Posted: 5/21/2009 1:36:08 PM EDT
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From Boeing's website 5/21/09
EVERETT, Wash., May 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ –– Boeing [NYSE: BA] continued to make steady progress toward the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner, completing the first engine runs on the all-new airplane. The occasion marks the first all-electric start of a commercial jetliner engine on a commercial jetliner; the engines had been started electronically in test facilities earlier. Engine runs began at 9:30 a.m. (PDT) today and ended 40 minutes later. During initial engine runs, the engines are started and operated at various power settings to ensure all systems perform as expected. Today's engine run test began with the Auxiliary Power System providing power to start the two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. Basic systems checks continued throughout the test. The engines were powered down and inspected and will be restarted following a technical review. The team completed a vibration check and monitored the shutdown logic to ensure it functioned as expected. "We were very pleased with the performance on the engines during this test," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. "We will now get ready for our intermediate and final gauntlet tests." |
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Quoted:
From Boeing's website 5/21/09 EVERETT, Wash., May 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ –– Boeing [NYSE: BA] continued to make steady progress toward the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner, completing the first engine runs on the all-new airplane. The occasion marks the first all-electric start of a commercial jetliner engine on a commercial jetliner; the engines had been started electronically in test facilities earlier. Engine runs began at 9:30 a.m. (PDT) today and ended 40 minutes later. During initial engine runs, the engines are started and operated at various power settings to ensure all systems perform as expected. Today's engine run test began with the Auxiliary Power System providing power to start the two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. Basic systems checks continued throughout the test. The engines were powered down and inspected and will be restarted following a technical review. The team completed a vibration check and monitored the shutdown logic to ensure it functioned as expected. "We were very pleased with the performance on the engines during this test," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. "We will now get ready for our intermediate and final gauntlet tests." I hope Boeing can pull it off. Reading AeroE doesn't exactly instill confidence. |
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Yeah,especially since Boeing has all it's eggs in pretty much one basket,and if the 787 doesn't measure up,Boeing won't be looking too good. it's not like airlines really need new equipment now anyway,they're struggling just to keep what they have.
Quoted:
From Boeing's website 5/21/09 EVERETT, Wash., May 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ –– Boeing [NYSE: BA] continued to make steady progress toward the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner, completing the first engine runs on the all-new airplane. The occasion marks the first all-electric start of a commercial jetliner engine on a commercial jetliner; the engines had been started electronically in test facilities earlier. Engine runs began at 9:30 a.m. (PDT) today and ended 40 minutes later. During initial engine runs, the engines are started and operated at various power settings to ensure all systems perform as expected. Today's engine run test began with the Auxiliary Power System providing power to start the two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. Basic systems checks continued throughout the test. The engines were powered down and inspected and will be restarted following a technical review. The team completed a vibration check and monitored the shutdown logic to ensure it functioned as expected. "We were very pleased with the performance on the engines during this test," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. "We will now get ready for our intermediate and final gauntlet tests." I hope Boeing can pull it off. Reading AeroE doesn't exactly instill confidence. |
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If the reports in a previously posted AvWk article are anywhere near correct––the airplane is 8% overweight and 15% under range-and these are guaranteed numbers, that sounds catastrophic to me. And on top of that the current engines are some 5% off in fuel burn (although it's claimed that might get better). Whether that fuel burn deficiency is factored into the range deficiency is not clear.
8% overweight is at least 10 TONS if my arithmetic is correct. I believe that historically, Boeing had two sets of metrics related to performance. One set was "guaranteed" by the contract and subject to stiff penalties and cancellations if not meant. The other set of numbers were goals or targets. Its not clear from the published information available to the media whether the deficiencies relate to guarantees, or sales-hyped numbers.. The fact that the airlines haven't bailed 'en mass", or that Wall Street hasn't tanked the stock, with the publication of the performance numbers, suggest that the deficiiences might not relate to guarantees. For Boeing's sake, I hope that's the case. The program, to-date, has been a technical/management mess and an embarassment to the U.S. aerospace community. |
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It's my opinion that aviation mechanical technology peaked many years ago. Engineers understood aerodynamics exceptionally well. I fully expect gains to be minor in nature.
The Honda jet is a good example. It's not that much more "sleek" than a 1975 Lear 25. I saw some estimated numbers that really put things in perspective. If I understand it correctly, the drag reduction is less than a couple of percent in real life. It's the engine bypass that gives the "range", not the superior aerodynamics of modern aircraft. Also, composite aircraft are not, in practice, lighter. Aluminum and ribs/stringers makes a very light structure. I just had the tail (horizontal) off my Cessna Cardinal. It was exceptionally light. I can't imagine it being any lighter with any other type of construction. All that said, I believe the 787 will be a success. Oil is trending back up. Companies must sell products that offset that expense. EDIT: I found something interesting. Waggling Air Flow Sideways Over Wings Could Cut Aircraft Fuel Consumption And Emissions by 20% http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/05/waggling-20090525.html#more |