Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Flightblogger: Ultimate Load Test to be conducted on March 28th

Boeing Photo
An important test for the 787, called the ultimate load test, will be conducted by Boeing on the static test air frame on March 28th. This test is important as it will validate Boeing's wing design to withstand 150% of the limit load that the wing will experience. This test is required by the FAA as part of the certification of the aircraft. Passing this test means that a huge hurdle in the design of the aircraft has been passed.


This test comes on the heels of the side of body fix that was needed on all the 787s to strengthen the join between the wing and the center wing box of the airplane. Without the fix, Boeing would have failed the ultimate load test. It had previously passed the limit load test though there was some delamination of the composite material.
The test will be conducted ZY997 which is the static test air frame.

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