Thu, Mar 11, 2010
Boeing 787 Begins First Flight-Test Operations Outside Of
Washington State
The second 787 Dreamliner, ZA002, landed at 1053 PST Tuesday in
Victorville, CA, marking the beginning of the first flight-test
operations outside of Washington state for the program.
ZA002
The airplane will be stationed at Victorville for approximately
three weeks. The crew will conduct ground effects testing among
other activities.
During ground effects testing, the pilots fly the airplane very
close to the runway to gather data regarding the aerodynamic
effects and performance of the airplane during the takeoff and
landing phases of flight. Quantifying this performance is part of
the certification requirements for all new airplanes.
"Victorville's airfield is the former George Air Force Base,"
said Randy Neville, chief pilot for ZA002. "There is ample ramp
space for parking and plenty of on-site facilities. There is a long
runway and plenty of level, clear land along the approach to the
runway. We can operate there without disrupting air traffic control
or other commercial aircraft."
A crew of more than 150 employees will be stationed at
Victorville while the airplane is there. These include the flight
test engineers and support personnel required to prepare the
airplane for each day's flights and to monitor performance and test
equipment.
"Our confidence in the reliability of this airplane grows day by
day," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the
787 program. "Taking the airplane out of state for the first time
is a big step, but one we're ready for."
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