Boeing 787 (partie 1)

Now that the Holiday are over, Boeing is trying to pick up the pace for the lost time due to the fire on ZA002. Boeing has been flying ZA001 and/or ZA004 since January 3rd though they haven't been flying very long duration flights (longest so far is about 5 hours).

However, in the coming days we should see more 787 rejoining the test flight program though for the next one week at least these will be only Boeing test flights and certification test flights.

According to information from sources, ZA005 should be flying again on January 9th (Sunday), and ZA002 will be flying again on January 11th. ZA006 will fly on January 14th and ZA003 will be flying again on January 16th.

More importantly, ZA004 is projected to restart certification flight tests as early as January 14th with ZA001 and ZA006 projected to follow on the 15th, ZA002 on the 16th and ZA005 on the 18th.

Also of significance is that ZA102, the first production airplane to fly may fly as early as January 15th and as late as January 24th. This airplane is out on the flightline at Everett. It is around this time that Boeing will be releasing it's 2010 full year financial results so there would be more that will probably be siad about the schedule at that point though everyone is still waiting to hear about the revised delivery schedule from Boeing.

Note that this schedule is still a projected schedule and things can still change given Boeing continued discussions with the FAA.

Boeing is busy ramping-up flight tests of the 787 once again, and plans to return ZA002, the aircraft which suffered the in-flight electrical fire in November, back to flight as early as Thursday, Jan 13.

Although Boeing declines to comment, initial FAA certification flights are also expected to resume by the end of the week, having been suspended since the post-fire grounding of the fleet late last year. With the imminent resumption of certification work, as opposed to Boeing-only flight test work to verify system improvements and changes, expectation is growing that Boeing is poised to announce the new 787 program schedule.

ZA001 is currently leading the charge with recent flights to Victorville, Calif, focused on autoland system tests and to Moses Lakes in Washington for low visibility take-off conditions. The aircraft also flew earlier today to Billings Logan International airport, Montana to test the autoland system on runways with distinct up and down slopes. Billing’s 10,518-ft long runway 10L/28R has a 0.8% down slope at its western end, and a 1.2% up slope at the eastern end, while the 5,500-ft long cross runway 07/27 has a 1.9% upslope running from east to west.
ZA002 looks set to return to flight on 13th having previously been expected to fly again earlier this week. ZA004, the first of the test fleet to resume flights on Dec 23, is meanwhile back in Yuma, Ariz, where it is undergoing engine strut and auxiliary power unit testing. ZA005, the initial GE-powered version, is also back in the air having begun test flights earlier today. The aircraft is conducting a raft of propulsion, avionics and electrical systems testing. ZA006, the second GE-powered aircraft, is meanwhile expected to re-enter flight tests over the next few days, while ZA003, the interiors test vehicle, is tipped to return from Jan 16 onwards.
Testing of the updated power distribution system software also continues using laboratory testing of standalone components, integration testing with other systems, flight simulator testing and ground-based testing on the flight test aircraft. The flight simulator, known as ECAB1, has been used most recently for autoflight failure, and control system malfunction tests.

Le Boeing 787 certifié par l'EASA au second semestre

PARIS, 11 janvier (Reuters) - La certification du 787 de Boeing interviendra au second semestre, a fait savoir mardi le dirigeant de l'Agence européenne de sécurité aérienne (EASA) Patrick Goudou.

L'EASA devrait ainsi déclarer le nouvel avion américain apte à effecteur des vols commerciaux dans le ciel européen. Cette décision devrait être prise de façon coordonnée avec l'Administration fédérale de l'aviation (FAA) aux Etats-Unis.

Les deux autorités avaient procédé ainsi pour la certification à l'Airbus A380.

"Nous espérons faire de même pour le 787", a déclaré Patrick Goudou.

"Le calendrier n'est pas défini car Boeing a rencontré quelques problèmes comme vous le savez, mais nous misons sur le milieu d'année, ou peut-être un peu après, vers la fin de l'année", a-t-il précisé.

Cette certification est nécessaire pour que le Dreamliner 787 puisse être exploité par une compagnie européenne.

La compagnie aérienne japonaise All Nippon Airways sera la première à recevoir un 787.

Boeing avait suspendu début novembre les essais en vol de son long-courrier 787 après un feu d'origine électrique dans la cabine de l'un des appareils.

Les essais en vol pourraient reprendre cette semaine.

Les livraisons de l'appareil, conçu avec des matériaux composites et censé être plus économe en carburant, ont déjà été reportées à six reprises.

Boeing a fait savoir que la première livraison, programmée pour le premier trimestre 2011, serait finalement repoussée, sans toutefois donner de nouvelle date de livraison.

(Catherine Monin pour le service français, édité par Nicolas Delame)
http://www.aerocontact.com/actualite_aeronautique_spatiale/ac-le-boeing-787-certifie-par-l-easa-au-second-semestre~11294.html

Boeing has completed most of the associated tasks relating to the circa 3,700 hours required for ground testing, leaving the six-jet test fleet just several hundred flight hours short of its roughly 3,100 hour target needed to gain FAA/EASA certification. The temporary grounding of the test fleet in November 2010 has slowed things down but a revised schedule for deliveries (either side of or during the fourth quarter earnings call?) could inject some much needed confidence into this oft-delayed airplane.

Boeing has been mapping out an array of scenarios to ensure that first deliveries to launch customer All Nippon Airways (ANA) can commence by the middle of the year.

Boeing is gunning for first handover on or around the end of the second quarter. While this is unlikely to coincide with the Paris Air Show itself, there is also the possibility that limited certification approval could pave the way for ANA to take delivery of 787′s without ETOPS clearance. Such revisions certainly make the delivery goal at the end of the second quarter achievable but then as per the history of the program, a slippage into Q3 cannot be ruled out if ETOPS out-of-the-box is sought.

ANA had already identified Beijing amongst its first destinations for the 787, in part to bolster its flight crew familiarisation in preparation of ETOPS-compliant routings and also build up pilot experience on shorter routes. Its decision to opt for the longer ranged 787-9 further augments its growth strategy given the shrinking footprint of struggling rival Japan Airlines.

Given the limited availability of real estate at Paine Field, the resulting fewer component shipments through the 747-400LCF fleet means that Boeing could start completing and delivering these jets and work towards ETOPS compliance later on.

In doing so, that would free up space and allow a resumption of shipments and work towards stabilising the fragile distributed supply system that, while much vaunted on paper and in theory, has come into play for heavy criticism.

Boeing’s bigger headache remains that of Alenia.

Given Boeing’s previous acquisitions of Vought and Global Aeronautica, moving Alenia’s work to somewhere like South Carolina would be a costly exercise – but with the possibility of the remaining three flight test 787′s also being written off, another expense to keep the bulk of the work in the USA could help the program boost its operational efficiencies and lower costs over the life of the program - while the program teeters on the brink of being in a loss position (if it isn’t already there), the delivery of the backlog can only alleviate this pressure if Boeing strengthens its supply chain.

In the same way, the Next Generation 737 production was hit from the outset with parts shortages and unfinished airplanes leaving the assembly line – that doubled the breakeven point overnight to almost 800 units. Since then, the program hasn’t looked back and Boeing needs to take lessons from the past and directly implement them on the 787 if its financial future is to remain black, not red.

A purchase of Alenia’s 787 business would be costly – not buying it is costlier in the long term.

Alenia has failed to demonstrate consistent improvements and Boeing can ill afford for such fabrication errors ten years down the line – people would rightly be asking why maturity hasn’t kicked in after such a long time.

Given the raft of delays seen on the program to date, evidence of this strength is sorely lacking – particularly as late-identified workmanship issues seem to be causing unnecessary repeat checks and delays.

As the 787 slowly inches closer towards delivery, the spotlight will be on the weak supply chain and the risk yet to come from the second line in Charleston.

Boeing has missed the 10-per-month ramp up goal by 2013 too and “rushing” to ramp up rates could backfire if build quality suffers – all these factors (and more) have the propensity to throw the Dreamliner off track yet again – and it shouldn’t be ruled out either.

Boeing will restart 787 certification operations, the first of three major milestones slated for 17 January, say programme sources.

Currently based in Yuma, Arizona, 787 test aircraft ZA004 will re-launch Federal Aviation Administration certification operations for the type with a validation of the fuel jettison system. This will be the first flight test for certification credit since ZA002's 9 November fire that placed the regulatory validation of Boeing's new flagship on hold.

Monday will also feature the first flight of a production 787, ZA102, the ninth 787, which wears a white fuselage and an All Nippon Airways tail. The aircraft has been re-registered at N1006F, formerly N6066Z, and will fly a standard B-1 production flight from the company's Everett, Washington facility and includes a checkout of the airworthiness of the aircraft and the actuation of the landing gear. This is the seventh 787 to fly since the flight test program began on 15 December 2009.



While it is first slated for a shakedown of all its systems, ZA102 will join the test fleet for the extended twin engine operations (ETOPS) certification before it is delivered to ANA. ZA101, the eighth 787, will primarily operate as a ground test aircraft for the system functionality and reliability testing as part of the ETOPS certification effort.

Lastly, the formerly fire-stricken ZA002 is also expected to rejoin the test fleet Monday with a checkout of the electronic engine control system from Boeing Field in Seattle.

Boeing has yet to announce a revised schedule for first delivery to ANA.

After numerous delays Boeing has released its latest delivery schedule for the 787, and aims to deliver the first aircraft to launch customer All Nippon Airways in the third quarter.

The company states the new delivery date reflects the effects of an in-flight fire in November of 2010 that halted the test flight campaign. Boeing's revised schedule includes the time necessary to produce, install and test updated software and new electrical power distribution panels in the flight test and production aircraft.

"We've also restored some margin in the schedule to allow for any additional time that may be needed to complete certification activities," says 787 programme vice president Scott Fancher.

Boeing expects to release additional information about anticipated initial 787 deliveries in its earnings discussion scheduled for 26 January.

The original 787 delivery date was May 2008, and programme delays have subsequently pushed back first delivery by roughly three years.

Here's a brief list of the vital questions that remain outstanding:


Beyond first delivery, how many 787s is the company aiming to deliver in 2011?
Will 180 minute ETOPS certification be achieved along with initial FAA/EASA certification? When will the first 787-9 be delivered?
Is Boeing's plan still to reach 10 deliveries per month in 2013?
How long will it take to rework the existing 787 fleet beyond the electrical hardware and software changes?
Boeing's fourth quarter and full year 2010 earnings call is scheduled for January 26.

Boeing's newest 787 has completed its maiden flight, taking off from the company's Everett, Washington plant and landing just over one hour later.

The aircraft, designated ZA102, is a temporary member of the 787 flight test fleet and will help demonstrate extended operations (ETOPS), as well as complete function and reliability testing. Earlier test aircraft had unique configurations for other tests required by the certification programme.

Powered by Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines, ZA102 wears a white fuselage and an All Nippon Airways tail. The aircraft's registration has been changed to N1006F from N6066Z. This is the seventh 787 to fly since the flight test programme began on 15 December 2009, and the ninth 787 produced.

On 18 January Boeing released its latest delivery schedule for the 787, and aims to deliver the first aircraft to launch customer All Nippon Airways in the third quarter.

The new delivery date reflects the effects of an in-flight fire in November of 2010 that halted the test flight campaign. Boeing's revised schedule includes the time necessary to produce, install and test updated software and new electrical power distribution panels in the flight test and production aircraft.

Boeing expects to release additional information about anticipated initial 787 deliveries in its earnings discussion scheduled for 26 January.

The original 787 delivery date was May 2008, and programme delays have subsequently pushed back first delivery by roughly three years.