Dreamliner first flight

[Deschodt]

Anybody see the video or pictures ?

I *know* conceptually that the composite wings and spars are a good things, though the spars had to be reinforced with real metal as they cracked before, but watching that plane's wings practically do the "YMCA" on take off and landing really bothers me... It looks wrong...

I know gliders do too, I'm sure flexible is a good thing, but that flexible? it's gonna take some getting used to...

[Guest24]

You would REALLY hate the wing flex in the Boeing B-52 then.

[billybek]

I thought the Dreamliner was the big mombo jet, competition for the Air Bus double decker...
Boeing claims 'historic day' with Dreamliner test flight - CNN.com

[cgarr]

If they don't flex they break. Gives you a smoooooother ride too....

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by cgarr

If they don't flex they break. Gives you a smoooooother ride too....

Like I said, I know this conceptually, but seeing them deflect THAT much under normal take off and landing loads (and flapping around too, check out the video), I wonder how much they will flex in a bad storm (will wingtips touch each other and start singing YMCA ? ;-)

I know smarter people have calculated all this, and I've flown a glider once, I know it's a good thing, but sheesh, it looks..... weird !!!

[abisel]

Here are some milestones for the 787. Check out the wing break testing.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner Milestones

[stealthn]

Sorry full size, half span is not a valid test

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by stealthn

Sorry full size, half span is not a valid test

+1... I looked at the video and also thought that was the inboard portion of the wing... i'd like to see them do that on a full "clothed" wing ! It's the outboard portion that really deflects a lot, flaps around, and looks odd on the video....

Again, I'm not criticizing the engineering, it just *looks* freaky

[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 ANG flew them from Albuquerque.

Significance? Anyone know?

[JavaBrewer]

How many initial planes did they build? I'm guessing more than one right? I mean with that much at stake if they somehow lost the plane in a crash or fire I would imagine it could be devastating to Boeing if they didn't have others waiting in the wings.

Definitely a different look (wings) but it does look like a comfy ride

[javadog]

Originally Posted by tcar

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

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

[javadog]

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

How many initial planes did they build?

I think they will be flight testing 6 of them.

JR

[island911]

Originally Posted by stealthn

Sorry full size, half span is not a valid test

how's that?

[island911]

Originally Posted by Nail24

You would REALLY hate the wing flex in the Boeing B-52 then.

Apparently, they could bend until the tips would touch.
Certainly, at that point, they wouldn't return to where they started, but they wouldn't break either.

[gtc]

Originally Posted by island911

how's that?

Deceptive manipulation of numbers! Witchcraft! Burn them!

[gtc]

I think the first flight was an elaborate hoax staged by the illuminati to manipulate boeing stock prices. The video you see is just a scale model filmed on a sound stage in rural British Columbia.

[Schumi]

Carbon fiber does not fatigue like aluminum. Thus flexing can be allowed much moreso than with aluminum rib and spar construction.

A carbon fiber stress-strain curve is practically a straight line to yield. Keep it under a certain point and you will never strain fatigue a part.

[abisel]

During the full scale static stress test, the wing tips were deflected 18 feet from static position... and no failures. These wings were designed to "flap".

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=13&item=964

[pwd72s]

Any pilots here? Perhaps you could tell me why the footage always showed gear down. Cindy's been asking about this. I said probably because it's a test flight and is standard procedure...but I'm just guessing.

[abisel]

pwb72s,

It is procedural. They always do first flights of any new aircraft (civil or military) with gear down. Mainly because they don't want to retract the gear and then have a failure in which the gear won't extend. Not a good thing. Subsequent flights they will cycle the gear.