A Bloggers Find: The 777X Introduction

Winging it desires to bring this Article to its reader attention by re-posting the below article from the

Australian Business Traveler in its entirety.

First Boeing 777X tipped for 2018

By David Flynn     Filed under: Boeing 777, Boeing 777X

The first Boeing 777X will trundle off the production line in 2018, a Boeing exec has revealed, as the airline edges closer to commercial flights of the new long-range jets from 2020.

That debutante is likely to be the Boeing 777-9X, although the X will be dropped as the plane makes its journey from blueprint to blue skies, to become the 777-9.

It will be followed by the smaller but longer-range Boeing 777-8X, or 777-8 (note the nod to the naming conventions adopted for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner).

Bob Feldmann, Boeing's vice president for the 777X project, told The Seattle Times that the first 777X will roll off an early production line – one currently used to ramp up Boeing 787 production – in 2018.

Boeing is on track on finalize the 777X's design configuration later this year. "It’s an exciting time as we begin to define the world’s next great airplane" Feldman says.

The manufacturer has already notched up orders for 286 of the 777X jets, with the lion's share going to 777 stalwart Emirates in 35 of the 777-8s and 115 of the 777-9s.

Gulf neighbor and rival Etihad has inked a deal for 8 777-8s and 17 777-9s.

Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa and ANA have all opted for the larger 777-9 alone with orders.

The X factor

The latest addition to Boeing's best-selling 777 family, the 777X is being spruiked as "the largest and most efficient twin-engine commercial jet in the world, with the lowest operating cost per seat of any commercial airplane."

An estimate of how the Boeing 777X stacks up against its siblings Image: ARP Design

The 777-9X is spec'd for 400 passengers in a three-class cabin layout with a peak range nudging past 15,185km (8,200 nautical miles).

The 777-8X will trim the seat count to 350 passengers but with a maximum range over 17,220km (9,300 nautical miles).

In both cases, improved design and new-generation engines will see the planes burn less fuel than today's 777s.

Long wings for the win

Part of that advanced design: sweeping wings made from carbon-fibre composites rather than metal, which span 235 feet (71.6 meters) to boost aerodynamic efficiency.

However, the tips of those wings will fold up when the 777X is on the ground to reduce the wingspan by some 7 metres (23 feet).

These 'swingtips', as Boeing calls them, are required to make the 777X fit into airport boarding gates and taxiways designed for the other members of the 777 family rather than demand expensive airport modifications.

(It's not exactly a new idea: Boeing patented it in 1995 for the original Boeing 777, and while no airline ever ticked this option box on their order, a full-scale model of the folding wingtip is on display at Boeing's Museum of Flight in Seattle.)

Inside the Boeing 777X

Boeing will also adapt key aspects of its 787 Dreamliner series to shape the passenger experience of the 777X.

The 777X will include a lower effective cabin altitude of 6,000 feet; oversized windows set higher into the cabin; and what Boeing promises will be "economy class seat widths up to 18 inches wide,"  although the choice of configurations and seat widths will in the end fall to airlines buying the big bird.

The rest of the creature comforts which Boeing has in mind for the 777X – which is slated to begin production in 2017, with first commercial flights from 2020 – are a mash-up of the Boeing 777 family interior with the 787's cabin innovations.

For starters the cabin altitude will be pegged at 6,000 feet and humidity levels boosted, with both traits being "comparable to the 787 Dreamliner" in order to reduce the effects of inflight fatigue and jetlag.

Also like the Dreamliner, the enlarged windows of the 777X  will be positioned higher on the fuselage so they're at eye level for a larger percentage of passengers, to allow more light into the cabin and a sense that there's an 'outside' out there from even the dreaded middle seats.

There should be lower cabin noise thanks to new engine nacelle design, better cabin insulation and even the installation of twice as many air nozzles which will funnel triple-filtered air at reduced velocity for less noise.

Boeing also says the 777X will introduce an "all-new interior design that allows airlines to customise their cabin architectures by class."

"This innovation includes an adaptable suite of parts that facilitates choices in overhead ceiling and stow bin configurations, allowing airlines to create the feeling of separate and distinct cabins that meet both airline and passenger needs."

Boeing suggests this as a possible high-tech 777X cabin, perhaps assuming that Tron Airlines is the launch customer...

Of course, no modern jet can get by without LED mood lighting, so that's a given right out of the box.

"The 777X will redefine the total passenger experience" promises Dennis Eng, Boeing's Director for 777X Interiors.

"All of the interior features we are exploring and designing into the new airplane are working together as a package to create an exciting new passenger experience." 

The 737 CFM Leap-1B Is under The Boeing Wing (Updated)

The infamous CFM-International Leap-1B is currently under a 747 wing at the start of its extensive testing. What gave its infamy is the 5% performance shortfall on the bench testing recently, which causes major concerns for the program when competing with the Airbus A-320 NEO. Boeing has already sold 2,724 Max to customers with this one only engine type. Boeing placed all its eggs in the CFM basket, as it has done for the 737 since these many years it has been flying.

The next two years testing by both CFM and Boeing must improve the newly conceived engine by the 5% short fall. Heat mitigation design points, and internal inefficiencies are two areas under the engine builders’ scrutiny while it flies attached to the 747-400 test bed. Both Boeing and CFM have to make up the inefficiency metric within its 69.4" diameter. The fixed 737 engine opening is at maximum, negating any expansion of diameter compared with a similar engine found on the A-320 NEO's CFM Leap 1-A, 78" engine diameter. The "efficiency rule of thumb", suggest a bigger diameter for better performance through aerodynamic attributes. Where the additional space gives a natural and better performance with additional mechanical space. A tighter engine makes for a hotter engines losing some performance. The NEO CFM Leap 1-A engine has a 2% shortfall at this time at its 78" diameter. Boeing's tighter Leap 1-B must find ways for an additional 5% improvement during the time it sits attached under the 747 testing wing.

Several publication have suggested new ceramics for dissipating and withstanding heat build-up as one area CFM must achieve a percentage improvement. A combination of tuning the new engine through compression ratios, and engine parts modifications can go only so far when installing PIP's (Performance improvement package) derivatives. Typically a PIP cycle takes vast amount of time for implementation. The CFM Leap 1-B could be making at least two PIP's to improve the engine performance up to 5% from its bench test metric. CFM has these two years of flying test to do it in. How they can do it? Obviously through maximizing its every aspect of thermodynamic testing on composite parts and reconfiguration for the mechanical optimization of this jet engine. CFM has to stay within the lines of a 69.4" diameter. CFM can't cheat the diameter upward by making the 737 Max engine a larger opening, as found on the 777X when it meets engine efficiency targets. Boeing sold the Max to its customers on the premise it will achieve its "established" on paper "bench marks" for efficiency during the MAX project.

Both Boeing and CFM are searching for percentage points in multiple areas rather than just one area.

Here are the key areas they need to find percentage point improvement.

• Engine Weight Reduction by a slight amount.
• Advanced Heat resistant & ceramic-plastic parts over the current parts installation.
• Optimal engine placement on wing moving it frontward or backward by a few mm's or cm's.
• Tweaking compression by-pass metrics
• Boeing helps with airplane design aerodynamics and airplane weight.

Any combination of these areas receiving a measurable testing improvements, will come off the bench, and is frozen as a test PIP. Then it's placed under -the-wing as test copy on the 747 Boeing aircraft, for actual en-flight testing.

CFM/Boeing have two years to make up this short fall by method testing each objective area.

Recent news reports show promising results: Air wise Report Link Below

Boeing, CFM Say LEAP-1B To Hit Performance Target

"Separately, a senior industry figure familiar with the LEAP engine described the shortfall speculation as "absolutely false." Another industry insider familiar with the matter said talk of a shortfall was inaccurate."

The Airbus Leap 1-A with its 2% short fall has different testing constraints from its bigger diameter engine. They have an easier road to go where any improvement can be passed through for consideration on the 1-B. However, since Boeing needs innovation in more areas, and since the 1-B is constrained by 69.4", its innovation may not be transferable to the 1-A scenario.

Before Max

Photo from Aviation Week

MAX Trickeration

Photo From Aviation Week

Boeing's trickle down design problem starts with aircraft landing clearance and its landing gear. It would have to redesign the whole frame for accommodating a taller gear folding into the body. Next would be a push back on all engineering space available in the aircraft. The argument for a clean sheet design would be made by having a taller landing gears for its bigger engine opening. Boeing chose to improve the 737 by a giant "Leap" step, and not change the frame configuration by doing so. 

The CFM 1-B is confined by ground clearance since its using 737 NG configuration theme of a low- to - the - ground engine placement. The question remains, will they do it?

My answer, is sort of and very close:

The engine can better itself by 3% as an instinctive estimation for CFM improvement. Boeing will chip in another 1% for its part with Aero design trimmings when the MAX flies. With a "Test PIP II" and a Boeing effort in total, will make the 4%+ offset the 5% lost indicated during its first and formal bench tests. Customers will be satisfied, since it will achieve an advantage over the competition (A-320) with a significant efficiency separation over the  the CFM Leap 1-A hung on the A-320 NEO. Maybe the 5% shortfall is a false flag operation for Airbus' sake.

A Winging It Follow-up has found CFM, also had placed a loosely fitting 1B engine on the bench representing what a worn out 1B would simulate after approximately five years of service. Having observed this important fact, I can take several conclusions on this new knowledge.

1. Having a loose  engine tolerance will significantly under perform expectations found in a new engine delivered with factory tight tolerances. CFM knew this would be an outcome from this test but it didn't know by how much. The one formally tested, was a under performing engine configuration representing what a customer may expect from an engine at the end of its life cycle.

2. Finally, lessons learned from airborne 747 testing, will include significant changes optimizing the CFM-1B configured engine, in addition with Boeing's own aero packaged, improvements mating the the 1B engine nacelle with 737 Max body dynamics, optimize a more efficient body enhancements with new lift and drag coefficients saving fuel and workload for the engine  

The claim by others who became a town cryer for a 1B -5% shortfall were only correct within limited facts about the test, and have greatly underestimated what the 1B will demonstrate on the first 737 Max in flight testing. Indeed it should meet the high expectations mapped at the beginning of this program, a 14% improvement over older 737 single aisle models. Airbus has much to be alarmed with when the situation of the block tests is exposed. Those on the project cannot say out of confidentiality, but can smile at the hubris of a -5% shortfall report. 

Qatar Quips About The A-350 Head and Shoulders Over The 787.

Amazing comment when operating the 787 these many years since October 2012. He should know he gets paid by Airbus, I mean Qatar.  These facts are known about the A-350-9.

• It’s Not Revolutionary
• It’s Plastic
• It’s five inches wider than the 787 which is less than a head's distance
• It’s not as quiet as the 787.
• The 787 has better shoulders and wings.
• The comment is an obvious attempt at salvaging the decision for going All-in with Airbus   

They have two flying in Five months. Hardly a full sampling, but good enough to show how pride drives a comment in behalf of Airbus. It sounds so John Leahy, it feels like extra wide money has hit a bank account. Objectivity and substantiation of what "he" is talking about is lacking in the comment. 

A disappointing display for what Qatar has bought from Boeing, after so much effort was put forward on its 787. Money can do many things and this is one example, it can make a person seem smaller.

Maybe Al Baker was comparing a 787-8 with a A-350-9. He wouldn't do that, would he?

Enough said until tomorrow! 

DFW Flies Over LAX Part Too!

Today American Airlines Launched its superlative 787 recently shown in a Winging It Article during its delivery and inauguration party at DFW. Its first commercial flight just took off for Beijing, China. On a murky day as photographed with 176 passengers enjoying non top service and not having to stop over at LAX. The West Coast is fly-over country for Dallas.

Landing at ORD Today in Chicago is American Airlines 787

American Airlines Dreamliner Departs on First Flight

"Before sunrise, American Airlines' Boeing 787 Dreamliner made its debut on a short flight to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. AA Flight 2320 departed D/FW at at 7:10 a.m. and arrived at O'Hare a little more than two hours later at 9:32 a.m.

The airline will mark another historic first Thursday morning with the first nonstop flight from D/FW to Beijing. AA Flight 89 is scheduled to depart at 11:20 a.m. and should arrive in China about 13 hours later, at about 2:15 p.m. Friday.

Thursdays international trip will take place in a retrofitted Boeing 777-200. In June, the D/FW to Beijing flights will also be made using the 787 Dreamliner.

Inaugural Non-Stop Flight: Link

MAY 7, 2015: American Airlines' newest Boeing 787 Dreamliner takes off for Chicago for the first time. In June it will start flying to China. (Photo: WFAA)

DFW Has Become a California Dreaming Airport today as  its fancy new Dreamliner flies over the whole west Coast from San Diego to Seattle, Wa. The wave-less DFW now has a new sheriff in town..

 

Wiki Photo

stuckattheairport.com

The below photo if it has any symbolism let me know. DFW is Not DIA! But this is symbolic of flying over surf and its boards going to China.

pkce.com photo

DIA Makes LAX Fly -Over Country

What's in an airport can be some crazy stuff. Denver International has a cult following suggesting a connection with the Rocky Mountains via an under ground  system. Being in DIA, and exploring its uniqueness can leave one to wonder could this be true. With the New World Order in tow, a moving sidewalk which can express your way through a terminal concourse.

The DIA Primer: Makes this the most intriguing Airport America Has

Its statuary

Murals that need no Explanation

More to it than meet the Eye

Below is this depiction

Quoted explanation:

"The next mural no doubt expresses world peace, however notice the nations are giving their weapons to the German boy in the blonde hair and gray jacket who is “beating their swords into plowshares”. Notice the nations of the world turn their national flags and sovereignty over to the boy? He destroys the weapons of war with a hammer (hammer & sickle). He is the world leader who brings peace through communism to a war torn world. This is who I think resembles PRINCE WILLIAM!"

The bigger point about DIA is with its 787. They (787) moved the coast of California inland another 1,200 miles. Denver is LAX without a beach nearby.  It has more space than Manhattan Island. I have traveled often through the terminals of DIA, and spent lay-over time riding the underground rail system while plane hopping and gawking at murals asking why? Then I read on the internet, which is the final authority on anything crazy, about its mural statues and plaques. Sound sinister, doesn't it at 2:00 am during my seat watching-waiting for the ride out to everywhere.

LA is nice place to fly over going from Denver to the Orient. Its entertaining viewing the lavish DIA art gallery. It seems the Airport has a greater purpose than being the Middle American airport as the viewer ponders. How Denver has become Washington DC of the west, with all its federal facilities dotting the Denver Landscape? Perhaps there is some  truth about a secret under ground subway from DIA to NORAD in the Rockies. Next time visiting DIA  watch what's around you its a grand place where it's all happening. 

Making Room For Seats In Your Airspace (Updated seat Graphic)

Airline tasking has multiple issues when buying the 787-9. It has more seats and more miles in its frame. New Zealand Air has to consider its competition from China, Singapore and the likes of Scoot in its arsenal of seats. New Zealand Air has had many years pondering over the influence the 787-9 brings to world of travel. It's down to where an Airline puts its seats in the Airline Space it has made during the preparation years prior to 787-9 delivery. Every move New Zealand Air makes the competitors who have a 787 will reciprocate and come to New Zealand offering its seats with different location arrangements. What a dilemma New Zealand Air must work through the acerbated problematic competition, Qantas is dithering on 50 787-9's for its play book. They are stacking poker chips high in anticipation of completing its option order later this year for about 50 787-9 Seat count not affirmed at this time.

Now comes the Jet Star 335 seat arrangement moving to and fro. How big is the Airspace over the region. Budding routes are starting to blossom with the Untied States from China in greater number than US Airlines  have been able to reciprocate. This found in a recent article discussing China has out paced the US in its seat for seat travel connections between the two competitors. China comes in to the US and returns to China with more passengers than US can keep up with.

With this chart, it demonstrates the seat density expansion with the 787 family of aircraft. When orders are all filled, it will have 87,932 daily seats available. Air New Zealand has noticed this too, as its market footprint goes from Chile to all of the South pacific. The regions competitors are also fishing for destinations which have not reached full market potential. China based Airlines are going for replacing its already established destinations with its new 787 equipment. Even though the Kiwi only have 3 787-9 at this time, they will want to focus on priming the operation for efficient service as its competitive edge. There are literally thousands of 787 opportunity for all regions. New Zealand has too few  787-9 to combat the coming onslaught. China likes New Zealand for its people, places and things. I estimate there are about 90 flying 787 plying the skies with all competitors and there are about 220 more 787 in all types ,coming to the region with about 66,000 more seats.

Even though the aircraft coming will replace older seats in service, there is an obvious expansion in passenger traffic in the region without counting US operators. As United and American Airlines who are now looking for new 787-9  opportunities for expansion,  they will come in force along with LAN's aspirations for the region. New Zealand's head start  of 3 787-9's is being dwarfed by the upcoming onslaught from the above players listed. They, South East Asia are also occupied elsewhere from going down under. It will significantly impact the region even more with some daily flight destinations as they compete with its 787 equipment dispatched  both to Australia and New Zealand. The airlines are going to everywhere in particular for the profits with its 787's.

The Afternoon 787 Reading Corner Recommendation: (The Read is by Mike Sennett)

Every once in a while, something comes across that is enjoyable and informative reading. Winging It includes such an enjoyable read this afternoon. Its for keeping everyone calm while taking R & R time during the Air Wars of the duopoly.

Per ArabNews.com

The fabric of flight: From feathers to composite materials

"LEDE: From the use of feathers in attempts to mimic avian flight, to the cutting edge composites used to build many of today’s sophisticated aircraft, the evolution of materials used to make manned flight a reality articulates the progression of aviation itself.

 One of aviation’s earliest pioneers, the great Arab polymath, Abbas ibn Firnas, reportedly used feathers to build a rudimentary flying contraption in the 9th century AD. While there is no conclusive evidence that he succeeded in his attempt, it is notable that he apparently realized the need to use lightweight, aerodynamic materials to build his flying machine.

Over a 1,000 years later, today’s flying machines would probably have been beyond Ibn Firnas’ wildest imagination. But, as sophisticated as modern aviation is, its beginnings were contrastingly simple. Visionaries, such as the Wright brothers, doggedly pursued the dream of manned and powered flight at the turn of the 20th century, with self-built craft. In fact, the Wright Flyer was, by current standards, a simple powered glider constructed with wood and muslin.
But, the impact of this era in aviation’s history is indisputable. Having proved that powered flight was possible, it served as a catalyst for the creation of the aviation industry.

Having ruled out metals because of their weight and tendency to corrode, early pioneers such as William Boeing built their airframes out of lightweight spruce, birch plywood or balsa wood, and then covered them in fabric.

While aluminum was used in the piston engines that powered these planes, the possibility of an all-metal airplane didn’t become a reality until Alfred Wilm, a German physicist, developed a new, light-weight alloy called duralumin. It was this radical new material that allowed Hugo Junkers to build the world’s first all-metal airplane, the J-7 fighter, which first flew in 1917, and the F-13, the world’s first all-metal commercial aircraft, which was unveiled three years later.   
From then on, the use of metal alloys enabled new performance improvements that would simply not be possible with wood and fabric airframes.

The use of metals that were capable of handling the stress of flight, combined with the Monocoque principle — which used the skin of an airplane to support its structural load, not unlike an eggshell – enabled the development of the Boeing 247 in 1933. It was the world’s first modern airliner, leveraging the strength of its anodized aluminum skin to maintain airframe integrity.

This, in turn, paved the way for cabin pressurization and, in 1938, the Boeing Model 307 Stratoliner became the first commercial airplane to offer a pressurized cabin. 
With this development, long-range, trans-ocean air travel became a reality. By the 1950s, the first generation of passenger jets, such as the de Havilland Comet and the Boeing 707, took to the skies. 

The all-metal airframes made it possible to comfortably fly passengers and cargo across unprecedented distances, creating the global airline industry.

While the 707 served as the engineering template for subsequent aircraft models, it was the iconic 747 — nicknamed the Queen of the Skies — that represented the next major leap forward in aircraft design. Made possible by reinforced aluminum alloys, the original ‘jumbo jet’ featured a distinctive humped upper deck, the highest capacity passenger cabin and a bigger cargo hold than any aircraft at the time.

However, working with aluminum presented its own challenges and airlines sought out lighter, stronger and more fuel-efficient aircraft. In response, engineers began looking at other materials, such as carbon fiber composites and metals such as titanium, to reduce weight, drag, corrosion-related fatigue and operating costs, while improving the cabin experience.

The launch of the Boeing 777, currently the backbone of the Middle East’s long-haul fleet, marked one of the first significant efforts to increase the use of composites in commercial airplanes. Composites currently account for twelve percent of a 777’s structural weight, including its vertical and horizontal tails, and the cabin floor beams.

But it is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that truly defines the future of commercial aviation by bringing the benefits of composites for passengers, airlines and the environment. It is the first airliner to be built using composite barrel sections, doing away with the traditional aluminum sheets and the thousands of rivets needed to fasten them together. As much as 50 percent of the airplane is built from advanced composite materials, while a further 15 percent is titanium. In fact, only 20 percent of its airframe is aluminum, one of the many factors allowing airlines to dramatically reduce operating costs — through lower maintenance needs and improved fuel use — while boosting revenues.

Few industries have seen rapid innovation at the pace that the aviation industry has. In the span of just over a century we have evolved from wood and muslin machines capable of flying a few hundred meters, to the super-efficient Dreamliner family, which, in its stretched 787-10 version, will be able to fly over 300 passengers and many tons of cargo across distances that Abbas ibn Firnas could only have imagined.

As this innovation evolves, one can only imagine what the future holds.   
  
— Mike Sinnett is vice president of Commercial Airplanes Product Development at Boeing Commercial Airplanes."