The 787 Is Baking In Alice Springs, Australia

The 787-9  is in over exposed mode during its stay at Alice Springs, Australia. Not only is the local airport important for ground heat testing. The frame needs to bake out above  38 degrees Celsius (100 F for Americans) just sitting there doing what the engineers want to see in its environmental systems.  This weekend on Saturday afternoon, Australian time and Friday late US west coast, Alice Springs will reach 40 celsious and make a complete outback test and fly an operational junket throughout the Australian outback where temperatures could reach 43 c or more degrees. In some areas of the outback that would about 110 to 115. A complete hot resting bake off, then start up systems in heat, and normalize the airplane environment which that test could be acheived on within the day. Plus a spin around the country side flying in heat to see what happens.

If you want to have an entertaining photo shoot of the Alice Springs 787-9 testing, then go to:

The Australian Business Traveller

The 787-9 is provisioned with testing equipment and 90 seats for all testing personnel. As an example Rolls Royce engineers flew on board with engine performance equipment on the long flight from Seattle to Auckland.  They went to Alice Springs this week to witness and document all climatic impacts on the RR engines.

It was noted in this article, that Boeing has relayed to its Business Journal that this was the final big series of test for the 787-9 when conducting these heat test in Australia. All testing for the 787-9 should be closed in on by April of 2014. When this 787-9 flies back to Everett Washington, it will conduct small issue testing with the other two 787-9 aircraft until it prepares delivery aircraft for Air New Zealand units through the US summer for fall delivery. In a short 10 months the Kiwi will have its first delivered aircraft flying customers. Exact customer delivery date has not been set until all testing is complete.

On board a right turn takes you to the racks of equipment

On board a left turn takes you to tight standard economy seats. Engineers don't have seat benefits on long haul work assignments.

Now back to those Rolls Royce Engineers. Here is their lair.

Photos supplied by Australian Business Traveller.