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Boeing recently moved the 787 Dreamliner designated for fatigue testing from the final assembly factory in Everett, Wash., to another production bay at the facility, where assembly work will continue. The move paves the way for the second flight-test airplane to advance to the next position in the production line. The first Dreamliner remains in the nose-to-door position and the third flight-test airplane is in the first position. It will remain there until the fourth flight-test airplane is ready for assembly to begin later this month.

Source: Boeing
Photo Credit: Boeing

Photo Credit: Boeing

Adorned in the Boeing livery, the first 777 Freighter was moved from the Everett paint facility to Everett field this morning, bringing the airplane one step closer to its world debut.
The 777 Freighter is based on the 777-200LR Worldliner (Longer Range) passenger airplane and will fly farther and provide more capacity than any other twin-engine cargo airplane. On May 21, Boeing will debut the 777 Freighter at employee celebration events in the Everett factory where the airplane is built on the same production lines as all other 777 models.
Boeing expects to deliver the first 777 Freighter to its launch customer Air France in the fourth quarter of 2008. Eleven customers around the world have ordered 78 777 Freighters.

Source: Boeing

Final assembly began yesterday on the third flight-test airplane for the all-new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

This is the fifth Dreamliner to be loaded into the first position of the 787 production system. The static test airframe moved April 25 from the Final Assembly to its test rig in another bay of the Everett, Wash.-based factory. Both the fatigue test airframe and the second flight-test airplane have advanced to the next position in production, where assembly and systems installation work continues.

“We are receiving assemblies that are much more complete,” said Jack Jones, vice president of 787 Final Assembly and Change Incorporation. Jones replaces Steve Westby, who retired from Boeing yesterday after a 31-year career. “The second flight-test airplane had a 50 percent reduction in the amount of incomplete work as compared to the first airplane. ‘Traveled work’ on this airplane is 65 percent less than on the first.”

After assembly is complete, this airplane will be fitted with an interior as part of the comprehensive flight-test program and
certification process.

“When that happens this summer, it will be the first time we’ll see the 787 in what is close to a final delivery configuration,” Jones said.

The first airplane to fly is on track for “power on” in June.

Around the world, 25 airplanes are in various stages of production. This number includes the static and fatigue airframes, which will not be delivered to customers. Since its launch in April 2004 the 787 Dreamliner has amassed nearly 900 firm orders valued at $151 billion from 58 airlines.

Source: Boeing
Photo Credit: Boeing

Boeing moved the 787 Dreamliner static test airframe from its Final Assembly facility in Everett to its structural test rig friday evening. The test rig is located only 1,000 feet away from Final Assembly at the Everett factory.
Some assembly remains to be completed on the static airframe. That work will be completed concurrently with test set-up. Test set up is expected to begin immediately, with tests commencing this summer.
“During static tests we apply loads to the airplane structure that simulate both normal operation as well as extreme flight conditions,” said Randy Harley, vice president of Engineering & Technology for the 787 program. “We monitor the airplane to confirm analytical predictions and make sure the structure holds up to these conditions.”
Movement of the static airframe clears the way to begin assembly of the third 787 to enter the flight test program. Most pieces of the third airplane arrived in Everett earlier this month. All assemblies for Airplane #3 are now in Everett, and the airplane will be loaded into the first position of Final Assembly early next week.

Photo Credit: The Boeing Company

See more pictures at Flickr: Boeing 787 4-25-08 Set by moonm

Source: Boeing