Saturday, May 9, 2009

ZA001 finally fueled up.

Flightblogger reports that Dreamliner 1 has been fully fueled for the first time. No word on if there were any issues but test are continuing on the fuel distribution system.

ZA001 first fueling.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where will the plane be moved to following the fueling and what are the next steps in the process.

Uresh said...

It'll probably be moved away from the fuel dock to a parking spot on the flightline (conjecture on my part). If things go well with the fueling tests then it should be free and clear for APU and engine start tests.

Anonymous said...

Can you describe in simple terms what is involved for the APU and engine start tests..

If all goes well, how extensive are these tests? again, in general terms.

Uresh said...

I guess turning on a switch, in general.

Anonymous said...

maybe a button...but after that, is there monitoring and retesting..or more extensive examinations.

It seems everytime something is done, there is more work around it than normally expected. or example, fueling was not just filling the tank.

So, I wonder if starting tests are more than 1 hour or one day, etc.

Do they immediately go into intermediate gauntlet testing?

Anonymous said...

Would you provide from time to time an update on A0002's progress.

Is there any timeframe for plane's 3-6. Boeing indicated that it hope to have plane #2 in the air about a month after A0001 takes to the sky.

Is every subsequent plane going to follow month by month or is there a shorter schedule because the software, if passed, will not have to tested as extensively as plane 1&2

Uresh said...

ZA002 should fly about 3 weeks after ZA001 does. The remaining 4 should follow and I think should all be supporting the test flight and certification program by the end of September.

Anonymous said...

Will there be any changes made to planes 7-20 following flight tests.

If so, will they be uniform or will they be made at various stages to the remaining planes which are unbuilt at the time.

I know that planes 20-on will have modifications but wonder if there will be any as 7-20 progress to completion.

Uresh said...

I can't answer that as test flights haven't started yet. These are questions that trully can't be answered at this point in time.

Anonymous said...

I can understand your response and, of course, it would depend on what kind of changes are required.

I am trying to think ahead and wonder whether since planes 7-20 are already in the production line as the test flights are going on, whether there are ways to modify some of the planes as time passes.

So the fundamental question is how the findings of the flight test get translated on to the planes in production already or near production

Or, is it already taken for granted that the first 14 (7-20) will be uniformly different than the next tranch and that is not a big issue

Uresh said...

Boeing has a change integration program in place whereby if there are any required changes and/or improvments that need to be made then it will done in a process from airplanes 7 all the way back into the supply chain. I do not know the details of this process or when it's done.

Anonymous said...

Could you find out more about this?

Any changes have to go all the way back into the supply chain...that is undertandable.

But since flight testing and certification may take more than 9 months, many planes will have been built by then.

I guess if it is not a structural issue and only a software issue, that could be done easily enough.

But any adjustments to the body of the plane would seem to present some challenges

Anonymous said...

Why has this plane been hanging around the fueling station for so long....is there a leak?

Anonymous said...

Any word on the movement of the 787 A0001? Has it left the fueling station and positioned itself on the flightline?

Anonymous said...

The A0001 has been at the fueling station for 4 to 5 days already with no word of success or problems.

Any information on what is happening

Anonymous said...

There has been no new information on the 787 for three to four days from all the other bloggers including yourself.

Any reason for the silence? Guy Norris who was posting quite frequently has not updated either

Uresh said...

Boeig is shutting down the 787 program and has decided to go out of business.

Uresh said...

Just kidding

Anonymous said...

Boeing has certainly shut down information about the 787 program except for milestones.

It is hard to get any information from the Company except the "standard lines" and they have come down quite heavily on anyone in the Company who is giving out information.

I guess you know this and have reported to humor in the absence of information

Uresh said...

Yup!

Anonymous said...

I just spoke with the Investor Relations Department about the upcoming Investor conference on May 21st and asked about what is happening to the 787 at the fueling station.

Jokingly, she told me to follow the bloggers! I told her that Boeing has already scolded them and they are all silent about details.

"We are all hoping to see the plane fly as soon as possible" was her parting comment.

Anonymous said...

On Boeing's website "Boeing's new Airplane" it has a picture that reads "Boeing's 787 moves on to flightline for further testing"

This is the first time I have seen this...and it specifically states "flightline"

Check it out

Uresh said...

That was on May 3rd which I had already posted about. The fuel dock is on the flightline. Nothing has changed...you're looking at a press release from 10 days ago...old news.