777-200LR Flight Test Journal: Archives
10 June 2005
Whatever it takes
Mike McGuire
Factory integration leader - derivatives, on special assignment to the 777-200LR program
WD002 arrived at the Paris Air Show this morning after its first intercontinental flight. It's an amazing milestone for this airplane, and I'd like to tell you a little bit about how our team helped make this a reality.
In the past, Flight Test airplanes have been known to get hung up as they go through our production line. That's mostly because the people working on them tend to focus on their regular jobs while the "special needs" that come with Flight Test airplanes get pushed back.
So, for the 777-200LR program, we tried out a new idea that worked well. So well, in fact, that we're going to use it again in the future.
Day two of final body join. The team is inside WD002, discussing airplane status and issues at our daily morning meeting.
Basically, we put together an "attack team" of about 15 employees from all over Everett. Top-notch mechanics and electricians. I had the pleasure of leading this team, and they did a great job. We focused on flight configuration jobs and let the factory focus on the production work. We basically made sure that everything that needed to be done was getting done on time. I don't know if we would have made our goals if it wasn't for this team. Our motto on this airplane basically became: "Whatever it takes."
We also spent time up-front integrating our flight test build plan with our production build plan prior to loading major assembly. Our industrial engineers and shop leads focused on all critical-path jobs to ensure they were completed on time. Communication early and often was the key.
This plane was especially challenging because not only is it a Flight Test airplane, but it features some special enhancements that will be used in marketing activities, including a customized interior and auxiliary fuel tanks, which will be used for the world record flight attempt later this year.
Proud parents pose in front of WD002 in flightline stall 107 last month in Everett. This is the core team who made this come together. I'm third from left, standing under the first door.
Our support team had a lot of work to do to define and coordinate engineering activity and its potential impact on our supply chain. WD002 had the shortest flow from fuel to first flight of any 777 and we met this milestone on time.
You take a lot of pride in everything you do at Boeing, but especially on a project like this. You watch the first flight and it's kind of like watching your child head off to grade school for the first time. And when you're driving home from work you know that this airplane is one of the great products that's going to help us win the competition with Airbus.