Since I was told to elaborate more on the Dreamliner 787 history, I feel very obligated to do so because hopefully it will satisfy me and my follower(s). First thing first, Here is a little HISTORY trivia about the Boeing 787. The 787 program was launched in April 2004 with a record order from All-Nippon Airways. Since that time, 57 customers from six continents of the world have placed orders for 821 airplanes valued at about $145 billion, making it the most successful twin-aisle launch of a new commercial airplane in Boeing's history. The 787 program opened its final assembly plant in Everett in May 2007. First flight of the 787 Dreamliner occurred on December 15, 2009.More than 50 of the world's most capable top-tier supplier partners are working with Boeing to bring innovation and expertise to the 787 program. The suppliers have been involved since the early detailed design phase of the program and all are connected virtually at 135 sites around the world. First delivery of the 787 to ANA is scheduled for September of 2011.
On September 5, Boeing announced a three-month delay, blaming a shortage of fasteners as well as incomplete software.On October 10, 2007, a second three-month delay to the first flight and a six-month delay to first deliveries was announced due to problems with the foreign and domestic supply chain, including an ongoing fastener shortage, the lack of documentation from overseas suppliers, and continuing delays with the flight guidance software. Less than a week later, Mike Bair, the 787 program manager was replaced. On January 16, 2008, Boeing announced a third three-month delay to the first flight of the 787, citing insufficient progress on "traveled work". On March 28, 2008, in an effort to gain more control over the supply chain, Boeing announced that it planned to buy Vought Aircraft Industries' interest in Global Aeronautic; the company later agreed to also buy Vought's North Charleston, S.C. factory.
During the late 1990s, Boeing began considering replacement aircraft programs as sales for the 767 and Boeing 747-400 slowed. The company proposed two new aircraft, the 747X, which would have lengthened the 747-400 and improved efficiency, and the Sonic Cruiser, which would have achieved 15% higher speeds (approximately Mach 0.98) while burning fuel at the same rate as the existing 767. Market interest for the 747X was tepid, but the Sonic Cruiser had brighter prospects. Several major airlines in the United States, including Continental Airlines, initially showed enthusiasm for the Sonic Cruiser concept, although they also expressed concerns about the operating cost.The global airline market was upended by the September 11, 2001 attacks and increased petroleum prices, making airlines more interested in efficiency than speed. The worst-affected airlines, those in the United States, had been considered the most likely customers of the Sonic Cruiser, and thus Boeing officially cancelled the Sonic Cruiser on December 20, 2002. Switching tracks, the company announced an alternative product using Sonic Cruiser technology in a more conventional configuration, the 7E7, on January 29, 2003. The emphasis on a smaller mid-size twin-jet rather than a large 747-size aircraft represented a shift from hub-and-spoke theory towards the point-to-point theory, in response to analysis of focus groups.
The replacement for the Sonic Cruiser project was dubbed the "7E7"(with a development code name of "Y2"). Technology from the Sonic Cruiser and 7E7 was to be used as part of Boeing's project to replace its entire airliner product line, an endeavor called the Yellowstone Project (of which the 7E7 became the first stage). Early concept images of the 7E7 included rakish cockpit windows, a dropped nose and a distinctive "shark-fin" tail. The "E" was said to stand for various things, such as "efficiency" or "environmentally friendly"; however, in the end, Boeing claimed that it stood merely for "Eight". In July 2003, a public naming competition was held for the 7E7, for which out of 500,000 votes cast online the winning title was Dreamliner. Other names in the pool included eLiner, Global Cruiser and Stratoclimber. Boeing had originally planned for a first flight by the end of August 2007 and premiered the first 787 at a roll-out ceremony on July 8, 2007, which matches the aircraft's designation in the US-style month-day-year format (7/8/07). However, the aircraft's major systems had not been installed at that time, and many parts were attached with temporary non-aerospace fasteners requiring their later replacement with flight fasteners. Although intended to shorten the production process, 787 subcontractors initially had difficulty completing the extra work, because they could not procure the needed parts, perform the sub assembly on schedule, or both, leaving remaining assembly work for Boeing to complete as "traveled work".
On April 9, 2008, Boeing officially announced a fourth delay, shifting the maiden flight to the fourth quarter of 2008, and delaying initial deliveries by around 15 months to the third quarter of 2009. The 787-9 variant was postponed to 2012 and the 787-3 variant was to follow with no firm delivery date. On November 4, 2008, the company announced a fifth delay due to incorrect fastener installation and the Boeing machinists strike, stating that the first test flight would not occur in the fourth quarter of 2008. After assessing the 787 program schedule with its suppliers, Boeing confirmed on December 11, 2008 that the first flight would be delayed until the second quarter of 2009.
psi (102.7 kPa) differential, which is 150 percent of the maximum pressure expected in commercial service (i.e., when flying at maximum cruising altitude). In December 2008, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) passed the maintenance program for the 787.
On May 3, 2009, the first test 787 was moved to the flight line following extensive factory-testing, including landing gear swings, systems integration verification, and a total run-through of the first flight. On May 4, 2009, a press report indicated a 10–15% range reduction, about 6,900 nmi (12,800 km) instead of the originally promised 7,700 to 8,200 nmi (14,800–15,700 km), for early aircraft that were about 8% overweight. Substantial redesign work was expected to correct this, which would complicate increases in production rates;Boeing stated the early 787-8s would have a range of almost 8,000 nmi (14,800 km). As a result, some airlines reportedly delayed deliveries of 787s in order to take later planes that may be closer to the original estimates. Boeing expected to have the weight issues addressed by the 21st production model.
As of today, 851 orders of Boeing 787 Dreamliners are confirmed on books. Imagine the oppertunities that they will create for all of us....?
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Captain Chesley....Captain America!
How many times has his name been mentioned over the news? OK, some might get angry or tad jealous of his incident on the Hudson river, but he still made his fame notable whether we like that fact or not.
Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III (born January 23, 1951) is an American airline transport pilot (ATP), safety expert, and accident investigator from Danville, California. Sullenberger rose to fame when he successfully ditched US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan, New York City, on
January 15, 2009, saving the lives of all 155 people on the aircraft.
Here is a little biography about him that made me fascinate about the man and think that he has already played a big role in the arena of aviation. Sullenberger was born in Denison, Texas to a dentist father — a descendant of Swiss immigrants named Sullenberger— and an elementary school teacher mother. He has one sister, Mary Wilson. The street on which he grew up in Denison, Texas, was named after his mother's family, the Hannas. According to his sister, Sullenberger built model planes and aircraft carriers during his childhood, and says he became interested in flying after seeing military jets from a nearby Air Force base from his house. He went to school in Denison, and was consistently in the 99th percentile in every academic category. At the age of 12, his IQ was deemed high enough to join Mensa International. In high school he was the president of the Latin club, a first chair flute, and an honor student. His high school friends have said that Sullenberger developed a passion for flying from watching jets based out of Perrin Air Force Base. He was an active member of the Waples Memorial United Methodist Church in Denison, and graduated from Denison High School in 1969 near the top of his class of about 350. At 16, Sullenberger learned to fly in an Aeronca 7DC from a private airstrip near his home. He said the training he received from a local flight instructor set the base for his aviation career for the rest of his life.
Sullenberger is an international speaker on airline safety and has helped develop new protocols for airline safety. As of September 30, 2009, Sullenberger is also the co-chairman of the EAA's Young Eagles youth introduction-to-aviation program Sullenberger retired from US Airways after 30 years as a commercial pilot on March 3, 2010. In May of the following year, Sullenberger was hired by CBS News as an on-air aviation expert.
He is the author of Highest Duty, a memoir of his life and of the events surrounding Flight 1549, published in 2009 by HarperCollins. He was ranked second in TIME Magazine's Top 100 Most Influential Heroes and Icons of 2009.
When I walked in Barnes& Noble, I have noticed that Captain Sully has already occupied these shelves and recent book release cases by not only his heroic action that day but because of his ability to adapt to any situation proving that he is capable of recovering from nasty situations like engine failure. Automation was one of the topics that were given to us in the beginning of this semester and even then I mentioned his name multiple times though some might feel a tad jealous when it comes to recover from such situation. However, I have already read so many failures from pilots that couldn’t figure out what happened to the plane in cases of automation and failed to recover. He didn’t, and that to me is admirable!
Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III (born January 23, 1951) is an American airline transport pilot (ATP), safety expert, and accident investigator from Danville, California. Sullenberger rose to fame when he successfully ditched US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan, New York City, on
January 15, 2009, saving the lives of all 155 people on the aircraft.
Here is a little biography about him that made me fascinate about the man and think that he has already played a big role in the arena of aviation. Sullenberger was born in Denison, Texas to a dentist father — a descendant of Swiss immigrants named Sullenberger— and an elementary school teacher mother. He has one sister, Mary Wilson. The street on which he grew up in Denison, Texas, was named after his mother's family, the Hannas. According to his sister, Sullenberger built model planes and aircraft carriers during his childhood, and says he became interested in flying after seeing military jets from a nearby Air Force base from his house. He went to school in Denison, and was consistently in the 99th percentile in every academic category. At the age of 12, his IQ was deemed high enough to join Mensa International. In high school he was the president of the Latin club, a first chair flute, and an honor student. His high school friends have said that Sullenberger developed a passion for flying from watching jets based out of Perrin Air Force Base. He was an active member of the Waples Memorial United Methodist Church in Denison, and graduated from Denison High School in 1969 near the top of his class of about 350. At 16, Sullenberger learned to fly in an Aeronca 7DC from a private airstrip near his home. He said the training he received from a local flight instructor set the base for his aviation career for the rest of his life.
Sullenberger is an international speaker on airline safety and has helped develop new protocols for airline safety. As of September 30, 2009, Sullenberger is also the co-chairman of the EAA's Young Eagles youth introduction-to-aviation program Sullenberger retired from US Airways after 30 years as a commercial pilot on March 3, 2010. In May of the following year, Sullenberger was hired by CBS News as an on-air aviation expert.
He is the author of Highest Duty, a memoir of his life and of the events surrounding Flight 1549, published in 2009 by HarperCollins. He was ranked second in TIME Magazine's Top 100 Most Influential Heroes and Icons of 2009.
When I walked in Barnes& Noble, I have noticed that Captain Sully has already occupied these shelves and recent book release cases by not only his heroic action that day but because of his ability to adapt to any situation proving that he is capable of recovering from nasty situations like engine failure. Automation was one of the topics that were given to us in the beginning of this semester and even then I mentioned his name multiple times though some might feel a tad jealous when it comes to recover from such situation. However, I have already read so many failures from pilots that couldn’t figure out what happened to the plane in cases of automation and failed to recover. He didn’t, and that to me is admirable!
Monday, November 7, 2011
China's Airline Industry: Domestic and/or International
Has the sleeping dragon been awake? Some people might not know that China is not only huge or exploding in population and economy but in airline industry. To many people, China is a dilemma when it comes to its economic growth and recently taking the second spot in the world replacing Japan's spot. The one billion and four hundred million people nation is not only four times bigger than the United States population size but its expected to get more growth and maybe even surpass the U.S. economy not too far in distant future if we continue on our behavior. So, what does economy and population have to do with aviation industry?
Although the global economic recession has hit not only the U.S. Economy or Europe, but it also has hit China and the rest of Asia. For China's DOMESTIC flights, here is some statistics that I found which made me think why China's rapid domestic growth for aviation is linked to the economic boom that the republic is noticing. China’s aviation industry returns to robust growth, as domestic traffic recovery gathers pace; China traffic remains in positive territory across the board in Oct-2009; China’s ‘Big Three’ return to the black; continued traffic growth among the majors in Oct-2009; and the list goes on and on.
Although the global economic recession has hit not only the U.S. Economy or Europe, but it also has hit China and the rest of Asia. For China's DOMESTIC flights, here is some statistics that I found which made me think why China's rapid domestic growth for aviation is linked to the economic boom that the republic is noticing. China’s aviation industry returns to robust growth, as domestic traffic recovery gathers pace; China traffic remains in positive territory across the board in Oct-2009; China’s ‘Big Three’ return to the black; continued traffic growth among the majors in Oct-2009; and the list goes on and on.
CAAC Director General, Li Jiaxiang, stated China's aviation sector has returned to robust growth, with double-digit increases in all segments of the industry, and higher passenger numbers and profits at the country's airlines in the last quarter. Chinese carriers, maintenance facilities, airports and other aviation businesses reported a collective profit of CNY9.2 billion (USD1.3 billion) in 3Q2009, compared to a loss of CNY28 billion (USD4.1 billion) in the previous corresponding period. CAAC added that the country’s civil aviation industry reported a profit of USD127 million on revenues of USD4.0 billion in Sep-2009, an improvement from a loss of USD325 million in Sep-2008. The country’s airlines reported a profit of USD23.4 million in the period, compared to a loss of USD387 million in the previous corresponding period, on revenues of USD2.7 billion.China's airlines confronted deep difficulties in 2008, with combined losses among the major state-owned carriers of approximately USD4 billion, as a slowing economy hit demand for air travel, exacerbated by the Beijing Olympics security clampdown, the Sichuan earthquake, the global recession and bad fuel hedging positions.The current results are also not a true reflection of the state of the sector’s financial health, with the results artificially helped by various measures of government support and significant fuel hedging gains. Without these, it would have been a very different scenario for the Chinese carriers.
Not only domestically but internationally China is expierencing a rapid growth. Global major airlines are universally optimistic about the raid growth of demand on the Chinese market and generally plan to expand their hub networks to cover more Chinese cities, according to the 67th Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit held by the International Air Transport Association, which concluded on June 7.
According to the association's analysis, the continuous development of the high-speed railway lines in China will pose a challenge on the competitiveness of Chinese airlines in domestic short and medium-distance air routes, and the long-distance air route market, particularly the international market, will become a new growth point of Chinese airlines.
Also, regarding the EU CO2 cap and trade that is pushing to impose on many nations, it received the same stance that the U.S., Russia, and many other big countries has stood against and drop the idea as whole.
China is no longer regarded as the sleeping dragon but it is the oppesite. The DRAGON has woken up long time ago and now we have to avoid the fire out of its mouth!
Not only domestically but internationally China is expierencing a rapid growth. Global major airlines are universally optimistic about the raid growth of demand on the Chinese market and generally plan to expand their hub networks to cover more Chinese cities, according to the 67th Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit held by the International Air Transport Association, which concluded on June 7.
According to the association's analysis, the continuous development of the high-speed railway lines in China will pose a challenge on the competitiveness of Chinese airlines in domestic short and medium-distance air routes, and the long-distance air route market, particularly the international market, will become a new growth point of Chinese airlines.
Also, regarding the EU CO2 cap and trade that is pushing to impose on many nations, it received the same stance that the U.S., Russia, and many other big countries has stood against and drop the idea as whole.
China is no longer regarded as the sleeping dragon but it is the oppesite. The DRAGON has woken up long time ago and now we have to avoid the fire out of its mouth!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)