Boeing has completed the first of three rounds of gauntlet testing on the 747-8F, marking a significant step towards the aircraft's first flight, the company confirms.RC501's two-day factory gauntlet took place over Wednesday and Thursday and consisted of ground control and autopilot checks, as well as testing of the flight deck and power systems.
Gauntlet testing places the aircraft in a closed loop simulation that 'fools' the aircraft systems into thinking they are flying. The factory gauntlet also represents the first major test of all of the aircraft systems as they operate in unison.
The first 747-8F also flew a simulated reduced B1 first flight profile with dynamics, flight controls and autoflight checks.
The nine-hour "first flight" was flown by Mark Feuerstein, chief project pilot for the 747-8F program and was joined on the flight deck by Captain Sheila Beahm, says Boeing.
RC501 will continue functional testing before rolling out of the factory then heading to the paint shop and fuel dock for first APU start, followed by a move to the flight line for the intermediate gauntlet. The second phase of gauntlet testing will see the first start of the four General Electric GEnx-2B engines under the wings of the new freighter.
After the intermediate gauntlet is complete, the aircraft will move into the final gauntlet systems testing, followed by low and high-speed taxi testing before first flight.
RC501 is expected to take its maiden flight early next year, with first delivery to Cargolux in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Boeing continues to reaffirm that the 787 will fly before the end of 2009.
Additional program sources indicate that the installation of the wing fix on ZA001 is tentatively scheduled to be complete just before the middle part of the month. Once ZA001 and/or ZA002 are ready, ZY997 becomes the pacing item for the full-scale validation of the side of body modification.
Mr. Norris followed up with an additional post this afternoon that mapped out the remaining tasks for ZA001 before first flight. His assessment leads to a late-December target for ZA001's first flight. Once the static testing is complete and the fix is validated, Mr. Norris says, ZA001 will begin a three-week pre-flight process of gauntlet tests and other activity.
The first Airbus A330-200F (F-WWYE) completed its four-hour maiden flight in skies over France, kicking off a four-month, 180-hour flight test campaign that will see the first freighter handed over to Etihad Airways in August of 2010.
Flight International Magazine Deputy Editor Max Kingsley-Jones was on hand for the first flight, which saw the aircraft flown to its maximum altitude and speed of 41,000 feet a 330 knots. The aircraft was also flown down to its lowest speed or Alpha Max. Max reports that when the A330 Freighter returned to Toulouse, it flew two autoland approaches, include a late go-around and touch-and-go, before making a full stop landing on Runway 32.
The maiden flight of the aircraft came a day after the aircraft completed rejected take off testing and two weeks after leaving the paint hangar. EASA and FAA certification is expected in March of next year.
RTO testing brings the aircraft to just under the takeoff decision speed known as V1. At anytime below the V1 speed, the aircraft is able to safely stop in the remaining length of the runway. The decision speed is determined based on many factors including the length of the runway, weight of the aircraft, thrust rating of the engine, as well as runway and weather conditions.
Airbus will be streaming live video of the A330F's first flight on its website beginning at 8:30 GMT (3:30 AM ET) Thursday morning.
A little over a week ago, my colleague Mary Kirby and I had a chance to join several industry journalists in an interview with Gary Scott, president of Bombardier commercial aircraft programs.
The small gathering was part of a kickoff to a roadshow Bombardier has begun to market its new narrow-body CSeries aircraft to airlines and lessors. The first stop was New York city to be followed by stops in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
"While Embraer is not in a position to comment on the strategic positioning its competitors are aiming with their own projects, it is important to note that over 600 Embraer E-Jets have already been delivered to 45 airlines operating in five continents, providing significant benefits in terms of performance, economics and passenger comfort.
E-Jets are flying right now - in 2009, from challenging airports like Denver and London City, stretching the right-sizing benefit to cities that otherwise could not be served as efficiently and environmentally friendly."
RTO testing brings the aircraft to just under the takeoff decision speed known as V1. At anytime below the V1 speed, the aircraft is able to safely stop in the remaining length of the runway. The decision speed is determined based on many factors including the length of the runway, weight of the aircraft, thrust rating of the engine, as well as runway and weather conditions.
Airbus will be streaming live video of the A330F's first flight on its website beginning at 8:30 GMT (3:30 AM ET) Thursday morning.
A little over a week ago, my colleague Mary Kirby and I had a chance to join several industry journalists in an interview with Gary Scott, president of Bombardier commercial aircraft programs.The small gathering was part of a kickoff to a roadshow Bombardier has begun to market its new narrow-body CSeries aircraft to airlines and lessors. The first stop was New York city to be followed by stops in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
"While Embraer is not in a position to comment on the strategic positioning its competitors are aiming with their own projects, it is important to note that over 600 Embraer E-Jets have already been delivered to 45 airlines operating in five continents, providing significant benefits in terms of performance, economics and passenger comfort.
E-Jets are flying right now - in 2009, from challenging airports like Denver and London City, stretching the right-sizing benefit to cities that otherwise could not be served as efficiently and environmentally friendly."
