Flawless First Flight for Boeing 767 Freighter

SEATTLE, June 21, 1995 -- Carrying a payload of flight-test equipment rather than overnight packages, the first 767 Freighter made its initial flight yesterday afternoon, landing at Seattle's King County International Airport. The flight originated at Everett's Paine Field.

The flight kicks off the 767 Freighter's relatively brief flight- testing program, one expected to involve approximately 60 flight hours and 300 ground-testing hours.

"At issue will be certification requirements for freighter-unique hardware and systems on the airplane," said Dave Anderson, 767 Freighter chief project engineer. "Since the 767 airframe and engines already have certification, we'll be testing systems only found on the United Parcel Service (UPS) freighter."

Those systems include environmental control system airflow and smoke detection in the main and lower cargo compartments, the capability to dispatch the airplane with the cargo areas unpressurized, and an evacuation demonstration for crew members.

Flight No. 1, however, was a basic shakedown of the airplane; no freighter-unique testing was conducted, Anderson said.

The flight-test program will involve three airplanes. The second rolls out of the factory July 18 and the third Aug. 26.

Today's first flight comes only 29 months after UPS and Boeing joined to launch the "newest ship in the shipping business" -- a cargo-carrying derivative of the popular 767-300 extended-range twinjet. UPS announced the order for up to 60 airplanes in January 1993.

Unique to the 767 Freighter are a 140-inch x 105-inch main deck cargo door, a rigid barrier between the larger-than-normal flight deck and main-deck cargo compartment, a manual cargo-loading system, appropriate smoke detection and other environmental control system considerations, and protective Conolite rather than the customary interior panels.

UPS's decision for the 767 Freighter was the largest all-cargo order for aircraft Boeing has ever received. The airline plans to use the airplanes on international, transoceanic and domestic flights.

The 767 Freighter is designed to carry 10,080 cubic feet in cargo containers on the main deck, plus 3,157 cubic feet of cargo in lower holds. It is capable of carrying 56 tons of maximum revenue payload 3,000 nautical miles, or 45 tons as far as 4,000 nautical miles. Basic maximum takeoff weight of the UPS model is 408,000 pounds (an option is available at 412,000 pounds). It is powered by two General Electric CF6-80C2 engines.

In November 1993, Asiana Airlines of South Korea ordered two 767- 300 Freighters in a general-market configuration.

The 767 Freighter will fly to Louisville, Ky., UPS Airlines' all- points international hub, for a loading demonstration in September. Certification documentation is planned through October and concludes with FAA type approval. Extended-range twin engine operations (ETOPS) approval, which relies heavily on similarity with the passenger airplane, is expected to be received at the same time.

UPS is currently planning to take delivery of its first 767 Freighter -- actually airplane No. 2 -- on Oct. 12. This will be followed by entry into service between Louisville and Cologne, Germany, UPS's main European hub.

UPS will take delivery of all five 767 Freighters in 1995 by mid- November to support its peak-activity season, the year-end holidays.

In 1996, UPS will take delivery of 11 Boeing 767 Freighters, representing approximately one-third of all 767 production activity.