Boeing – Page 6 – Flightstory.net

Emirates Becomes Worldâ€™s Largest 777 Operator

On Wednesday Boeing delivered Emiratesâ€™ 78th 777, the airlineâ€™s 45th 777-300ER (Extended Range). The Dubai-based carrier is now the worldâ€™s largest operator of the 777 and the only airline to operate every model type, with an additional nine 777-200s, 12 777-300s, 10 777-200LRs (Longer Range) and two 777 Freighters in its fleet.

Emirates also has an additional 28 Boeing 777s on order.

Emirates received its first Boeing 777 in 1996. The airline recently completed an upgrade program on all its 777s that equipped the airplanes with Emiratesâ€™ award-winning ICE (Information, Communication, Entertainment) system, offering passengers in every cabin up to 1,000 channels of on-demand entertainment.

Source: Boeing
Photo: Boeing

First US NAVY P-8A Poseidon Rolls Out

Boeing and the U.S. Navy on Thursday formally unveiled the newest maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, the P-8A Poseidon.

A derivative of the Next-Generation 737-800, the P-8A is a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations.

“The P-8A Poseidon will equip the U.S. Navy with the most advanced multi-mission maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft in the world,” said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.

Boeing P-8A Poseidon Rolls Out (737-800)

As the replacement for the Navy’s P-3C Orion aircraft, the P-8A will provide greater payload capacity, significant growth potential, unprecedented flexibility and interoperability, and advanced mission systems, software and communications.

The P-8A is built by a Boeing-led industry team that includes CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Spirit AeroSystems and GE Aviation. The team currently is assembling and testing the first five P-8As as part of the program’s System Development and Demonstration contract, awarded in 2004.

The integrated Navy/Boeing team will begin formal flight testing of the P-8A later this year. The Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8As, and initial operational capability is planned for 2013.

Source: Boeing
Photo: Boeing

Ethiopian Airlines Orders 5 777-200LRs

Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines today announced an order for five Boeing 777-200LRs. Ethiopian Airlines becomes the first African carrier to order and operate the ultra-long-range 777-200LR model.

General Electric GE90-110 engines power the 777-200LR.

Based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the carrier is investing in the additional airplanes to expand its fleet and broaden its network. Ethiopian Airlines will use the 777-200LR to fly to new long-haul nonstop markets such as Washington, D.C. and Beijing.

Ethiopian currently operates a fleet of six 737s, nine 757s, 10 767s and one MD-11BCF, with a second MD-11BCF due to arrive in August. It has 10 787s on order.

Image: Boeing
Source: Boeing

SkyHook Heavy Lift Vehicle (HLV) – Design Completed

Boeing and SkyHook International Inc. today announced that the design of the SkyHook Heavy Lift Vehicle (HLV) has reached the configuration freeze milestone, meaning the aircraft’s overall performance and layout have been established.

Boeing and SkyHook have worked on the SkyHook HLV’s structural and systems design and its concept of operations since July 2008.

The next major program milestone will be Detailed Design in 2011, which centers on the design, analysis and specification of all hardware, software and related aircraft and ground support systems interfaces.

SkyHook is designed to carry 80,000-pound (40-ton) sling loads up to 200 nautical miles without refueling – a capability that is not currently available, but is desired by several industries, including oil exploration and mining operations in the Canadian Arctic and Alaska, as well as companies operating in remote locations in South America, Europe and Africa.

Boeing is designing and will fabricate a production SkyHook HLV prototype at its Rotorcraft Systems facility in Ridley Park, Pa. The new aircraft will enter commercial service after it is certified by Transport Canada and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The first SkyHook HLV aircraft is scheduled to fly in 2014.

Photo: Boeing
Source: Boeing

Turkish Airlines Orders Seven Additional 777-300ERs

Boeing and Turkish Airlines have finalized an order for seven Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplanes. This order is in addition to the five 777-300ERs that Turkish Airlines ordered in April 2009, bringing their total 777-300ER orders to 12. The airline currently operates a fleet of 65 Boeing airplanes including Next-Generation 737s and leased 777-300ERs.

The airplane can seat up to 365 passengers in a three-class configuration and has a maximum range of 7,930 nautical miles (14,685 km). Turkish Airlines is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world. It carries approximately 20 million passengers a year, with direct flights to 108 international and 33 domestic destinations. The airline was founded in 1933 with a fleet of five airplanes that carried a total of 28 passengers. The airline made its first domestic flight in 1933 and the first international flight in 1947.

Source: Boeing

Photos – 787 Dreamliner Painted in Special Livery

Boeing today released photos of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight test airplane that has been painted in a special Boeing livery.

The fifth 787 flight test airplane (N787FT) is painted white with blue accents. The new livery incorporates visual and color elements from the distinctive blue-and-white Boeing Commercial Airplanes livery seen on the first 787 flight test airplane and other new commercial models. The simplified paint scheme will be applied to the three remaining unpainted flight test airplanes (Nos. 3, 4 and 6). Airplane No. 2 has been painted in the colors of launch customer ANA of Japan.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner Painted in Special Livery

Boeing 787 Dreamliner (N787FT) Special Livery

The modified livery, which saves time and expense compared to the full Boeing livery, will remain on the airplane until the flight test program is completed and it is refurbished and delivered to a customer.

The airplaneâ€™s two GEnx engines have been temporarily removed and returned to GE Aviation so that planned minor improvements can be made.

Source: Boeing
Photos: Boeing

Australian F/A-18F Super Hornet Makes First Flight (Photo)

Boeing today announced that the first Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18F Super Hornet successfully completed its first flight on Monday.

Boeing unveiled the aircraft July 8 at the company’s Integrated Defense Systems facility in St. Louis.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has orderd 24 F/A-18Fs. Delivery of the first one will be completed later this month, three months ahead of schedule. The remaining 23 Super Hornets will be delivered to the RAAF throughout 2010 and 2011.

Photo: Boeing
Source: Boeing

Photo – Boeing 747-8 Freighter Making Progress

Boeing today published a new photo, showing that they took a major step closer toward completing the assembly of the first 747-8 Freighter. Last week the forward and aft fuselage sections were loaded to join with the wing and center section.
Boeing 747-8 Freighter Joining Fuselage Sections and Wings
The 747-8 Freighter is 250 feet, 2 inches (76.3 m) long, which is 18 feet and 4 inches (5.6 m) longer than the 747-400 Freighter. The stretch provides customers with 16 percent more revenue cargo volume compared to its predecessor. That translates to four additional main-deck pallets and three additional lower-hold pallets.

Boeing has secured 78 orders from cargo operators for the new 747-8 Freighter. Cargolux, Nippon Cargo Airlines, AirBridgeCargo Airlines, Atlas Air, Cathay Pacific, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Emirates SkyCargo, Guggenheim and Korean Air all have placed orders for the airplane.

Source: Boeing
Photo: Boeing

Copa Airlines Orders 13 737-800s

This week Boeing announced that Copa Airlines (Panama) placed an order for 13 Boeing 737-800 airplanes, plus options for an additional eight.

The order represents a mixture of option conversions and new orders and brings the number of Boeing Next-Generation 737s the airline has on order to 27.

The airplanes will be outfitted with Boeing’s signature Sky Interior. Drawing from years of research used to design the interior for the 787 Dreamliner, the 737 Boeing Sky Interior features new, 787-style sculpted sidewalls and window reveals that provide passengers with a greater connection to the flying experience.

Copa was the first carrier in the Americas to incorporate blended winglets on its 737s. All of its Next-Generation 737s use the distinctive curved wing ends, which improve fuel efficiency and lift while reducing engine wear and carbon dioxide emissions. Copa also was the first in the region to order Next-Generation 737s with the Vertical Situation Display system, which provides pilots with an easy-to-understand flight-path view.

Copa operates from Tocumen International Airport, a time-saving hub on long routes between the United States, South and Central America, and the Caribbean. The airline flies four of the world’s longest 737 routes from there – to Buenos Aires, Santiago, Sao Paulo and Los Angeles.

Source: Boeing
Image: Boeing

Photos – Southwest 2294 Damaged Fuselage Section

The NTSB released the following two photos of Southwest Airlines 737-300 (N387SW), Flight 2294, that experienced a rapid decompression after a hole opened in the fuselage on July 13, 2009.

Southwest 2294 Damaged Fuselage
Damaged section of fuselage skin facing outside the aircraft
Southwest Airlines 737-300 (N387SW) Flight 2294 Damaged Fuselage

Damaged section of fuselage skin facing inside the aircraft
Southwest Airlines Flight 2294 Hole in Fuselage

The damaged aircraft skin section was visually examined in the NTSB’s Materials Laboratory. The damage left a hole measuring approximately 17 inches by 8 inches. The skin in this area of the fuselage is 0.032 inches thick with an additional 0.032 inch thick layer bonded to the interior surface in selected areas.

According to NTSB the initial visual examination found the fractures in good condition and suitable for further analysis. No significant corrosion or obvious pre-existing mechanical damage was noted. A detailed metallurgical examination of the skin section and the fracture surfaces will be accomplished by the Safety Board in the coming days.

Southwest Airlines is now in the process of repairing the aircraft at Yeager Airport, Charleston, West Virginia.

Photos: NTSB