Have a nice day at 730 mph

Seattle Times ^ | 5/3/2005 | Dominic Gates

[wk4bush2004]

I love the 777-200LR! It's an amazing aircraft!

Boeing builds such good planes.

I know you couldn't do the same things with an Airbus A340. It's 4 engines are all weak and if you lost one of them, you'd probably crash.

[JeeperFreeper]

Very interesting post. After such flight, however, they would have to rock me back and forth on the seat to break the suction so I could get up.

[katana]

The first airplane is due to go to Pakistan International Airlines, which will begin nonstop flights from Pakistan to the United States.

Now there's some wonderful news.

[Daus]

I know you couldn't do the same things with an Airbus A340.

Any idea of what she is describing is 'required' or is Boeing going for beyond the FAA requirement?

[advance_copy]

With optional auxiliary fuel tanks, it can surpass the Airbus jet, pushing the range to 9,420 nautical miles...

Drop-tanks on a jetliner -- cool! Earth's circumfrence at the equator is about 25k miles (21k nautical). With the optional tanks, the 777-200LR could go non-stop from just about any two points on the planet. Commercial airlines might not need that, but I bet there will be military applications.

[wk4bush2004]

Boeing is probably going above and beyond. Boeing is a lot more technologically advanced than Airbus and its planes are more capable than Airbus.

The 777-200LRs sister, the 777-300ER, managed to fly over the Pacific Ocean for 6 hours & 29 minutes---on 1 engine! That overwhelmingly surpassed FAA requirements. I'm sure the 777-200LR will be able to do the same.

[Daus]

After such flight, however, they would have to rock me back and forth on the seat to break the suction so I could get up.

Me too. I once bent my wedding ring gripping the seat arm on flight from Milwaukee to Philly in the middle of a snow storm. :) I really like planes, but I hate flying.

[Daus]

Now there's some wonderful news.

What tee pilot is describing could make for a very effective 'interrogation ride' for the guy we just captured. :)

[DuncanWaring]

Theoretically,as I recall, per the regulations, a 4-engine aircraft is supposed to be able to lose two engines on takeoff at max gross takeoff weight after having accelerated to a certain speed, continue the takeoff, and maintain a positive climb gradient.

Then again, you're not supposed to be able to kick the rudder off at low speeds, either.

[DuncanWaring]

The auxiliary tanks are not "drop tanks". They're probably either in the tail or the cargo compartment.

[Daus]

Drop-tanks on a jetliner -- cool!

I don't think they drop per se.... :) They consume some part of the internal space.

[El Sordo]

No barrel roll?

[Pukin Dog]

At Edwards Air Force Base, the tests ahead include an engine shutdown as the jet accelerates toward takeoff. The unequal thrust swings the nose suddenly to one side, and the pilot must correct with a full opposite rudder.

Or... you can sit back and let the computer do it, better and faster than you can on your own.

Good article, but with a wee bit of hype. She's good though, very good.

[July 4th]

Passenger planes can do so much more than their routine usage, but that's the built-in safety margin. Dives, sharp take-offs, barrel rolls...

[brewcrew]

I know you couldn't do the same things with an Airbus A340. It's 4 engines are all weak and if you lost one of them, you'd probably crash.

Many of Boeing's aircraft use the same engines that Airbus' do - Pratt & Whitney, General Electric, and Rolls Royce.

[sandydipper]

Stall a 777 - I don't think so! Nor would I roll a 747 - you're a better man/woman than me Gunga Den!

[theFIRMbss]

>Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann has taken a Boeing 777-200LR jetliner above 30,000 feet and let it stall

Yes, yes, very nice!
But can she lay down one of
these and pick it up?!

[advance_copy]

ROFL, I doubt that an airliner would need to dump the tanks once they're empty :-) Ya never know though.

[MD_Willington_1976]

"Commercial airlines might not need that, but I bet there will be military applications."

Dual purpose machine...flying missile defense platform comes to mind...