FlightBlogger Archive 2007-2012

Author: Jon Ostrower

  • Answering the 787 cold soak question once and for all

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    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.

    This post was originally published to the internet between 2007 and 2012. Links, images, and embedded media from that era may no longer function as intended.

    This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.

  • Movie Monday – April 12 – B-29 Superfortress

    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.

    This post was originally published to the internet between 2007 and 2012. Links, images, and embedded media from that era may no longer function as intended.

    This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.

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

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    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.

    This post was originally published to the internet between 2007 and 2012. Links, images, and embedded media from that era may no longer function as intended.

    This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.

  • Airbus earns EASA certification for A330-200F

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    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

    This post was originally published to the internet between 2007 and 2012. Links, images, and embedded media from that era may no longer function as intended.

    This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.

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

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    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.

    This post was originally published to the internet between 2007 and 2012. Links, images, and embedded media from that era may no longer function as intended.

    This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.

  • Photo of Note: RC522 casts its shadow

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    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.

    This post was originally published to the internet between 2007 and 2012. Links, images, and embedded media from that era may no longer function as intended.

    This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.

  • 787 wing, fuselage ultimate load test declared successful

    Just out from Boeing:

    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.

    This post was originally published to the internet between 2007 and 2012. Links, images, and embedded media from that era may no longer function as intended.

    This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.

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

    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.

    This post was originally published to the internet between 2007 and 2012. Links, images, and embedded media from that era may no longer function as intended.

    This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.

  • Exclusive: Gulfstream developing clean sheet G450, G550 successor

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    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.

    This post was originally published to the internet between 2007 and 2012. Links, images, and embedded media from that era may no longer function as intended.

    This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.

  • Movie Monday – April 5 – XB-70 Valkyrie

    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. 

    This post was originally published to the internet between 2007 and 2012. Links, images, and embedded media from that era may no longer function as intended.

    This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.