommendations with photos from a Delta 777-200LR, to give you a sense of the interaction pilots would have in this situation.

Procedures. The following nine procedures are general recommendations. Each operator's flight operations manuals will include more specific directions.

Reduce thrust to idle immediately. By reducing thrust, engines may suffer less buildup of molten debris on turbine blades and hot-section components. Idle thrust allows engines to continue producing electrical power, bleed air for pressurization, and hydraulic power for airplane control.
Turn the autothrottles off. This prevents the engines from increasing thrust above idle. Ash debris in the engine can result in reduced surge margins, and limiting the number of thrust adjustments improves the chances of engine recovery.
Exit the ash cloud as quickly as possible. A 180-deg turn out of the ash cloud using a descending turn is the quickest exit strategy. Many ash clouds extend for hundreds of miles, so assuming that the encounter will end shortly can be false. Climbing out of the ash could result in increased engine debris buildup as the result of increased temperatures. The increased engine buildup can cause total thrust loss.
Turn on engine and wing anti-ice devices and all air-conditioning packs. These actions improve the engine stall margins by increasing the flow of bleed air.
If possible, start the auxiliary power unit (APU). The APU can power systems in the event of a multiple-engine power loss. It can also be used to restart engines through the use of APU bleed air.
If volcanic dust fills the flight deck, the crew may need to use oxygen. Use flight deck oxygen at the 100 percent setting. Manual deployment of the passenger oxygen system is not required because it will deploy automatically if the cabin altitude exceeds 14,000 ft.
Turn on the continuous ignition. Confirm that autostart is on, if available. In the event that the engines flame out or stall, use appropriate procedures to restart the engines. During restart, the engines may take longer than normal to reach idle thrust due to the combined effects of high altitude and volcanic ash ingestion. If an engine fails to start, try restarting it again immediately. Flight crews should remember that the airplane may be out of the airstart envelope if the encounter occurs during cruise.
Monitor engine exhaust gas temperature (EGT). Because of potential engine debris buildup, the EGT can climb excessively. The flight crew should prevent EGT exceedances. Shut down the engine and restart it if the EGT is approaching limits similar to a hung start.
Fly the airplane by monitoring airspeed and pitch attitude. If necessary, follow the procedure for flight with unreliable airspeed.

From the Flight archive: "I don't believe it - all four have failed"

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on April 15, 2010 8:27 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

That was the comment from Barry Townley, flight engineer on board a British Airways 747-200 (G-BDXH), when the aircraft unknowingly flew into a volcanic cloud on June 24, 1982, shutting down all four of the Rolls-Royce RB211 engines. What follows below is the account of the pilot in command, Captain Eric Moody, who landed crippled Speedbird 9 in Jakarta. David Learmount interviewed Moody following the incident for the 10 July 1982 issue of Flight International. Air travel in Europe ground to a halt today after the eruption of a volcano in Iceland on the Eyjafjallajokull glacier that sent a cloud of ash east across the Atlantic toward northern Europe. Read the full PDF article.

Also check out the British Airways documentary on the operations of its 747-200 fleet in A Tale of Two Jumbos, which cronicles the global travels of XH's sister ships, XG and XE.

1982 - 1835.jpg

Hey engineering students, Boeing and Flightglobal want to recognize you!

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on April 14, 2010 2:58 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

I know for a fact a lot of you reading this blog right now are engineering students working on really great projects, and I think you might want to read this. Boeing and Flightglobal want to make sure you're recognized for your hard work. Boeing is sponsoring the fifth annual Engineering Student of the Year in association with Flightglobal.

The key criterion for this award is the impact, or potential for impact, of the candidate's work on current or future aeronautical or space technology. This impact might be seen in new or enhanced systems, processes or tools; new levels of performance; improved lifecycle costs; new capabilities; or other areas. The award is open to any full- or part-time engineering student in a programme leading to a recognised academic degree such as BSc, MSc, or PhD.

The 2010 entries will be judged by a distinguished panel of former and current Boeing engineering leaders. Students can enter themselves, or a professor may nominate on behalf of a student. Entries should include the nominee's contact details, a 500-word summary and supporting material, which could include new patents or documented applications that have been adopted by industry, or published papers or research that have won recognition from academic, professional or industrial associations.

The winner will be honored at the 2010 Farnborough air show. The deadline is Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at 17:00 GMT (1 PM ET). Make sure to check out all the details.

I'm looking forward to congratulating you in person!

Is the Bombardier M170 the Global Express II?

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on April 14, 2010 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Global Vision-755x600.jpg

While little is known about the Canadian airframer's secret business jet, codenamed M170, blips of information are beginning to connect the dots to a real name for Bombardier's new large-cabin long-range business jet to take on the G650. The Global Express II (two) appears to have emerged as the name chosen for the new jet.

While few official details are known about the M170/Global Express II (GX2) it is believed that the company's Global 5000 Global Vision test bed is quietly serving as a technology demonstrator for the G2X's avionics. Those same technologies are currently being incorporated on the airframer's existing large-cabin line on the Global 5000 and Global Express XRS.

The Global Vision flight deck technology is built on the suite of avionics from Rockwell Collins' Pro Line Fusion. Bombardier has been steadily moving toward the Pro Line Fusion package with its inclusion on the Learjet 85, CSeries and Global 5000 and Express XRS.

On the engine front, there are hints that Bombardier has begun to narrow its engine selection, with an industry source saying that the Pratt & Whitney PW800 has been ruled out for the new business jet to minimize technical risk as the engine has a common core with the PW1524G on the CSeries.

Only time will tell, but the GX2 is more fact than fiction.

Photo Credit Bombardier

A Closer Look: Inside Southwest's front office RNP transition

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on April 13, 2010 6:46 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier this month, Southwest Airlines initiated RNP operations following a $175 million investment that will eventually see its entire fleet flying with RNP by the end of 2013. For the first part of the transition of its fleet to RNP operations, Southwest is changing the pilot's view from the flight deck of its 737-700s. RNP or Required Navigation Performance allows aircraft to fly more precise tailored paths between two points, enabling faster routes to cut flight times, noise, fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Before transitioning to RNP, Southwest's 737-700s were set up so pilots would see the Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS/MAP) format gauges (top) placing the the attitude indicator, HSI, DME, airspeed indicator, altimeter and vertical speed indicator in the same location as the carrier's older 737-300s. Boeing provided this layout as an option to airlines to duplicate the functionality of the Classic 737 flight deck for the Next Generation variants. Southwest's EFIS/MAP format is now being replaced through a software change with the large format Primary Flight Display and Navigation Display (PFD/ND) to render the precision RNP approach and departure paths.

The PFD combines the individual features of the EFIS into a single integrated display with a speed tape to the left, altitude and vertical speed indicator to the right, compass at the bottom and brown and blue attitude indicator at the center, similar to the layout on the 777 and 747-400 and -8.

During its transition to the new displays, the airline has opted to keep the side-by-side format for the Common Display System (CDS) Engine Instrumentation and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) (left), displaying all relevant engine data on the same level as the navigation data. Again, this format was created to mirror the same geographical locations as the gauges on the 737-300 to maintain commonality with the Next Generation models. The "over-under" format was designed to mirror the 777's engine displays, by placing the 737's secondary engine gauges on the lower EICAS screen.

Additionally, the airline's 737-300s will be getting an even more extreme makeover for the RNP transition, starting with the installation of 15.4in LCD displays to replace the steam gauges analog dial gauges. The first -300s with the new large-screen displays are expected to enter the fleet in early 2011.

A very special thank you to the Southwest Airlines pilot who supplied these before and after photos from the front office aboard two Boeing 737-700 aircraft.

Picture: First JAL 787 to wear special livery

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on April 12, 2010 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Airplane 20, the first 787 for JAL, currently sits unpainted inside Building 40-26 on the final assembly line in Everett. The aircraft will eventually become JA851J and wear a special livery to commemorate the Japanese carrier's first 787. Closeups of the design elements are available here, which appear to have been chosen in a contest from submissions by children. I don't speak a word of Japanese, so any help with the translation would be greatly appreciated.

Still unanswered is what will the first ANA 787 wear? Airplane 7, ZA100, has an ANA tail and an all white fuselage. New colors? Special livery?

A huge tip of the hat to Yvan Greenaway on this one.

Graphic Credit JAL

Answering the 787 cold soak question once and for all

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on April 12, 2010 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Few questions have dogged the 787-watchers more than the timing and location for the composite jetliner's cold soak testing. The question centered on the timing of first flight and ideal conditions in either the northernmost or southernmost parts of the world. Springtime is less than ideal for both ends of the Earth, as it's not cold enough in either to support certification conditions of -40F to -50F.

Though, that question has finally been answered, according to two program sources. In the not so distant future, ZA003 will depart Boeing Field for Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, site of its famous McKinley Climatic Laboratory. The hangar is capable of self-contained temperatures of -65F to +165F. The facility was recently used by Embraer for the newly-certified Phenom 100 and 300. I wouldn't worry too much about space constraints as the MCL has hosted aircraft as large as the C-5 Galaxy at the 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m2) facility.

Boeing declined to elaborate on its cold soak plans saying only:

We're not providing forward-looking information about flight test schedules or locations.

Though program sources say the third 787 flight test aircraft (N787BX) could make its first cross country flight in search of the frigid Florida climate as early as Sunday, April 18th.

Movie Monday - April 12 - B-29 Superfortress

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on April 12, 2010 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

This week's Movie Monday takes you inside the development, deployment and evolution of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. The film begins with the need for a strategic bomber after the 1942 Doolittle Raid on Tokyo and the Renton-based development of the XB-29. The 55-min documentary also takes you inside the production process for this massive bomber. The documentary looks at this at the operational history in World War II, including its role in dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945.

The B-29 was quite sought after as the aircraft was reverse engineered by the Soviets to create the Tupolev Tu-4 bomber, creating a Russian carbon copy of the bomber after three separate B-29s made emergency landings in Soviet territory following raids on Japan. Also explored is the B-29's role as a mother ship for the Bell X-1 and other experimental aircraft in the skies over Edwards Air Force Base.

Later in its life the aircraft served as an US Air Force tanker, as well as the inspiration for the Model 377 Stratocruiser.

Parts two through five are after the jump.

Continue reading Movie Monday - April 12 - B-29 Superfortress.

747-8F begins flutter testing as stringers get inspected (and other 787 items)

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on April 9, 2010 4:41 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Boeing's first 747-8F - RC501 - began flutter testing today from Moses Lake, after being inspected earlier in the week after Boeing and Vought Aircraft Industries discovered defective stringers supplied by a sub-tier supplier.

The stringers in question are near the aft of the 747's iconic hump and are mounted on the inside of the aircraft's skin and run the length of the aircraft. The concern centers around the thickness of the stringer flange, which can crack under certain loads. Boeing says the 747-8F test fleet was inspected earlier this week and cleared for flight, though two program sources I spoke with say that g loading limitations were likely to be in place until the full extent of the defective stringers could be known.

More importantly, aircraft in production are being checked for this similar problem and could prompt a time consuming repair to that would see the stringers removed and replaced.

Meanwhile, RC522 is still carrying out Flaps 30 testing as Boeing continues to identify a permanent solution to eliminate the buffet at the maximum flap setting with the landing gear down.

Additionally, Boeing is studying adding a fourth flight test aircraft to conduct engineering test flights. RC503, the second production aircraft, the fifth 747-8F, the 1424th 747 built is the likely candidate to take part in flight test, though the company says no final decision has been made yet.

On the 787 front, ZA003 and ZA002 are set to rejoin flight test after being in ground tests and layup respectively. Following its post-Victorville maintenance, ZA002 will flight test its new software load this weekend and ZA003 testing will focus on Environmental Control System testing. ZA001 is still progressing through high speed stability & control testing, as the flight test team moves closer to the yet-achieved Type Inspection Authorization, original targeted for February.

Airbus earns EASA certification for A330-200F

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on April 9, 2010 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

EASA has awarded a type certificate to the Airbus A330-200 Freighter, the European airframer's first new variant since the A380 was certificated in 2006. We had a chance to get up close and personal with one of the two A330-200F (F-WWYE) flight test aircraft at the Singapore Air Show in February. Delivery to Etihad Crystal Cargo is expected in July.

Photo Credit Christophe Ramos

Mailbag: LBJ, Titanium and Houston, we have a solution.

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on April 9, 2010 12:28 AM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Mailbag is a new feature here at FlightBlogger that will periodically share the unique experiences around aviation from readers all over the globe.

On Thursday, morning I came across a classic newsreel of President Lyndon Johnson announcing the existence of the A-11 (he meant to say A-12) interceptor on March 2, 1964. The 2,000 mph, FL700 aircraft was the predecessor to the SR-71 Blackbird. Johnson discussed the advancements the the A-11 would bring to both the development of both military and civil aircraft, including the Supersonic Transport (SST) being developed in the US by Boeing and Lockheed: (click the image above for the video)

One of the most important technical achievement of this project has been the mastery of the metallurgy and fabrication of titanium metal which is required for the high temperatures experienced by aircraft traveling at more than three times the speed of sound. Arrangements are being made to make this another important technical developments available under proper safeguards to those directly engaged in the Supersonic Transport program.

Early in the week, I received an email from Bob Bolam, a three-decade veteran of The Boeing Company. Bob retired in 1999 as an Operation Manager for Boeing Video Teleconferencing and now lives in Northern Idaho. In 1966, he worked on the SST program and recounted his experience working with the computers that analyzed the SST's titanium structure.

We had a two Control Data 6600 computers running stress analysis (they were 64-bit computers in 1966, PCs have just gotten there this year). Our stress engineers would tell us what the computer told them. Wing flex just from heat. The fuselage would snake through the air, like an S wave. So Boeing put partitions along the interior walls so the passengers couldn't tell that at different points in time, the front of the airplane may be 1.5' higher or lower then the rear of the plane as it snaked through the air.

The wings would flex up 11" just from heat expansion (which is why Boeing went to more titanium, aluminum couldn't handle the heat.

The SST program was eventually cancelled in 1971, but Bob Bolan's computers would go on to add another major achievement.

Those same two CDC 6600 were taken off Boeing line and dedicated to Apollo 13 incident. We stopped everything we were doing and worked a day and a half to help them determine air and electrical consumables. I was told the computers determined they had approximately 11 min of oxygen let when they landed. It was a proud moment for us at Boeing to be able to help

Quite fittingly, next week celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission that saw Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert fly their crippled spacecraft around the Moon and back to Earth, while using the Lunar Module as a lifeboat.

Photo of Note: RC522 casts its shadow

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on April 7, 2010 4:24 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

large shadow , originally uploaded by longbachnguyen.

This photo, taken on April 2 from a small aircraft orbiting nearby, shows RC522 on short final to runway 13R at Boeing Field. In the background you can see ZA001 and RC521. You really get a sense of the span of the 747-8F's new wings.

787 wing, fuselage ultimate load test declared successful

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on April 7, 2010 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Just out from Boeing:

Boeing Confirms Success on 787 Wing, Fuselage Ultimate Load Test
EVERETT, Wash., April 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced today that all test requirements were successfully met during the 787 Dreamliner's ultimate load wing and fuselage bending test. This follows a thorough analysis of the results from a test on the 787 static test airframe.

"Successfully completing this test is a critical step in the certification of the 787. This is further validation that the 787 performs as expected, even in the most extreme circumstances," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

On March 28, loads were applied to the test unit to replicate 150 percent of the most extreme forces the airplane is ever expected to experience while in service. The wings were flexed upward by approximately 25 feet (7.6 meters) during the test and the fuselage was pressurized to 150 percent of its maximum normal operating condition.

In evaluating the success criteria for the test, Boeing specialists have been pouring over the thousands of data points collected during the test to ensure that all parts of the airplane performed as expected.

"The airframe performed as designed and retained the required structural integrity. These results continue to validate the design of the 787 as we move toward certification," explained Fancher.

Also, take a look at the video Boeing put together on this.

First production 747-8F painted for KC-X tanker competition

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on April 7, 2010 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Okay, not really. But the title got your attention, didn't it?

RC502, the first production 747-8F (no. 1423), left the paint hangar in Everett on Tuesday afternoon painted in BMS10-103 primer gray. Obliging Mr. Cawby, we can now officially speculate as to whether or not this first new jumbo freighter for Cargolux will receive a new color scheme ahead of the first delivery currently targeted for late this year.

Here's what RC502 looked like unpainted in the factory.

Exclusive: Gulfstream developing clean sheet G450, G550 successor

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on April 6, 2010 4:53 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Gulfstream is developing clean sheet successors to its G450 and G550 large-cabin business jets, incorporating concepts and systems designed for its flagship G650.

Industry sources familiar with the new aircraft say that the smaller model, set to replace the G450, is currently in the engine selection phase for the first of the two aircraft.

Gulfstream declined comment, saying the company "does not comment on new programs or rumors of new programs until it is ready to announce a program publicly."

The company is currently holding a competition to select a next generation engine to power the new aircraft, say industry sources.

The G450 sports a range of 4,350nm at M.88 with eight passengers and three aboard.

Production of the G450 and G550 has slowed in the past year as the global recession forced deferrals and cancellations of the company's large-cabin aircraft.

Gulfstream expects to deliver 77 large-cabin G450 and G550 aircraft this year, up from 75 in 2009, but still down from 2008 when the airframer delivered 87.

One industry analyst say that the company's book-to-bill ratio is less than one, meaning that Gulfstream's backlog for the large-cabin G450 and G550 aircraft is declining as deliveries outpace new orders.

Gulfstream's G650 flagship is currently undergoing an 1,800h flight test campaign that began in November 2009 and will culminate in certification in 2011 with entry into service the following year.

Movie Monday - April 5 - XB-70 Valkyrie

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on April 5, 2010 6:35 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Alternating civil and military topics for Movie Monday seems to be working nicely, so I'll let that trend continue this week with a look at the XB-70 Valkyrie. This 5-part 45 minute look at the supersonic bomber takes you through the early development of the aircraft through to its 1966 mid-air collision with an F-104 Starfighter and eventual cancellation. Parts two through five are available after the jump, and yes, this is the second XB-70 documentary for Movie Monday, as the first set was removed. Disregard the obviously incorrect identification of the first supersonic flight, which was October 14, 1947 not December 9, 1946. My apologies for the delay in getting this up, been chasing a bunch of different items today.

Continue reading Movie Monday - April 5 - XB-70 Valkyrie.

FlightBlogger say hello to iPad

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on April 3, 2010 7:21 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

FlightBlogger say hello to iPad, originally uploaded by flightblogger.

Okay, so I was messing around in the Apple store today and just had to take this shot. No iPad for me today. My bank account breathes a sigh of relief. Do I think this will change how this site is run? You bet I do.

Is a Chinese order for CSeries imminent?

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on April 1, 2010 5:28 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

The stars look to be aligning for Bombardier to net a CSeries order with a Chinese airline customer. The dots are beginning to bleed together. Two weeks ago, Bombardier CEO Pierre Beaudoin said he expected orders from both China and Qatar this year, setting the stage for an expansion of the new narrowbody's orderbook.

Last week, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation broke ground on its 226,000 sq. ft. facility that will build the center and aft aluminum-lithium fuselage sections. On Tuesday, CDB Leasing Co. announced it will finance $3.85 billion in pre-delivery payments and leasing services for all models of Bombardier aircraft in China, including CSeries. And just today, Bombardier announced it is in "advanced talks" with a handful of potential customers. If nothing else, it appears the groundwork could be laid for an Asian CSeries launch customer.

There's no indication at the moment that any Canadian export financing would come into play for a Chinese CSeries order, but if it does, look for ratcheted rhetoric from Boeing and Airbus as the duopoly sees a playing field tilted away from itself.

In today's Bombardier earnings call, COO Guy Hachey discussed the latest progress on the CS100, targeting the second quarter (April-June) for design freeze and commencement of the detailed design phase of the aircraft's development. The airframer also announced Tuesday that it has begun testing of the 3/4 span pre-production demonstrator (TOP) in Belfast, which was creating using a Resin Transfer Infusion (RTI) process.

On the engine front, Pratt & Whitney's PW1524G (PW1000G) will begin ground testing in the third quarter (July-September). Before that happens, P&W will complete definition of the materials inside the PW1000G, including the fan blades, which recently survived bird strike testing.*** That ground testing will follow with flight testing on the company's 747SP starting in the first or second quarter of 2011 for certification of the engine.

Photo Credit Bombardier

***P&W says that the fan blades on the GTF are more bird strike resistant because they spin slower as enabled by the gear assembly, resulting in a lower total kinetic energy in the collision.

787 Flight Test wins April Fools Day. Hands down.

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on April 1, 2010 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

Someone has a sense of humor at Boeing.

I got an interesting email yesterday from someone familiar with the 787's flight test plan. They said that ZA001 was scheduled to conduct "inverted supersonic operations" today, April 1. Yes, that's right, upside down faster than the speed of sound flight tests. During that same block of testing, the company's first 787 would be taking on some "90 degree bank sideslips" with both Rolls-Royce and General Electric engines. The same source added that only staff with a positive 9G (and negative 9G) medical clearance were allowed on the flight.

I was able to confirm that this was, in fact on the schedule, and it was absolutely, unequivocally an April Fools Joke, and a darn good one at that. Well played, Boeing, well played. I liked this one better than last year's Concorde's March 31st return to flight, which nearly broke my heart.

PS I'm still waiting on my ±9G medical clearance.

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