Friday's Fabulous Flyer
2007 July: The first assembled 787 is rolled out in front of 15,000 employees and customers at Everett, with live global satellite feeds and much hoopla. But unknown to the worldwide audience, the plane is a hollow shell. And even some of the outer structure is fake: The wing slats are painted wood.
October: Boeing acknowledges a delay of up to six months —due to problems in unfinished work passed along by its global partners and delays in finalizing the flight-control software.
Once back in the factory, the airframe is partially disassembled. Extensive rework is required because the plane was put together with temporary fasteners in the airframe and major systems weren’t installed.
2008 January: A further three-month delay is announced due to problems with unnamed 787 suppliers and slow assembly progress at the Everett plant.
2008 April: Boeing confirms yet another six-month delay due to continuing problems with unfinished work from suppliers.
57 day machinist strike shut down production.
2008 November: About 3 percent of the fasteners put into the five test airplanes under construction in Everett were installed incorrectly and must be removed and reinstalled.
2008 December: Boeing acknowledges another six-month delay for the 787.
2009 May: Boeing engineers working on the ground-test airplane find a structural defect at the wing-body joint.
2009 June: Boeing engineers decide the structural flaw must be fixed before the plane flies, postponing the first flight indefinitely.
2009 November: Boeing mechanics complete the wing-body joint fix. Engineers repeat the wing stress test, and the Dreamliner gets the green light to fly.
2010 June: Horizontal stabilizer defect found on flight test aircraft requires inspections and repair.
2011 September: First 787 delivery, 3 years late.
Enjoy the Journey!
XO Karlene
B787
Success comes to those who don't quit!
As my good friend Jeremy so eloquently said in Passing the Test: "As I have learned recently, it's better not to pass an exam the first time. Experience is the best way to learn and gain development for any career you wish to pursue, both aviation and non-aviation."
Like most planes of a new generation there will always be snags. But the learning process, and how we fix them is what counts. My friend recently shared the 787 timeline... and all her struggles. But today she is flying strong! And well worth the lessons learned!
Seattle Times - 787 Timeline:
2003: 787 launched, first flight scheduled for August 2007, first delivery May 2008.
2007 June: Boeing engineers assembling the forward section of Dreamliner No. 1 find a 0.3-inch gap at the joint between the nose-and-cockpit section and the fuselage section behind it, made by different suppliers. Engineers fix the distortion by disconnecting and reconnecting internal parts that brace the frame.
2003: 787 launched, first flight scheduled for August 2007, first delivery May 2008.
2007 June: Boeing engineers assembling the forward section of Dreamliner No. 1 find a 0.3-inch gap at the joint between the nose-and-cockpit section and the fuselage section behind it, made by different suppliers. Engineers fix the distortion by disconnecting and reconnecting internal parts that brace the frame.
2007 July: The first assembled 787 is rolled out in front of 15,000 employees and customers at Everett, with live global satellite feeds and much hoopla. But unknown to the worldwide audience, the plane is a hollow shell. And even some of the outer structure is fake: The wing slats are painted wood.
October: Boeing acknowledges a delay of up to six months —due to problems in unfinished work passed along by its global partners and delays in finalizing the flight-control software.
Once back in the factory, the airframe is partially disassembled. Extensive rework is required because the plane was put together with temporary fasteners in the airframe and major systems weren’t installed.
2008 January: A further three-month delay is announced due to problems with unnamed 787 suppliers and slow assembly progress at the Everett plant.
2008 April: Boeing confirms yet another six-month delay due to continuing problems with unfinished work from suppliers.
57 day machinist strike shut down production.
2008 November: About 3 percent of the fasteners put into the five test airplanes under construction in Everett were installed incorrectly and must be removed and reinstalled.
2008 December: Boeing acknowledges another six-month delay for the 787.
2009 May: Boeing engineers working on the ground-test airplane find a structural defect at the wing-body joint.
2009 June: Boeing engineers decide the structural flaw must be fixed before the plane flies, postponing the first flight indefinitely.
2009 November: Boeing mechanics complete the wing-body joint fix. Engineers repeat the wing stress test, and the Dreamliner gets the green light to fly.
2010 June: Horizontal stabilizer defect found on flight test aircraft requires inspections and repair.
2011 September: First 787 delivery, 3 years late.
The Seattle Times. (2009, December 15). A timeline of the 787 Dreamliner's building process from 2002 to the present. Retrieved from http://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/building-the-787-dreamliner-a-timeline/
Enjoy the Journey!
XO Karlene
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