STUFF.CO.NZ: Being two years behind schedule, Boeing’s new lightweight and titanium Dreamliner finally had its first test flight.

Boeing claims the 787 Dreamliner, designed to carry about 250 passengers on long distance flights, will save the airlines millions of dollars in fuel and maintenance costs.

About 840 of the aircrafts have already been ordered by airlines, which production had been delayed five times in the past three years – due to a shortage of bolts, faulty design and a two-month strike at its factory. - read more

After two years of delays, Boeing’s 787 “Dreamliner” made it’s maiden flight yesterday

- The Dreamliner is the first commercial widebody aircraft to have a all composite fuselage (50% composite 20% Aluminum 15% Titainium).
- The Dreamliner will have an increased cabin pressure, due to the properties of composite materials.
- The Dreamliner is disability friendly.
- The first customer is All Nippon Airways (ANA) wich will recieve its first orders in Fouth Quarter 2010.

EDIT: The cabin pressure will only be increased to a minimum, while the cabin humidity will be increaed. This is due to the larger windows of the  airframe and the relative strength of the composite fuselage.

What does the much delayed maiden flight of the Boeing 787 tell us about integrity?

But how difficult can it be for Boeing to make yet another new aircraft? The answer depends on how different the 787 aircraft is from anything the company has built in the past. Some initial indication that is significantly different can be taken from its being named Dreamliner.

Perhaps the level of difficulty is also evident from the extent of the delays. The maiden flight has eventually been achieved 27 months after its originally planned date. The program has been subject to numerous delays due to a variety of issues involving suppliers, supply chains, mistakes and strikes.

Innovative integrity

Let’s look at some of the innovative aspects of this product, which enhance the integrity of the aircraft and/or the development program.

This is the first aircraft in a new product range which is ultimately planned to replace the entire existing product line, under Boeing’s Yellowstone project. So it is the first of a new generation; it is a break with the past and is establishing a product architecture for the future.

This is the first commercial airliner to be built which employs such a high proportion of composite materials. Boeing claim: “by manufacturing a one-piece fuselage section, we are eliminating 1,500 aluminum sheets and 40,000 – 50,000 fasteners.”

It is the first aircraft to offer life-cycle maintenance under Boeing’s GoldCare program which is described thus: “It performs all maintenance and parts support, tracking airplane condition and configuration and guaranteeing airplane schedule reliability—all within a set, predictable per-flight-hour cost.”  Read more here.

However, most comprehensive of all, it is an aircraft development program in which Boeing has integrated the operations of its suppliers across the globe to a much greater extent than ever before. This openness with suppliers began in about 1998 and, known as “Working Together“, was first applied to the development of the Boeing 777. However, on the 787, this has been taken to a much higher level.

Major parts are not only manufactured by suppliers in disparate parts of the world, but are also delivered as sub-assemblies. Difficulties in managing and integrating the resulting supply chains have all played their part in the delays in the 787 development

Watch how it is made!

It is ambitious, but as the saying goes: “nothing ventured, nothing gained”!

By John Lewis

On Jan. 16, 2009, the long awaited Boeing B787 Dreamliner completed a maiden flight that represents the first step towards the official delivery to All Nippon Airways, the first airline, destined to receive the brand new aircraft in late 2010. The aircraft, with registration N787BA, was airborne for 3 of the planned 5 hours, as it was compelled to return earlier than expected as a consequence of the bad weather interesting Washington State and Everett’s Paine Field. The first flight, aimed to evaluate the plane’s main systems before conducting more in-depth tests. The maiden flight consisted of circuits between Whidbey Island and Port Angeles. The Dreamliner, the first commercial plane to be built with a plastic fuselage and an all-electric system, will be able to carry 250 passengers on long haul flights.
There’s also something coming from Italy on the Dreamliner: Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, participates in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner programme, which is currently the most advanced initiative in the civil aviation field, has designed, developed and manufactured not only all the structural components of the aircraft under its responsibility (the central and central-rear fuselage sections and the horizontal tail unit), but has also implemented the infrastructure and defined the processes necessary for their production, thereby taking its own know-how in the field of composites to the most advanced levels of technological leadership. Giovanni Bertolone, Chief Executive Officer of Alenia Aeronautica, said: “The maiden flight of the 787 Dreamliner has a particular significance for our company, which has made a strong commitment to the 787 and invested heavily in the programme from the start. Production in Italy for the 787 programme benefits from – and will continue to benefit from – the integration of the competencies and activities of Alenia Aeronautica’s centres of excellence in the country: in particular, the Pomigliano d’Arco (Campania) site for design, laboratory testing and the specialised production of certain primary structure components; the Grottaglie-Monteiasi (Puglia) site for the production of fuselage sections and the Foggia site for the production of horizontal stabilisers”.

Click on the following images to get the hi-rez version of the pictures (courtesy of Alenia Aeronautica).

It was a wonderful experience watching the maiden flight of Boeings 787 Dreamliner as it was broadcast live via Boeing’s webcast.

Seeing the vast Everett buildings brought back memories of my visit there in April 2008. Particularly the enormous size of the buildings where the aircraft are constructed.

During my time in Seattle I had the opportunity to view the B787 flight simulator, not then in operation, but did give an impressive overview of the flight deck, which I can only described as a visit to the command centre of the USS Enterprise. Seeing the head-up display (HUD) in a commercial aircraft was a first for me and I was also impressed by the large electronic flight bag (EFB) display.

However now the Dreamliners first flight is over, both Boeing and its Airline customers can focus on the successful operation of the aircraft. Unlike any other aircraft the 787 is unique in its operation. For year’s airlines have operated aircraft safely and securely with tried and tested processes that are applied to new aircraft types as and when they have arrived. Not so for the 787, this aircraft (Also the Airbus A380) is heavily dependant on the digital transfer of information too and from the aircraft.

Ok, you might say ‘what’s the big deal in this day and age, we move data around all the time!!’. Well yes we do but that’s mainly with ground-based nodes on a wide area network. When you have a network of users (350+) on an IT network node that is sometimes disconnected and moves around the world at 35,000 feet you have a different proposition.

For the ground based IT experts this introduces a new set of challenges, for the established aircraft technicians in engineering this introduces challenges of a different kind. Both groups of experts will come from different angles when dealing with connectivity and security, as they will focus on how to secure their independent issues. However they must both look to the horizon to see potential looming regulation that will challenge the most experienced experts to get right in an operational environment. Getting it wrong may impact the air worthiness of the operation.

Boeings accomplishment of the Dreamliners first flight has to be applauded, I’m sure all those employees seen on the webcast were rightfully proud of their achievements.

Boeing’s newest commercial aircraft, the 787 “Dreamliner”, made its first test flight today in Everett, Washington at 18:00 UTC. Boeing claims that the new 290+ seat wide-body, twin engine jetliner is more fuel efficient than previous Boeing models.
The release of the “Dreamliner” is almost two and a half years behind schedule. The project has been plagued by various issues, including strike action, parts shortages and design problems. The aircraft is thought to have attracted 840 orders to date, though some have been cancelled due to the delays, making the 787 worth in the region of US$140bn (€96bn, £86bn) for Boeing.
An aerospace analyst, Richard Aboulafia, said that “[The test flight] will provide a badly needed perception that the program is on some kind of schedule again, but it’s still a long way from the ultimate result.” Boeing’s European rival, Airbus, is preparing to release a similar aircraft, the A350, in 2013.

Dec 15, 2009

Paine Field Airport, Everett, Washington

今天，Dreamliner首航了。

外观并无亮点，但其包含的诸多技术创新及环保理念，确实是波音吸引航空公司和大众眼球的卖点。50%的碳纤维合成材料和15%的钛应用于机身机翼主要结构，代替了传统的铝，同时也使得自重更轻、更耐腐蚀。据称在远距离飞行时，787能比同类机型节省20%的燃料，因此排放的温室气体也将大大减少。

就像他们的CEO Jim McNerney所说，“787将为空中旅行带来巨大的转变。对于旅客来说，飞行将更便宜、舒适和方便；而对航空公司来说，获得的利润将更大；另外，对我们的地球来说，它也更环保。”

United当仁不让地采购了Boeing 787和Airbus 350各25架，拭目以待。

新旧交替是自然选择，不过我还是最爱747……

After multiple delays over the past year or so, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner finally took off today for its inaugural test flight.  A friend of mine and I headed to Boeing’s Future of Flight which overlooks the runway at Paine Field and snapped some shots of the Dreamliner’s first take off.

The Dreamlifter provides a nice background for the Dreamliner

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner Taxiing to the runway

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner taxiing to the runway

One more of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner Taxiing to the runway

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner Tail Section with the KPAE Control Tower in the background

The front section of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with the control tower

The you can see the heat/exhaust from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's jet engine

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner's first moments in the air

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner Climbing during it's first take off

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner shortly after take off with a news helicopter in the background

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner shortly after take off

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner fading into the distance

2 years late, possibly paradigm changing for the airline industry.  Boeing’s 787 finally has her maiden voyage.

FOXNews.com – Boeing 787 Dreamliner Takes Off on First Flight.

Since I’ve been up I’ve been scouring the Boeing website and was hoping for live footage of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner First Flight.

Yes, today, finally after years of hard work, design, build – rebuild, redesign – the 787 took to the air infront of thousands of Boeing staff, engineers, general public, well wishers and half the worlds media.

The 787 is now officially a reality – well done and congrats to Boeing and good luck to all those who’ll be building this aircraft at the all new Charlston factory.

Maybe, just maybe… Boeing should have been the designers of the A400M – or at least a whole new concept!!

Attempting to squeeze as many f’s into that headline here’s the first flight of the Boeing Dreamliner. A plane that will bring a level of comfort and technological marvels to passengers that is only surpassed by flying first class, and how many people can do that?

Enjoy

The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner is flying for the first time today! This is probably the most awaited headline in the world of commercial aviation and can finally be published, after almost three years waiting and after a little longer than 3 hours flying time today, on December 15. 2009.

The Dreamliner was revealed on July 9, 2007, two and a half years ago. According to the original schedule, the first flight test aircraft should have taken off in the same year. This was first pushed out just two months later, when in early September 2007 Boeing announced a 2 month delay for the maiden flight. Back then they communicated that the first delivery would still be on time (it would have meant a 5 month flight-test period compared to the 777’s 11 months…), so that launch-customer, Japanese ANA could still take passengers to the Beijing Olympics on the new state-of-the-art airliner. The Beijing Olympics came and went, the Pittsburgh Steelers won Superbowl XLIII in Tampa, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley cup, Barcelona claimed the Champions League crown for 2009, Sebastien Loeb victored in Rally again and Jenson Button won the 2009 Formula-1 world title with the new Brawn GP team, but the Dreamliner has still not taken to the skies yet.

There were delays due to “software problems“, “shortage of bolts“, “difficulties around the global supply chain”, then in July came the latest Dreamliner delay news about “a series of relatively small areas” on both sides of the aircraft’s body in the “upper wing join area” that registered stress levels during static testing that “exceeded expectations” – which blew the Summer 2009 first flight plans as well.

But Santa in 2009 seems to bring a huge and long-awaited Christmas gift to all Boeing Commercial employees, to all the 55 airlines that have so far ordered 840 (!) 787’s (some of them have cancelled already, due to the delays) and to all aviation fans: THE FIRST FLIGHT !

Following the power-up, the extended stress tests on the aircraft body, the low speed taxi tests and the high speed taxi tests this past Saturday, the 787 took to the skies at 10:27 am Seattle time at Paine Field in Everett, Washington, heading to Boeing Field. The historic maiden flight was piloted by Michael H. Carriker, Chief Pilot of the type and Randall Lee Neville, Engineering Test Pilot of the 787. Carriker has been with the 787 Program since 2003, while Neville joined in 2005, after clocking more than 600 hours in 9 years with the F-22 Raptor fighter. Interestingly he also played an F-22 pilot in the movie “The Hulk”. Carriker was the captain on the first flights of the Boeing Next-Generation 737-600 and 737-900 type. They both hold type ratings in all current Boeing production models.

Just a little after 3 hours of flight, the first 787 flight touched down at Boeing field in rain, but in perfect style and the landing looked like a very soft one – from the outside. The plane was escorted on the slightly more than 3 hour flight by two T-33 training planes with cameras onboard. The plane arrived to Boeing Field at 1:35 pm local time.

You can ready about the Design Highlights of the Dreamliner here.

by balint01

Boeing’s (Chicago, Seattle, Wichita and Charleston) new 787-881 N787BA (msn 40690) took to the air for the first time today (December 15) at Everett (Paine Field) (PAE) at 10:27 a.m. (1027) local time (PST) on runway 34L. The new jetliner landed at Boeing Field-King County (BFI) at 1:33 p.m. (1333) local time.

News link with a video:

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091215/ap_on_bi_ge/us_boeing787_flight_test

Here is the official Boeing press release:

finance.yahoo.com/news/Boeing-787-Dreamliner-prnews-901783763.html?x=0&.v=1

You can watch the Boeing 787 Dreamliner First Flight Live, estimated take-off time 10:00am PST (18:00 GMT), Dec 15, 2009.

I used to read Aviation Week when I was working in the CAATS (Canadian Automated Air Traffic System) project and the insightful trade magazine has some backgrounds and news coverage (and very worth watching video). Read the maiden flight as reported by MarketWatch, Wired, and Seattle pi.

Here is an excerpt from AW’s “After A Long Wait, The 787 Is Poised To Fly” (emphasis added),

“Boeing will cover just the basic flight envelope when its 787-8 takes to the skies for the first time. But this jet, the first conceived and built in the 21st Century, is anything but basic.

It first appeared as the airline industry was struggling through a post 9/11 slump and dared to question the accepted wisdom of markets, manufacturing and materials. Its answer to the first was the biggest home run in aviation history; its response to the second has been troubled at best and its selection of the third is still to be proven.

With three passenger models, and (later) discussion of a possible fourth, the 787 has been gaining attention from before its launch in 2004.

The design uses a composite airframe, advanced engines and a distributed electric architecture to make a lighter, “smarter,” more fuel-efficient aircraft. Boeing is promising an airplane with 20% lower operating costs than current models through a combination of improved aerodynamics, a lighter airframe and fuel savings from either the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 or General Electric GEnx-1B engines being offered.”

Here is another excerpt from AW (emphasis added),

“Pilots Mike Carriker and Randy Neville lifted the 390,000 lb. test airplane flying north from Paine Field on the start of a nominal five-hour flight that is to end with a landing at Boeing Field in Seattle.

The takeoff rotation was at 140 knots. Carriker climbed the 186-ft. long 787 to 2,500 feet initially to assure its flight stability. The flight plan calls for him and Neville then to gradually proceed through a series of reduced flap settings while flying east over Moses Lake toward Coer d’Alene, Idaho.”

Two years behind schedule, but better late than never, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner should have its first test flight today:

Boeing Dreamliner ready for maiden flight

Why should you care? This is perhaps the most advanced commercial aircraft ever created, and points toward the next generation of aircraft that are made almost completely out of carbon fiber rather than aluminum. Boeing is hoping for 20% better fuel efficiency and much more durable planes, since carbon fiber should hold up better than aluminum over time.

This video shows the test plane taxiing last week in preparation for the test flight:

This video series explains what makes the 787 dreamliner so unique:

Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4 – Part 5

Part three talks about things like cabin pressure, air purification, turbulence damping, etc. Part 4 talks about cockpit and engines. Part 5 talks about the use of composites.

One of the biggest changes if the cruise altitude at 43,000 feet – about 2 miles higher than normal jets. Almost all turbulence is eliminated at this altitude:

Here you can see a part of the composite fuselage being made and baked:

In the not-too-distant future, all planes will be made this way because of the inherent advantages of carbon fiber.

Update – the first flight was successful:

Boeing Dreamliner completes first flight

Boeing Co completed the long-delayed first test flight of its new 787 Dreamliner on Tuesday, heralding a new era of plastics-based aircraft that promise to save airlines millions of dollars in fuel costs.

NEWS

Boeing Dreamliner ready for maiden flight
By Patrick Oppmann, CNN

Boeing CEO Jim Albaugh on the 787: ” It’s going to change the way people travel.” It’s set to take its first test flight Tuesday.

Everett, Washington (CNN) — Fighting its way through more than two years of delays, Boeing’s latest aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner, is scheduled to take its maiden flight Tuesday.

“We think it’s a game changer because it provides so much value to the customer,” Jim Albaugh, Boeing executive vice president and CEO, said in a CNN interview. “We think this is going to be a very efficient airplane. It’s going to change the way people travel.”

Despite the delays, Boeing’s first new commercial airliner in over a decade will still be relevant, Albaugh said Monday.

“It’s more environmentally friendly, it’s more efficient, uses less fuel, it’s going to cost the operator less to fly, it’s going to allow the passengers to pay less and feel better when they land.”

Boeing’s claims of the Dreamliner’s much-touted efficiency are tied to its design. It’s the first major airliner to be made of mostly composite materials. Boeing has staked its reputation on claims that the aircraft’s relatively lighter, faster body will save airlines up to 20 percent in fuel costs.

The company also says the new material will hold up better to the wear and tear of flight than traditional aluminum. Boeing says it has orders for more than 850 of the planes, which officially sell for around $150 million each.

Depending on the configuration, the Dreamliner can seat between 200 to 300 passengers and can travel more than 2,500 nautical miles. The target market is carriers traveling point-to-point international routes.

But despite the promise of a new more efficient airplane, production delays and technical problems have stolen some of the Dreamliner’s luster.

Many of the delays and snags in the supply line with the first Dreamliners have been blamed on the army of partners Boeing brought in to help with the construction.

“They did too much outsourcing, too soon, with too little oversight,” said Scott Hamilton of the aviation consulting firm Leeham Co. “The customers have been mightily (upset) over the creeping delays.”

Albaugh conceded that “in hindsight” the large amount of outsourcing done with the 787 was not the best strategy. “There a few things we might have kept inside, yes.”

Even though 787s won’t start flying passenger routes until at least 2011, Boeing executives said they hope a successful first flight will at least begin to quell doubts over the future of airplane production at the company.

The test flight “is going to validate the airplane to an extent,” Albaugh said. “We’ve got 10 months of flight tests in front of us. … There’s a lot of work to do.”

For Tuesday’s scheduled test flight, the Dreamliner will take off from the hanger where it was assembled in Everett, Washington, and undergo a battery of tests during a five-hour flight before landing some 40 miles away at Boeing Field just south of downtown Seattle.

“We are going to shake this airplane out to demonstrate that it can do everything we’ve advertised it to do,” Albaugh said.

© 2009 Cable News Network.

Boeing’s 787 has completed final high-speed taxi tests and is all set for first flight! The maiden voyage will be documented online of course. The live webcast is to begin today at 9:40 AM PST (17:40 GMT) at the following webpage:

Boeing 787 Dreamliner First Flight

Just click “Webcast” in the top right corner to get access to all the real time data being made available for this special event. Break a leg everybody and bon voyage!

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle, Wichita and Charleston) has scheduled the first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for 1000 (10:00 a.m.) PST (1800 GMT) tomorrow, December 15, still subject to weather conditions.

Boeing will activate the website cameras following the historical event at Everett, WA (Paine Field) 24 hours in advance.

http://www.boeing.com/

The weather forecast for PAE for tomorrow is cloudy with periods of rain.

www.weather.com/weather/local/USWA0140?cm_pla=city_page&cm_ite=cc&site=city_page&cm_cat=rss&par=LWO_rss