Boeing P-8A Poseidon Makes First Flight

Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon sub hunter has completed its first flight, marking the start of the aircraft’s rigorous flight test campaign, the company confirms.

The modified 737-800 aircraft, equipped with a 737-900ER wing and raked winglets, operating as call sign Boeing Papa Eight Experimental, departed Renton Municipal Airport at 10:41 AM PT according to a time line compiled by airplane spotter Andrew Sieber.

The three hour and thirty-one minute flight saw the Navy’s new sub hunter, accompanied by two T-33 chase plane aircraft, touch down at Boeing’s Military Flight
Center at Boeing Field south of downtown Seattle at 2:11 PM PT.

Boeing has built two P-8A flight test
aircraft – T-1 and T-2. The former is the unpainted aircraft that made
its debut flight. T-2 has not yet flown, but has been
painted in USN colors.

The P-8A Poseidon will be ready for operational deployment with the US Navy in FY2013.

P-8A Poseidon First Flight Time Line – All Times Pacific
(N541BA – YP001 – T-1 – Boeing Papa Eight Experimental)
0727 – A number of BCA employees begin working on the plane
0750 – Radio transmission on BOE RNT freq. Hydraulic testing at the time.
0830 – Flight test pilots conduct walk around
0843 – Pilots report they are on schedule for a 0930 departure from RNT
0846 – YP001 conducts VHF radio checks
0906 – Pilots report engine starts will be at 0945
0957 – Still doing flight control tests. Will start engines at new time of 1015.
1009 – YP001 calls into Renton tower for IFR clearance. No flight plan available.
1011 – Air stairs removed from plane
1016 – IFR clearance received for Boeing 9 Experimental
1021 – Boeing P8 Experimental Engine starts
1030 – Calls into Renton Ground requesting permission to taxi.
1033 – T-33 chase planes, N109X & N416X, contact Renton tower and enter the pattern.
1035 – Takes the runway for taxi test.
1040 – Liftoff with BCA chase planes in hot pursuit on Runway 15.
1411 – YP001 Touches down at Boeing Field (KBFI)
*Source & Photo Credit – Andrew Sieber