777-200LR Flight Test Journal: Archives

20 May 2005

Time flies

Joe Kranak
Chief Engineer, Test and Validation, 747, 767, 777

On May 10, 2004, the first Boeing 777-300ER entered service. Now, just over a year later, that airplane's stable mate, the 777-200LR Worldliner is in the thick of flight testing.

As chief engineer for testing and validation for the 777, I'd like to welcome you to an inside look at the testing leading up to certification of the Worldliner.

This journal is your ticket aboard.

Now, in the past, news about flight testing has been hard to come by. Usually it's wrapped tightly around milestones -- rollout, first flight, certification, and delivery. And a lot of the data collected during flight testing is proprietary.

But it turns out that isn't the main reason flight test activities are rarely publicized. The major factor is that for the entire flight test team, it's an extremely intense time, and everyone involved is very busy doing their jobs. That means it's been difficult to share what's happening as the flight test program is going on, in anything resembling real-time.

This blog, or journal, is going to change that. Now we have a way, through the Web, to give you a first-hand look at the flight test process. And we're going to let the people who do the actual work tell you about it in their own words. We're hoping to give you a sense of what it's like in the factory, on the flightline, and in the cockpit. We'll also include photos, videos and other interesting stuff to help tell the story.

We're at a great point in the program right now. WD001, the first 777-200LR Worldliner, recently flew to California to begin certification testing at Edwards Air Force Base. Meanwhile, the second test airplane, WD002, just rolled out of the paint shop, and is getting ready for its first flight.

In the weeks ahead we'll chronicle the planes' parallel paths. You'll find out what we're testing, how we're testing it, why we're testing, and who is doing what to get it all done.

You'll get a look at the high points and the low points, the smooth cruising and the turbulence. We'll also look back a little and bring you up to speed on what led up to all this. I can guarantee you that there will also be some surprises along this journey!

Something else I want to say. Flight test personnel don't see themselves as anything special. They know they have jobs to do. Unique and sometimes phenomenal jobs, yes, but at the end of each day they take their satisfaction from a job well done, just like anyone else.

The people you'll be hearing from are not looking for publicity or commendation. And we appreciate even more the time they take from their schedules to contribute to this journal.

Our test program includes a good deal of information gathering -- not only about the 777 and its performance, but also about future airplanes. For instance, a number of the tests we'll be conducting will directly benefit the development of the 787 Dreamliner.

Another major part of our test program is demonstrating conformance with the certification requirements of the FAA. To certify an airplane to fly in commercial service, we have to demonstrate that we meet these requirements.

WD001 will carry the primary burden of certification testing. WD002 will be devoted partly to certification testing, and will also make a stop at the Paris Air Show.

In the coming weeks you'll hear from some of our crew at Edwards AFB -- people in the cockpit and people who ensure that everything is in place each morning when it's time for "wheels up."

Our Boeing teammates in Everett, Washington will also be checking in as we prepare for the first flight of WD002.

So, we're hoping you'll find it a fascinating ride. I think it's really going to open your eyes to the remarkable people and machines that make up the Boeing flight test program.

The final flights of this particular test program are scheduled for late summer. That will be here before you know it.

It's true. Time flies!