Dreamliner first flight

[Superman]

I recall seeing the wing stress test on the 777 and thinking that if that plane ever actually pulled that many G's, the occupants would all be unconscious.

If I had a dollar for every B-52 I've watched (I lived near Fairchild AFB in Spokane)......... Those planes look like they're flapping their wings before takeoff.

[fingpilot]

Typical test flight routine will be to stay well within a safe engineering parameter. As the time aloft and the data numbers start to accumulate, each parameter will be slowly expanded, eventually going somewhere around 115% to 130% of limit.

I did several years of production test flying for Gulfstream in Savannah. I never worried about being out on the line in service ever again after that. Having seen what is done to every greenie prior to delivery.

Wing flex? Sit over the wings in a 747-400, gross weight takeoff. Taxiing out, the winglets, with droop, are below line of sight. Airbourne, the line of sight is mid-wing. Tops of winglets are almost tough to see sitting next to window. I believe I heard 17 feet of flex from droop to top of stable flex. More in turbulence.

My standard line to squeemish passengers was that the plane was stressed for far more G's that the human body.

Design parameters? Human being? 6-ish MPH. 1 G. 15 foot fall. 14.7 psi nominal. 45 to 100F. Anything else requires a mod to avoid death. I would usually remember these parameters on the bike when trail braking into a corner a little too fast. Also on takeoff at gross passing EFCA (engine failure cleanup altitude), calling for slat/flap retraction. Would always look over my shoulder at the outboard nacelle, straining at the pylon, condensate filling the inlet.

A lifetime of mental pictures, impossible to duplicate, except thru writing about them.

[Scuba Steve]

First landing was loads of fun, except for the weather. I'm glad to see this finally in the air already! I was amazed at how quiet the plane was at arrival and when the TRs were being used. APU hardly made any noise either. The air conditioning units are louder than anything else.

[Schumi]

I'm always reminded of my first full on-track excursion in a formula car. Braking at 2.5 G's makes your eyeballs feel like they are going to shoot thru your visor.

Plane rides are boring after that kinda thing.

[Ned, NYNA11]

My aunt flew to JFK from Ireland in the 70's when she was in her late 70's.

It was her first flight.

I asked her if the flight had been smooth and she replied that it was and said that the wings didn't flap at all!

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Schumi

I'm always reminded of my first full on-track excursion in a formula car. Braking at 2.5 G's makes your eyeballs feel like they are going to shoot thru your visor.

Plane rides are boring after that kinda thing.

Guess you've never flown an F-111 supersonic 200 feet off the deck...Why my retired pilot buddy says high performance cars bore him.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by javadog

Boeing keeps a couple of them for chase duty. I believe they are the made-in-Canada versions licensed by Lockheed. No idea when these two were built.

JR

Canadian version has a better (read more thrust, does not catch fire and blow up as easily) as the original engine.

[Noah930]

What's the doohickey trailing off the top of the tail fin?

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by Scuba Steve

First landing was loads of fun, except for the weather. I'm glad to see this finally in the air already! I was amazed at how quiet the plane was at arrival and when the TRs were being used. APU hardly made any noise either. The air conditioning units are louder than anything else.

Is this one of the planes that the wing root design broke in test and they super glued on a patch. Will they sell it to a customer?

[abisel]

Originally Posted by Noah930

What's the doohickey trailing off the top of the tail fin?

Flight test instrumentation. Maybe a static trailing cone used for altitude and airspeed position error determination.

Here's another link with lots of info on the Dreamliner. Navigate around the tab selections. Check out the Multimedia 787 Podcast. Some cool stuff.

http://www.newairplane.com/

[dewolf]

The wings look like Albatross wings. Long and thin.

[Joeaksa]

All sorts of extra stuff on flight test airplanes. All of that will be removed on the production line jets.

[air-cool-me]

Originally Posted by tcar

Chase planes are Lockheed T-33's. First built 60 years ago, but those may be newer; but not new.

Haven't seen one of those flying for decades. When I was a kid, the New Mexico NG flew them from Albuquerque.

Significance? Anyone know?

Boeing Skyfox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

they have them left over from the aborted skyfox program...

"program to modify the aging Lockheed T-33 jet trainers into a modernized, twin-engine aircraft. It was made as a primary trainer to compete and replace the Cessna T-37 Tweety Bird."

[Sarc]

I've watched that video a few times now and keep thinking to myself how cool it would be if the test pilot channelled his inner Tex Johnston on one of these flights and did a barrel roll a la the old dash-80. Could you imagine the reaction in todays media saturated world?

[450knotOffice]

I love that shot! Never tire of it. Have you ever seen the video taken from the ground?

[cgarr]

Originally Posted by 450knotOffice

I love that shot! Never tire of it.

But wanted too I bet Ahhh the good ole days!

[Sarc]

Originally Posted by 450knotOffice

Have you ever seen the video taken from the ground?

A few times....and I never tire of it!