Ten ANA pilots concluded their training after each pilot performed flights in ZA001 – the first 787 flight test airplane – over Washington state. These initial crews to go through training are ANA’s senior training pilots and check airmen and will conduct both simulator and airplane line training for ANA in Japan. They will be the first pilots on 787 commercial flights for ANA.
“Boeing and ANA have a close working relationship, and this is and has been a personal and emotional journey together,” said Sherry Carbary, vice president, Boeing Flight Services. “We’ve been putting in some long hours to get to this point, and seeing the completion of the first set of training is a testament to our team and to the dedication of our partners at ANA.”
Airplane ZA001 was used to conduct two base training flights on May 25 with Boeing instructor pilots and ANA pilots on board. Each ANA pilot performed approaches at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Wash.
Activity included one instrument landing system (ILS) precision approach and two visual approach patterns per pilot, with touch-and-go landings. A Boeing instructor pilot occupied the right seat during all flight activity, with the ANA pilots cycling through the left seat belonging to the captain. The flights followed a preparatory session in the 787 full-flight simulator during which the pilots practiced the procedures used during the flights.
“Each milestone is getting more and more exciting as we approach first delivery,” said Mike Fleming, vice president, 787 Services and Support. “I couldn’t be happier with how smoothly the training went and how our Boeing teams continue to work together with ANA to ensure a smooth entry into service.”
The flights, part of Japan Civil Aviation Board (JCAB) mandated training, also provided further validation that the 787 simulators and overall Boeing training program accurately replicate the feel and operation of the 787 airplane.
All of the pilots from the first crews received a qualification check ride from the JCAB during their simulator training and are now considered to be fully qualified to fly the 787 under Japanese regulatory authority.
This will be the 787’s maiden appearance in Japan. ANA is the launch customer for the aircraft and has 55 Dreamliners on order. The 787, which will be deployed across the ANA route network, is an integral part of ANA’s strategy to strengthen its position and support its growth and expansion plans.
“ANA is eager to introduce the innovative 787 Dreamliner to Japan,” said Shinichiro Ito, ANA president and chief executive officer. “Giving our employees the opportunity to gain experience with the airplane will help ensure a smoother entry into service later this year.”
“We’ve put the airplane through its paces in a rigorous flight test program,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. “Now, as we get closer to first delivery, we’ll prove out its capabilities and reliability in a revenue-like environment.”
ANA’s maintenance crews also will practice maintenance and servicing of the 787 during the validation. This will include typical ground servicing activities, fit checks of airplane jacks and maintenance hangar stands, towing and refueling the airplane, and other routine maintenance operations. Watch this video to see how Boeing and ANA are planning for the validation.
Similar service ready validations have been conducted with great success on previous Boeing programs, including the 777, 737NG and 757-300.
Boeing plans to deliver the first 787 to ANA in the August to September timeframe.
“The start of customer training is an exciting milestone on any new airplane program,” said Sherry Carbary, vice president, Boeing Flight Services. “In the case of the 787 Dreamliner, we’re seeing the results of a special working relationship between Boeing and ANA. We worked side by side with ANA for more than four years conducting simulator evaluations, curriculum reviews and cross-training so that each team learned from the other. It has truly been a collaboration between committed individuals dedicated to ensuring success,” Carbary said.
The Boeing 787 flight training program uses an innovative suite of training devices including a full-flight simulator, flight training device and desktop simulation station to ensure that pilots are ready to fly the Dreamliner.
With the 787 pilot training courses, pilots can transition to the new airplane in five to 20 days, depending on pilot experience. Boeing 777 pilots can qualify to fly the 787 in as little as five days, given the high level of commonality between the two airplane types.
“This is a significant milestone for our company,” said Hideyuki Shibuichi, senior vice president of Flight Operations for ANA. “Getting our pilots trained and prepared is essential to being ready to take delivery of the airplane later this year.”
In order to bring training closer to customers around the world, Boeing has installed a network of eight 787 training suites at five global campuses: Seattle, Singapore, Tokyo, London Gatwick and Shanghai.
EVERETT, Wash., March 7, 2011 — Today, Boeing began change incorporation work on the 787 Dreamliner at Boeing’s Global Services & Support site in San Antonio, Texas. Airplane #23, the first 787 to undergo change incorporation, on Friday flew from Everett, Wash., to San Antonio on a ferry flight. During change incorporation, airplanes that are not part of flight test are configured to conform with the standards established as part of type certification efforts. Refurbishment of three of the six 787 flight test airplanes also will take place in San Antonio after completion of flight test activities.
“The 787 team is thrilled to have the expertise and enthusiasm of the San Antonio team focused on getting these airplanes ready for delivery to our customers,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program.
The current plan is for six Dreamliners to complete change incorporation and refurbishment in San Antonio. Three will complete change incorporation and three airplanes will be refurbished after flight test is complete. However, the plan is flexible and could accommodate additional 787 production needs as flight test is completed and airplanes are prepared for delivery. The work will be performed from March 2011 through 2013.
“We continuously look for ways to leverage the strength of the Boeing enterprise, taking advantage of the team and the skills we have across the company,” said Fancher. “San Antonio specializes in modification work and has the capability and capacity to get the job done. The team was a natural choice.”
Some of the work done in San Antonio will include installing electronic and mechanical equipment, completing software upgrades, testing functional systems, and removing and reworking wiring or equipment that needs to be updated to current configuration requirements. Approximately 450 employees will be hired on a temporary basis to join with 1,700 experienced workers at the site to complete the work.
“Everyone on our team is excited to join the 787 program,” said Kevin Devine, vice president and general manager of the San Antonio site. “This airplane is about as advanced as you can get and there are high expectations tied to this work package. I am confident that our team will get the job done.”
Currently, there are about 1,500 employees at Boeing’s San Antonio site performing maintenance and modification work on the following programs: KC-135 Programmed Depot Maintenance, KC-135 Global Air Traffic Management, C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership and the C-130 Avionics Modernization program.
EVERETT, Wash., Feb. 24, 2011 – The Boeing 787 Dreamliner made its 1,000th flight yesterday, marking another milestone in the flight test program. There are seven airplanes participating in flight testing. The landing of 787 flight test airplane ZA004, just after 1 p.m. MST at Yuma International Airport, counted as the official 1,000th flight.
The program is near its 3,000th hour of flying and 787s have flown a total of more than one million miles.
”The team is making great progress,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. “We are getting through the test conditions needed to certify this airplane with nearly 80 percent of the conditions for the first model, with Rolls-Royce engines, already complete. And, we’re more than 60 percent of the way through the test conditions for the 787s with General Electric engines.”
Capt. Mike Carriker, chief pilot for the 787, Boeing Test & Evaluation, said the airplane continues to behave well in testing.
“We’re really eager to get this airplane through its flight testing so our customers can see for themselves this airplane’s excellent performance,” said Carriker.
EVERETT, Wash., Jan. 18, 2011 – Boeing announced today that it expects delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner in the third quarter of this year. The new delivery date reflects the impact of an in-flight incident during testing last November and includes the time required to produce, install and test updated software and new electrical power distribution panels in the flight test and production airplanes.
“This revised timeline for first delivery accommodates the work we believe remains to be done to complete testing and certification of the 787,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. “We’ve also restored some margin in the schedule to allow for any additional time that may be needed to complete certification activities,” Fancher said.
The 787 program has been gradually returning individual airplanes to the flight test program. After receiving interim software and hardware improvements, four flight test airplanes have been subjected to extensive ground testing and a thorough review to ensure their readiness to return to flight. The remaining two airplanes will be returning to flight in the days ahead to bring the full flight test fleet back up to flight status.
The revised first delivery date is not expected to have a material impact on 2010 financial results. Financial guidance and anticipated initial 787 deliveries for 2011 will be discussed in the company’s earnings call on Jan. 26.
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