787 First Flight Web cast

[tim]

http://787firstflight.newairplane.com/ffindex.html

Boeing is web casting the first flight of the 787 later this morning.

Good luck to all involved...

[AirDOGGe]

Re: 787 First Flight Web cast

I read about that this morning. Thanx for the link.


Looks like no mention on that site of WHEN it's gonna fly today though. I'll have to keep checking back.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: 787 First Flight Web cast

UPDATE:

"Webcast to begin 9:40 am Pacific Standard Time".

[Propellerhead]

Re: 787 First Flight Web cast

It's Up!

[BUD_XXX]

Re: 787 First Flight Web cast

Maybe an optical dillusion, but did you see how much the wings flexed upward....?

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: 787 First Flight Web cast

Not abnormal on wing flexing. They said the B52 had an 8ft arc along with the C5,C141 & C17 wing swing. Lots of weight. My step son said even his glider had a flexing. Flight on TV looked nice except they said now for the gear retraction but normally they leave the gear down on first flights. Some of you experts could give their veiws.

[Skyracer]

Re: 787 First Flight Web cast

It's Up!

IT'S DOWN!

Flight was shortened due to inclement weather in the test area and Dreamliner #1 landed at KBFI, as planned, around 1:30 PM PST (not as planned).

[AirDOGGe]

Re: 787 First Flight Web cast

The wingtips do curve up noticably in flight. I wonder how heavy that flight was? Full rated payload perhaps?


If not, then how much will they curve with full tanks/full seats/full luggage? Instant gull-wing!

[Skyracer]

Re: 787 First Flight Web cast

The wings look like they have quite a bit of dihedral which likely contributes to the appearance of significant upward flex. Take a look at pictures of the A380 and note the dihedral there also. To me, that wing appears to flex a whole bunch also. I really think it is more perception than flex. With the increased dihedral the wing doesn't droop as close to the ground when static which gives it a higher starting point when it begins to lift and flex upward.

One degree dihedral+five degree flex=six degrees.
Five degrees dihedral+five degrees flex=ten degrees.

The copilot did say that the plane flew great and he would like to put another 20,000 lbs of fuel in the tanks and go do it again. Dunno if that relates to how much fuel they took off with but it seems likely. I seriously doubt that they were anywhere near max weight as that is a number that is usually approached much later in the test and certification program.

On the other hand, maybe the plastic wing is designed to flex more so it doesn't break the glue joint where it plugs into the fuselage and snap off. That seemed to happen a lot with the models I built back when you would get high on glue fumes.

[BUD_XXX]

Re: 787 First Flight Web cast

I remember back in the sixties watching the C-141 Starlifters landing at Templehoff. I remember back then thinking...wow what a lot of wing flex.....the wings would droop at least six feet...after touchdown.

But the Dreamliner...First Flight.....and even though I know millions of engineering and testing hours went into this bird...I guess the wingtip flex surprised me.

[WVRACEFAN]

Re: 787 First Flight Web cast

Too bad Tex Johnson is not still around to give the 787 a "whirl".

[Leo]

Re: 787 First Flight Web cast

The B-52 flex's from it's position almost at chest height on the ground to almost 12 feet above the fuse in flight. Look closely at the fuse sides under the leading edge and you will see the wrinkles in the skin from all the movement. The early C-5 had a problem with the wings flexing and actually flapping. I've seen video of it on the old "Wings" programs and it is quite alarming.
The sailplanes I flew had a lot of wing flex, a few feet at the tip. You would look out there in a turn as it loaded up or in turbulence and you just had to trust the designers!