Note the tiny humans wa-a-y back there. ... or i guess we're looking forward?
They primed the nose .... it doesn't look quite so much like a corndog now.
Posted on 09/16/2006 8:38:28 PM PDT by skeptoid
SEATTLE, Sept. 16, 2006 -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) today celebrated the arrival of the first of three specially modified 747-400 passenger jets that will be used to transport the large composite sections and wings of the all-new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF) touched down at Seattle's Boeing Field at 8:08 a.m. PDT, ending a non-stop, 13-hour, 17-minute flight from Taipei, Taiwan.
The LCF's arrival in Seattle signals a new phase of the airplane's flight test program, which began when the airplane made its first flight in Taipei on Sept. 9, 2006. Since then, the LCF successfully completed two additional flights, which demonstrated its airworthiness and ability to complete the ferry flight to Seattle.
"It was a beautiful flight," said Capt. Joe MacDonald, 747 chief pilot. "The LCF is such an important part of Boeing's business going forward."
The LCF is a key element of the lean, global production system that is critical to the 787's success. Flying the large components reduces shipping time to as little as one day from as many as 30. The fleet of three airplanes is being modified by Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp. (EGAT) in Taipei.
The most significant change to the airplane is the new extended upper fuselage, which boosts the cargo capacity by volume to 65,000 cubic feet, more than three times the cargo capacity of a standard 747-400 freighter.
"This is one of the key milestones for the 787 program this year," said Scott Strode, 787 vice president of Airplane Development and Production. "Many people said creating the LCF couldn't be done, and others said it was possible, but not on such an aggressive schedule. The LCF's arrival today comes less than 14 months after it entered the factory for modification. It's a testament to the talent and dedication of our Boeing/EGAT team."
The LCF's flight test program is expected to last through the end of the year.
A fleet of three LCFs will ferry 787 assemblies between Nagoya, Japan, Grottaglie, Italy; Wichita, Kan. and Charleston, S.C., before flying them to the Boeing factory in Everett, Wash., for final assembly. The first two LCFs will enter service in early 2007; the third will follow later.
Since the 787 launch in April 2004, 32 customers have logged 420 orders and commitments, of which 377 are firm orders valued at $59 billion at current list prices, making the Dreamliner the most successful commercial airplane launch in history.
###
Note the tiny humans wa-a-y back there. ... or i guess we're looking forward?
They primed the nose .... it doesn't look quite so much like a corndog now.
ping
Man, that is one sick looking puppy.
A good paint job and maybe the could sell to Oscar Meyer.
Geeesh, that thing is HUGE! How many babies is she expecting?
Does anyone know who the father is? I sure hope it wasn't an Airbus.
Looks like it could carry a pretty big MOAB. :O)
This cargo loader, designed and built by TLD at its facility in Sherbrooke, Quebec, will be used to load the Alenia fuselage sections and horizontal stabilizer on to the Large Cargo Freighter for the trip to Charleston, S.C. The loader is 118 feet long and has a maximum speed of 10 m.p.h. Its empty weight is 220,000 pounds. The loader, which has 32 tires, can lift up to 150,000 pounds, or 68 tons..
Morbisly obese.
It looks like the A380, but I know it's a better plane.
Morbisly = Morbidly. Sorry about that.
Flight 272 massive, you are cleared for take-off on Runway 25 Right.
Naw its pregnant, in 9 months it will hatch a 787 ;)
More info with pics:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/275465_japan27.html
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/275606_italy28.html
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/275715_charleston29.html
"The Flying Turtle"?
"The Timid Turtle"?
"Flying Sock Puppet"?
Here is an interesting story.
Airbus acquired a bunch of aircraft called Guppies to transport sections of aircraft from the various European factories. Many of the Guppies were originally built for NASA and the Apollo program.
Much to Airbus' chagrin, these Guppies were modified Boeing C-97's or Stratocruisers. So for years, Airbus had to contend with the fact that "Every Airbus Began its Life in the Belly of a Boeing."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.