Posted on 03/16/2018 8:06:05 AM PDT by C19fan
Incredible footage has revealed the moment that the world's biggest jet engine took to the skies for the first time, ahead of its planned maiden commercial flight in 2020.
The huge GE9X powerplant, which is as wide and tall as the fuselage of a Boeing 737, is being built for the latest version of the firm's long-haul 777, the 777X 'megaplane'.
General Electric has now begun flight trials of the prototype, after delays caused by technical problems stopped tests originally planned for late last year.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
They could slap just one on top of a B-52...
Too bad its top heavy or I could be Rocket Man!
Not quite - eight TF33s produce about 160,000 pounds of thrust.
How about a fleet of updated concords? It’s ridiculous the cross country/overseas travel time is the same today as it was in 1965.
GE seems to have a lot better luck with their high-bypass engines lately. The GE90-115B has been a workhorse for the 777-300ER, and the GE/Safran CFM International LEAP engine has gone into service on the A320neo Family and 737 MAX planes with relatively little trouble.
Two of these on an hourly Los Angeles-San Fransisco route can completely replace the medium speed rail line they are building.
Quite true. But they don’t make you “feel” as well.
Looks like it was just along for the ride on this flight.
The sonic-boom is what stops over-land supersonic passenger flights.
The point being, like a boat wake, you are responsible for the damage it does. Not sure that I would be too thrilled with listening to that crack multiple times per day either.
As far as supersonic over the ocean, fuel cost/consumption is a huge issue. The Concorde was ended because of the ticket prices which were $15K+ per seat at the time and was not producing real profits in keeping with what other aircraft could produce at the same time. Econ 101, alternative uses for money.
I thought the dreamliner was replacing the 777
I remember the sonic booms of low flying marines(etc but mostly marines) at El Toro or on their way to Miramar. They’re not very fun. It’s not that we can’t get over 767 mph but you’d have a lot of very pissed off people. BOOM!
The market says people prefer the cheap ticket over the fast plane
The market says people prefer the cheap ticket over the fast plane
With volume would the price not go down? If you accelerate at altitude is the boom still an issue for someone on the ground? Aeronautics is certainly out of my wheelhouse.
Yes,indeed two planes beat one train. Except the Democrats can’t loot that project so it will never happen.
But then Moonbeam won’t have an enduring legacy to rival his old man’s (UC system).
Can it outrun a Vogon Intergalactic highway construction team?
I had the good fortune to view the engine testing facility at Pratt & Whitney’s Hartford, CT. plant. I got a big round of chuckles from the staff when I inquired about all the new, freshly laid concrete block in one corner of the room, thinking it was building expansion (it was well away from the engine test mounting cradle). One man explained it as simply “an engine failure during testing”. Eventually I was told it took out the control room as well, & the big windows into the test area were now bulletproof.
I was working at the facility on a large, multi-aisle automated parts storage system. I was on their site for a couple of months. I was able to witness a number of engine tests in that time. The regular employees found it boring. To me it was fascinating. I’ll never forget being astounded at the amount of water that could be consumed by their engines and still keep running, providing ample thrust. Never again did I worry about a flameout while traveling in bad weather.
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