Boeing 787 Fuselage Barrel Passes Key Tests
February 28th, 2008
A small but significant snippet from the 787 program emerged today when Boeing confirmed that tests on the fuselage had been completed successfully, validating the airplanes unique composite, monolithic structure.
“The tests were very successful — they couldn’t have gone any better,” said Kevin Davis, 787 fuselage authorized representative and leader of the testing.
Image courtesy of Boeing
Another interesting excerpt from the Boeing press release states the following:
Finally, the team pushed the composite section past ultimate load well beyond ultimate load to a destruct-condition maneuver beyond two and a half times the force of gravity.
With the countdown to first flight already in full swing, the test validation will likely spur Boeing to eventually replace its 777 family using a similar technique and structure - although the timing is still up in the air, particularly as the threat from the A350XWB family has yet to be defined.
Sphere: Related ContentEntry Filed under: Air Transport, Air Travel, Airplane, Boeing, Boeing 787, Boeing 787 Order, Boeing 787 Orders, Boeing 787 Premiere, Boeing 787 Rollout, Boeing 787-3, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9
7 Comments Add your own
1. Boeing Investor | February 28th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Will the A350XWB also pass such a test/tests?
2. Aurora | February 28th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
So much for all that nonsense awhile back about composite barrel fuselage sections being unsafe! I wonder if the former anchorman will do a retraction?
3. Romulus | February 28th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
2.5G?? Surely a bit more than that is needed to reach ultimate load? MAybe I’m not understanding the terminology here but that doesn’t strike me as a particularly high rating at all.
4. Johnny Stick | February 28th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Mr. Romulus,
The standard airliner is not a aerobatic machine. With bank angles typically less than 20 degrees to keep the passengers from getting sick, the g-loading on the fuselage is very low. I remember a old timer telling me the early airliners were only designed for 2 Gs, which is a well coordinated 60 degree bank angle. I suspect the 787 is good for close to 3 Gs, far more than any other airliner out there. I am impressed, and I suspect Airbus is scratching thier heads right now wondering how they are going to make a thier design, utilizing a composite panel over a seperate structure, meet these requirements. Tha bar has indeed been raised.
5. Rod | February 29th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Great news as I expected.
The A350WBX ‘paper airplane’, if it ever comes to pass will be a lot more labor intensive to build than a 787 due to lots of composite panel lay-ups on to fuselage frames.
6. Chris Wallace | February 29th, 2008 at 1:43 am
I expect Airbus will be successful in their endeavors.
This test is good news and continues the string of successful composite sub-structure tests on the 787. It bodes well for LN997 and LN998 - the two static fatigue frames - passing all of their tests, as well, which are necessary to support the certification program.
7. Mark S | February 29th, 2008 at 3:27 am
Didn’t Airbus’ newest “old technology” plane the A3fatty not perform to the 2.5G destruction test? I wonder how the “fastest selling plane in history” the A350xwb(xxxxxx name your suffix depending on the revision) , will perform using a metal frame with composite panels that are secured with metal threads.
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