Boeing starts 787/Trent 1000 F&R and ETOPs Testing

Boeing announced the start of F&R/ETOPs testing today. The sole aircraft that is conducting the tests, ZA102, kicked the testing off yesterday with a seven hour and thirty minute flight along the west coast of the US. This airplane will be conducting all the F&R and ETOPs testing with the Trent 1000 engine.

This phase should last about 300 flight test hours after which Boeing should receive type certification and can proceed with deliveries to ANA around August or September. Given the amount of testing and allowing for maintenance, I anticipate that this final phase of testing should last about 45 days which means a mid August completion for the final phase of testing.

Boeing will still have to submit any remaining deliverables to the FAA and EASA and they would take at least a couple of weeks to issue the final type certification for the 787. Therefore, it is looking like an early to mid September delivery time frame for the 787 to ANA.

F&R is testing that measures the production aircraft's response to normal as well off-normal operations which would include simulated engine and systems failures. This testing is only to certify the Trent-1000/787 engine airframe combination.

Boeing is still in discussions with the FAA regarding F&R/ETOPs testing for the GEnx version. Until those discussions are completed it is unknown which aircraft(s) with the GEnx-1B engines will be used for those tests. It is anticipated that GE F&R/ETOPs should start around August. Given this time frame the GEnx powered 787 should be delivered to Japan Airlines around October.

Meanwhile Boeing is still using the other airplanes for testing purposes. ZA001 just returned from Europe and the Paris Air Show and will be spending a week at Boeing Charleston as workers prepare to load the first 787 into the tooling fixtures at that plant. ZA002 will be making the trip to Japan for service ready validation operational validation. That airplane will be there for about a week conducting those tests. ZA003 is conducting Boeing test flights to evaluate the hybrid laminar flow control system proposed for the 787-9. ZA004 is conducting nautical air miles tests (NAMS) using the package "B" Trent 1000 engines. This testing will be used to evaluate the improved fuel efficiency over the package "A" Trents. ZA005 and ZA006 will continue certification flight tests with the GEnx-1Bs.

Here's Boeing Press Release on the start of F&R/ETOPs:

Boeing Begins Final Phase of 787 Flight Testing

EVERETT, Wash., June 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) yesterday started Function & Reliability (F&R) testing and extended operations (ETOPS) demonstrations on the 787 Dreamliner. This is the final phase of flight testing prior to certification of the airplane.

"We are ready for this final phase of flight testing," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. "The team has created a solid plan for accomplishing the hours and test points required for F&R and ETOPS testing in support of delivery to our customer ANA in the August to September time period."

F&R testing simulates various normal and non-normal operations for the airplane, in a realistic airline-like flight environment. ETOPS refers to extended operations – for twin jets, flights that are more than 60 minutes away from a suitable landing field. During ETOPS demonstrations the company validates the airplane's ability to safely divert for a variety of reasons, including long diversions with one engine shut down.

In addition to F&R and ETOPS testing for the 787 with Rolls-Royce engines, Boeing continues certification testing on 787s with General Electric engines and will conduct a separate F&R/ETOPS test program for that version of the airplane. Other activities will continue on the flight test fleet to support Boeing objectives including examining potential technologies for the 787-9 and testing engine improvement packages.

Paris Air Show, 2011, Final Order Summary

Paris 2011
Order Tracker

Airbus
30 x A320neo – SAS
60 x A320neo – GECAS
4 x A330-300 – Saudi Arabian Airlines
20 x A320neo – Air Lease Corp.
16 x A321neo – Air Lease Corp.
11 A330 – Air Lease Corp.
1 x A321 – Air Lease Corp.
6 x A321neo – TransAsia Airways
50 x A320neo – CIT
40 x A320neo – JetBlue
10 x A320neo – Garuda Indonesia
15 x A320 – Garuda Indonesia
150 x A320neo – Indigo
30 x A320 – Indigo
20 x A320neo – LAN Airlines
40 x A320neo – Republic Airways
40 x A319neo – Republic Airways
6 x A350-900 – ALAFCO
18 x A320 - Avianca/Taca
33 x A320neo – Avianca/Taca
30 x A320neo – ALAFCO
72 x A320neo – GoAir
2 x A380 – Skymark
200 x A320neo – Air Asia
10 x A380 – Hong Kong Airlines

Total Airbus – 914

Breakdown:
A319neo – 40
A320 – 63
A320neo – 755
A321neo - 22
A321 - 1
A330 – 15
A350 – 6
A380 – 12

Boeing
6 x 777-300ER – Qatar Airways
15 x 747-8I – Hong Kong Airlines
2 x 747-8I – Undisclosed Customer
20 x 737-800 – Air Lease Corp.
4 x 787-9 – Air Lease Corp.
5 x 777-300ER – Air Lease Corp.
2 x 737-800 – MIAT Mongolian Airlines
1 x 767-300 – MIAT Mongolian Airlines
15 x 737-800 - Norwegian Air Shuttle
8 x 777-300ER – Aeroflot
10 x 737-800 – Malaysia Airlines
2 x 747-8F – GECAS
8 x 777-300ER – GECAS
33 x 737-800 – UTair
7 x 737-900ER - UTair

Total Boeing – 138

Breakdown:
737 – 87
787 – 4
777 – 27
767 - 1
747 – 19

Bombardier
10 x CS100 – Undisclosed Customer
10 x CS300 – Korean Air
10 x CS100 – Unidentified Customer

Total Bombardier - 30

ATR
15 x ATR 72-600 – GECAS
10 x ATR 72-600 – Azul
3 x ATR 42-500 - TAME

Total ATR - 28

Embraer
20 x E190 – Sriwijaya Air
2 x E190 – Air Astana
5 x E190 – Air Lease Corp.
10 x E190 – Kenya Airways
2 x E190 – GECAS

Total Embraer - 39

SuperJet
12 x SSJ100 – PT Sky Aviation
8 x SSJ100 – Blue Panorama
Total SuperJet - 20

Paris Air Show 2011, Day 3 Order Summary

Paris 2011
Order Tracker

Airbus
30 x A320neo – SAS
60 x A320neo – GECAS
4 x A330-300 – Saudi Arabian Airlines
20 x A320neo – Air Lease Corp.
16 x A321neo – Air Lease Corp.
11 A330 – Air Lease Corp.
1 x A321 – Air Lease Corp.
6 x A321neo – TransAsia Airways
50 x A320neo – CIT
40 x A320neo – JetBlue
10 x A320neo – Garuda Indonesia
15 x A320 – Garuda Indonesia
150 x A320neo – Indigo
30 x A320 – Indigo
20 x A320neo – LAN Airlines
40 x A320neo – Republic Airways
40 x A319neo – Republic Airways
6 x A350-900 – ALAFCO
18 x A320 - Avianca/Taca
33 x A320neo – Avianca/Taca
30 x A320neo – ALAFCO

Total Airbus – 630

Breakdown:
A319neo – 40
A320 – 63
A320neo – 483
A321neo - 22
A321 - 1
A330 – 15
A350 – 6

Boeing
6 x 777-300ER – Qatar Airways
15 x 747-8I – Undisclosed Customer
2 x 747-8I – Undisclosed Customer
20 x 737-800 – Air Lease Corp.
4 x 787-9 – Air Lease Corp.
5 x 777-300ER – Air Lease Corp.
2 x 737-800 – MIAT Mongolian Airlines
1 x 767-300 – MIAT Mongolian Airlines
15 x 737-800 - Norwegian Air Shuttle
8 x 777-300ER – Aeroflot
10 x 737-800 – Malaysia Airlines
2 x 747-8F – GECAS
8 x 777-300ER – GECAS
33 x 737-800 – UTair
7 x 737-900ER - UTair

Total Boeing – 138

Breakdown:
737 – 87
787 – 4
777 – 27
767 - 1
747 – 19

Bombardier
10 x CS100 – Undisclosed Customer
10 x CS300 – Korean Air

Total Bombardier - 20

ATR
15 x ATR 72-600 – GECAS
10 x ATR 72-600 – Azul
3 x ATR 42-500 - TAME

Total ATR - 28

Embraer
20 x E190 – Sriwijaya Air
2 x E190 – Air Astana
5 x E190 – Air Lease Corp.
10 x E190 – Kenya Airways
2 x E190 – GECAS

Total Embraer - 39

SuperJet
12 x SSJ100 – PT Sky Aviation
8 x SSJ100 – Blue Panorama

Total SuperJet - 20

Paris Air Show 2011, Day 2 Order Summary

Paris 2011
Order Tracker

Airbus
30 x A320neo – SAS
60 x A320neo – GECAS
4 x A330-300 – Saudi Arabian Airlines
20 x A320neo – Air Lease Corp.
16 x A321neo – Air Lease Corp.
11 A330 – Air Lease Corp.
1 x A321 – Air Lease Corp.
6 x A321neo – TransAsia Airways
50 x A320neo – CIT
40 x A320neo – JetBlue
10 x A320neo – Garuda Indonesia
15 x A320 – Garuda Indonesia



Total Airbus – 263



Breakdown:
A320 – 15
A320neo – 210
A321neo - 22
A321 - 1
A330 – 15

Boeing
6 x 777-300ER – Qatar Airways
15 x 747-8I – Undisclosed Customer
2 x 747-8I – Undisclosed Customer
20 x 737-800 – Air Lease Corp.
4 x 787-9 – Air Lease Corp.
5 x 777-300ER – Air Lease Corp.
2 x 737-800 – MIAT Mongolian Airlines
1 x 767-300 – MIAT Mongolian Airlines
15 x 737-800 - Norwegian Air Shuttle
8 x 777-300ER – Aeroflot
10 x 737-800 – Malaysia Airlines
2 x 747-8F – GECAS
8 x 777-300ER – GECAS



Total Boeing – 98



Breakdown:
737 – 47
787 – 4
777 – 27
767 - 1
747 – 19

Bombardier
10 x CS100 – Undisclosed Customer
10 x CS300 – Korean Air
Total Bombardier - 20

ATR
15 x ATR 72-600 – GECAS
10 x ATR 72-600 – Azul
Total ATR - 25

Embraer
20 x E190 – Sriwijaya Air
2 x E190 – Air Astana

SuperJet
12 x SSJ100 – PT Sky Aviation

Paris Air Show 2011, Day 1 Order Summary

Here's a summary of today's commercial aircraft order action from Le Bourget. The biggest surprise was the 17 orders that Boeing received from two unidentified customers for the 747-8I. I'll update this throughout the week of the air show. If I'm missing anything let me know!


Paris 2011 Order Tracker

Airbus
30 x A320neo – SAS
60 x A320neo – GECAS
4 x A330-300 – Saudi Arabian Airlines
20 x A320neo – Air Lease Corp.
16 x A321neo – Air Lease Corp.
11 A330 – Air Lease Corp.
1 x A321 – Air Lease Corp.

Total Airbus – 142

Breakdown:
A320neo – 110
A321neo - 16
A321 - 1
A330 – 15

Boeing
6 x 777-300ER – Qatar Airways
15 x 747-8I – Undisclosed Customer
2 x 747-8I – Undisclosed Customer
20 x 737-800 – Air Lease Corp.
4 x 787-9 – Air Lease Corp.
5 x 777-300ER – Air Lease Corp.

Total Boeing – 52

Breakdown:
737 – 20
787 – 4
777 – 11
747 – 17

Bombardier
10 x CS100 – Undisclosed Customer

ATR
15 x ATR 72-600 – GECAS

Embraer
20 x E190 – Sriwijaya Air
2 x E190 – Air Astana

787 test flight fleet done

On the eve of the Paris Air Show, James Albaugh. President of Boeing Commercial aircraft, revealed that Boeing is done with 97% of the required testing on the Trent 1000 powered and that the Boeing test flight fleet ZA001- ZA006 would not be flying for certification purposes. Boeing still has to complete SROV activities in Japan early next month as well as start ETOPs/F&R testing using ZA102 (LN9) for the Trent-1000 engines.

It is unclear which GEnx powered 787 will be used to conduct the ETOPS/F&R testing for the GEnx version of the 787 though ZA177 a GE powered 787 is still in change incorporation and maybe a possible candidate to conduct those tests around August or September depending on the progress of its change incorporation. If not then the only option is for ZA005 or ZA006 to conduct those tests.

ZA102 was supposed to start F&R testing in early June but as of today it still has no started and now Boeing is saying late June for the start of testing. I have no word from sources as to the actual start date thus far.

Even though Boeing's 787 test flight fleet certification duties are over, their flight testing duties are on going with ZA004 undertaking NAMS (nautical air mile) testing with the package "B" Trent 1000 engines. ZA003 is testing the hybrid laminar flow control (HLFC) which, it is hoped, will reduce drag by delaying the transition of laminar air flow over the horizontal tail plane to turbulent air flow. If these tests are successful, then it is planned to introduce this system on the HTP for the 787-9 and possibly to the 787-8 as well. ZA001 will fly to Paris for the air show then on to Warsaw and Berlin for marketing related activities with Air Berlin and LOT. As mentioned earlier, ZA002 will be dispatched Japan for Service Ready Operational Validation Testing.

Below is the schedule for the SROV tests with ANA in Japan:

Flight 1 LV. SEA 7-3-11 5AM ARR. HND 7-4-11 6:30AM
Flight 2 LV. HND 7-5-11 6:30AM ARR. ITM 7-5-11 7:30AM
Flight 3 LV. ITM 7-5-11 11:30AM ARR. HND 7-5-11 12:30AM
Flight 4 LV. HND 7-6-11 6:30AM ARR. KIX 7-6-11 8:00AM
Flight 5 LV. KIX 7-6-11 12:00PM ARR. HND 7-6-11 1:30PM
Flight 6 LV. HND 7-7-11 6:00AM ARR. OKJ 7-7-11 7:30AM
Flight 7 LV. OKJ 7-7-11 11:00AM ARR. HND 7-7-11 12:30PM
Flight 8 LV. HND 7-7-11 3:00PM ARR. HIJ 7-7-11 5:00PM
Flight 9 LV. HIJ 7-7-11 7:00PM ARR. HND 7-7-22 8:30PM
Flight 10 LV. HND 7-9-11 1:00PM ARR. SEA 7-9-11 6:30AM