Boeing 787 Dreamliner - Mark Wagner [81]
Flight deck development was undertaken in the avionics integration lab as well as in the ITV, which used a full-up cockpit to “fly” the “Iron Bird” test rig. The cockpit was designed to enable full transition training from an Airbus model to the 787 in twenty-one days, and shortened transition and rating training for pilots qualified on other Boeing models to about thirteen days. For 777 pilots, the flight deck was designed to be so familiar that a mere five days would be needed for “differences” training, while 757/767 pilots would require eight days, and 737 pilots up to eleven days. Mark Wagner
Initial integration facility tests in Seattle started in October 2006, while the first wire bundle arrived at the labs the following month. The facility was made up of several distinct yet fundamentally interrelated labs. These included the avionics integration lab (AIL), the integrated test vehicle (ITV), aircraft energy management (AEM), engineering cabs, landing gear/brakes test labs, propulsion integration lab (PIL), lightning lab, and hydraulics and electrics test rooms.
The main focus for all the labs was the ITV, the “Iron Bird” hybrid test rig that combined actual flight control and hydraulic systems with system software to ensure that everything worked together as it was designed. The ITV was similar to the 777 flight control test rig, which it succeeded, but was a whole generation ahead in terms of capability and ability to run three tests simultaneously. The ITV incorporated a flight deck, which was used to “fly” a series of moving flight control surfaces using equivalent aircraft-level power from the propulsion lab, and all controlled with aircraft software running simultaneously in the AIL.
Fuji Heavy Industries completed the first production composite lower-skin section in June in preparation for the start of final assembly of the center wingbox. Although it was similar to conventional metallic alloy–based structures, Fuji tailored the box with varying thicknesses to suit local load requirements. Tests would later show that some subsequent strengthening would be needed. Measuring 17.4 feet by 19 feet, the lower skin was later mated with the upper skin, spars, and ribs before being combined with the Kawasaki Heavy Industries–built main landing gear wheelwell unit to make the first Section 11/45. Mark Wagner
Under the “Lean Plus” manufacturing goals adopted for the 787, a new workforce of manufacturing technicians informally dubbed “super mechanics” were specially trained for standard assembly work as well as working with composites, and were taught to verify their own work. However, the 2007–2008 production catastrophe, much of it caused by the overwhelming wave of “traveled work,” prompted Boeing to revert to existing practices in areas such as quality control. Mark Wagner
By April 2007 Boeing had begun powering up avionics, hydraulic, flight control, and other systems for the first time using real “aircraft” power. The move marked a key step toward completing integration of all the systems before actual assembly began. “For the first time these labs are seeing actual ship’s power,” said Sinnett. “We powered the hydraulic systems with variable ship’s power, in other words varying the power provided as a function of engine speed as determined, in turn, by throttle position in the ITV.”
Although by this stage only about 25 percent of integration tests had been completed, several issues had been uncovered. But to Sinnett this was good news. “The goal is to find as many problems