As I had reported last week, Boeing will restart 787 final assembly on Monday, June 14th. This is reinforced with the restart of LCF flights bringing the required fuselage sections into Everett. Yesterday and LCF flew in the rear fuselage for the next 787 to be built...ZA177 (LN 23) for Japan Airlines and horizontal stabs for Air India's first 787, ZA230 (LN 25). Later this afternoon, the forward fuselage will be flown from Wichita to Everett. There should be a line move late this weekend to allow parts for the 23rd 787 to be located in the assembly tool in building 40-26.
Flight Test
ZA002 flew a 2 hour and 35 minute mission this morning (June 8th) out of Victorville. In completing this test flight, the 787 test fleet has completed over 30% of the required 3,100 test flight hours for the program. ZA005 continues its gauntlet testing ahead of a planned first flight on June 16th.
Showing posts with label LN 23. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LN 23. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
End of May 787 Update
Not too much to update here but what I lack in quantity I hopefully make up in quality!
787 flight testing slowed down this past weekend (Memorial Day Weekend) with only one airplane flying, ZA002. This airplane surpassed 250 flight hours this past weekend. ZA001 is swapping out it's Trent 1000 engines and is about midway through that exercise. It is not, as far as I have learned, a swap out of the Trent package "A" engines (which was what this aircraft has been flying with since December) with the improved package "B" engines. The fourth 787, ZA004 will receive the improved package "B" Trent 1000 in September. The package "B" engines is supposed to deliver a specific fuel consumption that is within 1% of what was promised to customers. These engines incorporates design improvements to get that fuel consumption close to what is contractually promised by Rolls Royce. ZA004 is receiving some APU updates and additional instrumentation and ZA003 was given the weekend off for the Holidays. The 787 test fleet has flown the most hours in the program during the past one month, logging over 330 hours spread across over 100 flights. The per flight utilization also went up to 3.2 hours per flight. Most of this is attributed to ZA004 performing Nautical Air Miles Testing over the eastern Pacific just west of the Baja Peninsula.
To date the 787 test fleet has accumulated over 880 flight test hours during more than 280 flights.
Coming up
So far so good with flight testing. ZA002 flew to Victorville this morning (June 1) and is joining ZA004 in flight test duties. The two airplanes will be testing independent of one another. ZA002 will undertaking NGS (nitrogen generating system) tests as well as some other small testing duties.
ZA005 is still scheduled to fly around June 16th and ZA006 will be flying around July 13th.
On the production front, look for LN 23 to start final assembly around June 14th. Boeing held up final assembly of 787s for one month to allow the supply chain to get caught up in work instead of sending the fuselage sections to Everett along with travelled work. Look for parts for this airplane to start arriving next week though some parts are already in for this airplane.
Lastly, I asked Boeing about sending the 787 to the Farnborough Air Show. They said no decision has been made yet and it will depend on the progress of flight testing. They anticipate that a decision should be made closer to the time of the air show in mid July.
787 flight testing slowed down this past weekend (Memorial Day Weekend) with only one airplane flying, ZA002. This airplane surpassed 250 flight hours this past weekend. ZA001 is swapping out it's Trent 1000 engines and is about midway through that exercise. It is not, as far as I have learned, a swap out of the Trent package "A" engines (which was what this aircraft has been flying with since December) with the improved package "B" engines. The fourth 787, ZA004 will receive the improved package "B" Trent 1000 in September. The package "B" engines is supposed to deliver a specific fuel consumption that is within 1% of what was promised to customers. These engines incorporates design improvements to get that fuel consumption close to what is contractually promised by Rolls Royce. ZA004 is receiving some APU updates and additional instrumentation and ZA003 was given the weekend off for the Holidays. The 787 test fleet has flown the most hours in the program during the past one month, logging over 330 hours spread across over 100 flights. The per flight utilization also went up to 3.2 hours per flight. Most of this is attributed to ZA004 performing Nautical Air Miles Testing over the eastern Pacific just west of the Baja Peninsula.
To date the 787 test fleet has accumulated over 880 flight test hours during more than 280 flights.
Coming up
So far so good with flight testing. ZA002 flew to Victorville this morning (June 1) and is joining ZA004 in flight test duties. The two airplanes will be testing independent of one another. ZA002 will undertaking NGS (nitrogen generating system) tests as well as some other small testing duties.
ZA005 is still scheduled to fly around June 16th and ZA006 will be flying around July 13th.
On the production front, look for LN 23 to start final assembly around June 14th. Boeing held up final assembly of 787s for one month to allow the supply chain to get caught up in work instead of sending the fuselage sections to Everett along with travelled work. Look for parts for this airplane to start arriving next week though some parts are already in for this airplane.
Lastly, I asked Boeing about sending the 787 to the Farnborough Air Show. They said no decision has been made yet and it will depend on the progress of flight testing. They anticipate that a decision should be made closer to the time of the air show in mid July.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Breaking: Flightblogger reports on new design flaw in 787 aft fuselage
Jon "Flightblogger" Ostrower reported that the prime reason for the production halt was not just for suppliers to catch up with production work but also to allow Boeing and it's suppliers to fix a design flaw. The flaw can potentially compromise the structural integrity of the airplane. Flightblogger reported that the flaw was discovered in December, 5 months ago.
The flaw involves shear ties which attaches the fuselage skin to the fuselage structure in section 48 and 48 aft. When there are repeated changes in the thermal condition of the rear fuselage, the shear ties can detach from the aircraft skin thus creating the structural issue.
The Fix
Flightblogger reports that the situation does not represent an immediate safety of flight issue to the test flight fleet and that a fix is identified. The fix involves using thicker shear ties and radius filler alongside the existing shear ties. Boeing says that all airplanes will meet FAA requirements.
Production
LN 23 and LN 24 are being modified now at Charleston with some modification work to be done at Everett. LN 25 will have the fix installed partly in Charleston and partly in Korea where the section 48 Aft is manufactured. The existing airplanes will be modified though apparently ZA001, ZA002 and ZA003 will not receive them as they will not be sold to customers. All customer airplanes are going to receive the modifications. Thus airplanes from LN 4 to LN 22 will all have to receive the modifications and starting with LN 55 the 787 will have a permanent fix in the section 48. Now while there has been some supplier issues that have lead to the temporary halt in production, Flightblogger's sources has said that the shear tie issue is the main reason for the halt. I will try to get more details about this issue.
Boeing said that the issue will not effect first delivery or continued production of the 787.
Flightblogger: Source: 787 design flaw drives supplier freeze
The flaw involves shear ties which attaches the fuselage skin to the fuselage structure in section 48 and 48 aft. When there are repeated changes in the thermal condition of the rear fuselage, the shear ties can detach from the aircraft skin thus creating the structural issue.
The Fix
Flightblogger reports that the situation does not represent an immediate safety of flight issue to the test flight fleet and that a fix is identified. The fix involves using thicker shear ties and radius filler alongside the existing shear ties. Boeing says that all airplanes will meet FAA requirements.
Production
LN 23 and LN 24 are being modified now at Charleston with some modification work to be done at Everett. LN 25 will have the fix installed partly in Charleston and partly in Korea where the section 48 Aft is manufactured. The existing airplanes will be modified though apparently ZA001, ZA002 and ZA003 will not receive them as they will not be sold to customers. All customer airplanes are going to receive the modifications. Thus airplanes from LN 4 to LN 22 will all have to receive the modifications and starting with LN 55 the 787 will have a permanent fix in the section 48. Now while there has been some supplier issues that have lead to the temporary halt in production, Flightblogger's sources has said that the shear tie issue is the main reason for the halt. I will try to get more details about this issue.
Boeing said that the issue will not effect first delivery or continued production of the 787.
Flightblogger: Source: 787 design flaw drives supplier freeze
Monday, May 10, 2010
Boeing moves 787s around, final assembly activities temporarily stopped
Boeing has temporarily stopped final assembly activities on 3 787 in order that 3 other 787s that have completed the side of body modifications are finished.
In doing so, Boeing has towed ZA151 (LN19) to a spot on the Boeing flightline and took ZA175 (LN 20) and ZA 176 (LN 21) went into temporary storage at the ATS Hangar. In their place Boeing put ZA100 (LN 7) in building 40-26 position 4, ZA101 (LN 8) in position 3 and ZA102 (LN 9) in position 2. These planes all have undergone the side of body modifications. It is anticipated that these airplanes will be in 40-26 for a little bit more than a month. When Boeing is ready to resume production ZA100 will be moved to 40-24 (767 final assembly line) and the line will pulsed so that ZA177 (LN 23) can start final assembly. The two of the three booted airplanes will return to the assembly hall once the reassembly activities are completed on the three early build production airplanes. ZA151 will go to the paint hangar soon and ZA175 and ZA176 will return to 40-26 once the reassembly activities are completed.
In other news, ZA005 may finally light the GEnx-1B engines today. I'll post if that happens.
In doing so, Boeing has towed ZA151 (LN19) to a spot on the Boeing flightline and took ZA175 (LN 20) and ZA 176 (LN 21) went into temporary storage at the ATS Hangar. In their place Boeing put ZA100 (LN 7) in building 40-26 position 4, ZA101 (LN 8) in position 3 and ZA102 (LN 9) in position 2. These planes all have undergone the side of body modifications. It is anticipated that these airplanes will be in 40-26 for a little bit more than a month. When Boeing is ready to resume production ZA100 will be moved to 40-24 (767 final assembly line) and the line will pulsed so that ZA177 (LN 23) can start final assembly. The two of the three booted airplanes will return to the assembly hall once the reassembly activities are completed on the three early build production airplanes. ZA151 will go to the paint hangar soon and ZA175 and ZA176 will return to 40-26 once the reassembly activities are completed.
In other news, ZA005 may finally light the GEnx-1B engines today. I'll post if that happens.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Boeing suspends 787 shipments for one month
Boeing has halted 787 part inflows into Everett for one month to allow its supplier partners to catch up on work on which they had fallen behind. The halt is to last 24 production days (4 full weeks plus 4 full days which will allow the suppliers to catch up to work for the follow on airplanes starting with LN 23 for JAL. There is some part shortages as well as some engineering changes that the suppliers have incorporated but need more time to fully get up to speed on them.
Work will continue on all the airplanes at Everett though so there won't any slow down of the pace of work there. LN 19 through LN 22 are in various phases of production with LN 22 just starting the final assembly process. Thus far all the planned deliveries are unaffected as Boeing has some production schedule margin built in.
Flightblogger, HeraldNet and the Seattle PI have stories on this late breaking news:
Breaking: Boeing halting 787 deliveries to Everett until June
Boeing 787 suppliers play catch up; Dreamliner work in Everett continues
Boeing holding 787 Dreamliner section shipments for 24 days
In a related story, a local Seattle TV station, King 5 News, says that Boeing is filling up the Everett flightline with built 787s that won't be able to be delivered until the certification is achieved. They are starting to run out of room at Everett an will soon store them at parking spots all around Everett Field including new the Future of Flight Museum.
Boeing problem: Too many 787s, not enough room
Lastly, a 747-8 breaking story. I was told earlier this evening that Boeing is now going to have a fourth 747-8F join the flight test program. The decision was just recently made. Boeing will now use LN 1424 (2nd production 747-8F, RC502) for test flights. This aircraft won't be equipped with test flight instrumentation and will conduct engineering test flights. No word on when it will join the test flight fleet. Currently it is parked out on the Everett flightline and is unpainted.
Work will continue on all the airplanes at Everett though so there won't any slow down of the pace of work there. LN 19 through LN 22 are in various phases of production with LN 22 just starting the final assembly process. Thus far all the planned deliveries are unaffected as Boeing has some production schedule margin built in.
Flightblogger, HeraldNet and the Seattle PI have stories on this late breaking news:
Breaking: Boeing halting 787 deliveries to Everett until June
Boeing 787 suppliers play catch up; Dreamliner work in Everett continues
Boeing holding 787 Dreamliner section shipments for 24 days
In a related story, a local Seattle TV station, King 5 News, says that Boeing is filling up the Everett flightline with built 787s that won't be able to be delivered until the certification is achieved. They are starting to run out of room at Everett an will soon store them at parking spots all around Everett Field including new the Future of Flight Museum.
Boeing problem: Too many 787s, not enough room
Lastly, a 747-8 breaking story. I was told earlier this evening that Boeing is now going to have a fourth 747-8F join the flight test program. The decision was just recently made. Boeing will now use LN 1424 (2nd production 747-8F, RC502) for test flights. This aircraft won't be equipped with test flight instrumentation and will conduct engineering test flights. No word on when it will join the test flight fleet. Currently it is parked out on the Everett flightline and is unpainted.
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