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Boeing Rolls Out 1st F-15SA for Royal Saudi Air Force

The F-15 is an interesting airframe.  It has had a messy, and at the same time a storied history.  The single seat F-15s had a little debacle when one fell apart, and later an F-15E flew with only one wing.  Plain and simple though, it is just one sexy bird that can bring all kinds of pain.
This latest variant is one more in the 65 year history between Boeing and Saudi Arabia.  What is even cooler about their relationship is the other businesses and schools that Boeing has helped to establish in Saudi Arabia.  You can find specific details in the press release below.  I always think it is awesome when companies provide not only their service, but also try to improve life in the countries they do business with.
Latest international F-15 variant brings enhanced mission capability at lower life-cycle cost

ST. LOUIS, April 30, 2013 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] today rolled out the F-15SA, ushering in a new era in fighter aircraft capability and affordability for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The F-15SA, the newest variant of the combat-proven F-15, provides improved performance and increased survivability at a lower life-cycle cost. The aircraft has two additional wing stations for increased payload and capability.

“We look forward to receiving the advanced capabilities of the F-15SA aircraft to continue to protect the security and stability of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Lt. Gen. Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al-Ayeesh, commander, Royal Saudi Air Force. “Our relationship with the U.S. Air Force and The Boeing Company has helped to ensure the Royal Saudi Air Force remains among the best-equipped air forces in the world.”

Flight testing began this year on the F-15SA. The Royal Saudi Air Force has operated F-15S fighters since the 1990s.

“The Kingdom and Boeing have been partners for 65 years and our partnership goes beyond the innovative products and services we provide,” said Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing Defense, Space & Security president and CEO. “Equally as important are the excellent collaborations between Boeing and Saudi educational and industrial organizations.”

Boeing established many of the offset companies in Saudi Arabia, including Alsalam Aircraft Company, in which Boeing currently holds the largest stake. Boeing also co-founded Alfaisal University, the first private university in Saudi Arabia, as well as the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Industrial Collaboration Program. Boeing is also developing educational and training projects with the King Abdulaziz City for Science & Technology and the Technical & Vocational Training Corporation.

“The F-15SA will enhance the national security objectives of both the United States and the Kingdom with improved interoperability and common training and support well into the 21st century,” said Lt. Gen. C.D. Moore, the U.S. Air Force’s decision authority for the F-15SA program.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $33 billion business with 59,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

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April 30, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Aircraft  Aviation  Boeing  Military Aviation  Press Release
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Every AvGeek’s Dream: My Adventures in Everett: Part 3 Boeing Factory Tour

After spending my first day waiting for the 787 and admiring some amazing warbirds, it was time to go into the Boeing Factory itself.  There are actually multiple Boeing factories, including the 737 factory in Renton, WA just a little to the south of Everett.  At the factory in Everett they manufacture the 747, 767, 777, and 787.  If I am not mistaken they will also be manufacturing the new KC-46 since it is a variation of the 767.

The tour starts at Future of Flight which is located in the Northwest corner of Paine Field.  From there you board a bus which drives you around the runway and through the flight-line over to the factory.  The building is the largest building by volume in the world, and once you get inside it is easy to see why.  Unfortunately, you aren’t allowed to take any pictures on the tour, but you can see some pretty cool ones from this year’s Aviation Geek Fest that is an annual event which takes place over President’s Day Weekend.

The tour takes you through two different sections of the factory where you walk on the catwalks to get a bird’s-eye view of these beautiful, massive pieces of machinery coming together.

The first area you see is where they build the 747-8.  The assembly line takes up two of the huge bays which is understandable considering how huge the plane is.  On one side they assemble the wings, wing boxes, and flight deck.  From there all of the pieces move into the second bay where the whole thing gets put together.

It is incredible to see how many planes they are building at the same time, and how it all comes together before they pull it out the doors.  They have a nice computer setup that allows you to look at all of the different processes and how the plane comes together in all of its different sections.

The second area provides views of the 777 and 787.  What is really cool about the 777 assembly line is that it never stops moving.  The planes are built on platforms that constantly move at something like one inch per hour.  The platforms move in a U shape around the factory floor acquiring the fuselage, wings, engines, and finally landing gear and interior before they get pulled out the door.

In the past each aircraft had to be towed from position to position which took excessive amounts of time just in moving all of the pieces around.  With this new method they have been able to speed the process along in a much more efficient manner.

After viewing the 777 you walk to the other side of the catwalk where the 787 is assembled.  The 787 line is simply a straight line through the factory.  The fuselage sections come off the Dreamlifters from the flight-line, and enter the factory on the north side.  In the first station the three sections are put together.  In the second spot, the wings are attached to the body, and in the last spot the engines are attached along with all the other finishing tasks.

While I was there they had slightly slowed production, though they probably would never admit it, but when they are going full steam they will put out a new plane every 4-5 days.  That is pretty impressive, but not overly surprising when you consider that most of the fuselage pieces are assembled before they get to the factory.

They have also started painting the control surfaces on the tail and wings prior to assembly, which helps save time when it comes to painting them.  What is cool about that is that you can now tell who the plane will be going to while it is still inside the factory.  When I was there the first three British Airways 787s were going through, the first of which recently came out of the paint shop, and looks fantastic.

The painting takes place back on the south side of the road in three separate buildings depending on which plane it is.  Right now there is a little bit of a backlog with the 777s with two of them sitting outside in their green protective coats.

I found the tour guide to be entertaining and informative.  When I had the chance to just chat with him it was fun to get the perspective of someone who is constantly in the factory, something I would love to do.  They have all kinds of generic fun facts for the tour, but they also have their own opinions and observations that are certainly interesting given their position.

The tour only lasts about an hour and a half, but I can honestly say that it felt like it was about 15 minutes long because I enjoyed it so much.  I seriously could have spent hours in there just watching what was going on.  I guess that is what truly describes us avgeeks.  We can spend hour upon hour sitting around waiting to see something that lasts a minute or less.  For that matter we are happy to see something that is just sitting there if it is something we have been wanting to see.

Speaking of sitting around for hours on end waiting for one particular plane, I found myself doing just that on my last day in the Seattle area, but that will be for another day.

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April 28, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Aircraft  Aviation  Boeing  Boeing 787 Dreamliner
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Every AvGeek’s Dream: My Adventures in Everett: Part 1

A couple of weeks back I had the opportunity to spend a few free days at Paine Field North of Seattle, and it was everything that I had hoped it would be.  As a complete and utter AvGeek I will gladly take any opportunity to watch planes in all of their many states.  Paine Field just happens to be one of the best places to see planes as it is also the home of Boeing’s largest factory.

At the Boeing factory in Everett they manufacture the 747, 767, 777, and the recently reairborne 787.  I will talk about the tour another day, but will simply say that I highly recommend it to anyone who loves planes as much as I do.

When it comes to plane spotting at Paine Field I took the advice of some experts as to where to go.  Malcom Muir of AirlineReporter.com wrote a great piece about all the ins and outs of plane spotting in the area.  Based on his recommendations I chose to spend the vast majority of my time on the Stratodeck at Future of Flight.

On my first day at Paine Field I was fortunate enough to check one aircraft off of my list that I wanted to see airborne.  While I had missed the 787 battery test flight the day before, I was fortunate enough to see one of numerous 787 flights that week.  You can see some of the pictures I took below, as well as a couple of shots from a newly discovered friend, PlaneInsight.  Of course that isn’t his real name, but I will leave that for you to learn by getting to know him.

It was awesome to see the 787 in flight.  It is just a beautiful aircraft, and it is a pity that it has been grounded for so long.  Fortunately, it will be back in the air soon.  I was able to see this gem of an aircraft numerous times throughout the week, but again, I will save that for another day.

I mentioned meeting a new friend while plane spotting, and that was probably the second best part of the day.  It was awesome to meet someone who loves planes as much as I do.  Many of us self-proclaimed AvGeeks live with people who simply don’t understand why we love planes and aviation so much, but when we get the chance to be around the people who not only understand us, but share our passion, it is something that you just never want to end.

I finished my day at another great attraction at Paine Field, Historic Flight Foundation.  But I will leave that for later in the week.

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April 21, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Aircraft  Aviation  Boeing  Boeing 787 Dreamliner
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Boeing and KLM Teaming Up to Improve Aircraft Efficiency

Boeing and KLM announced yesterday that they will be working together to implement some of Boeing’s latest technologies aimed at improving the efficiency, and lowering the environmental impact, of an aircraft’s flight.  One of the aspects that is becoming increasingly more common is the use of bio-fuels to augment the normal fuel load.  In this case they will be using refined cooking oil as fuel in their ongoing effort to create alternative fuel sources that don’t compete with food, water, or land resources.

Bio-fuels are awesome, and something that we should continue to pursue.  If we continue to look we will ultimately find a breakthrough that could make a real dent in the fuel issues that are present throughout the world.

What I find to be even cooler is the new technology that Boeing is testing.  They call it their Optimal Flight Program.

Planes have been essentially flying themselves through auto-pilot systems for a very long time.  Now Boeing is working to make the planes even smarter by integrating performance data with the flight plan to allow for real-time adjustments reducing the workload on the crew, and improving the efficiency of the aircraft.

As part of that integration, the software will analyze aircraft performance, weather, and other factors to recommend ideal speed variances, and provide more accurate timing predictions.  More accuracy in the data will provide or more efficiency not only in the aircraft, but in the air traffic system as a whole.

After the 26 planned flights take place, Boeing will be working with their partners, TU Delft (Delft University of Technology), John F. Kennedy International Airport, Gander, Shanwick, NATS Domestic and Schiphol Group, to develop new recommended practices and procedures to spread these successes to other users.

It is amazing to me how interwoven the industry is becoming.  Aircraft manufacturers are not just focused on building planes.  They are actively pursuing research that will improve the system as a whole.  Airports, and other partners are teaming up with airlines and aircraft manufacturers to do their part as well.

While the aviation industry is pretty well established in much of the western world, this new technology, and joint effort will become increasingly important in nations where aviation is just starting to takeoff like, Asia and the Pacific Rim, where they simply don’t have the existing infrastructure.

In will be interesting to see the results of this joint venture, and what other technologies and procedures will be developed because of it.

What other joint ventures would you like to see take place?  In what areas do we need to see these companies team up to create meaningful improvements?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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March 9, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Aviation  Aviation Technology  Boeing  Commercial Aviation
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Phantom Eye by Boeing Flies for Second Time

The Phantom Eye takes to the skies for the second time.

The Phantom Eye takes to the skies for the second time.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the Boeing Phantom Eye performing taxi tests in preparation for its next flight.  That second test flight took place yesterday, and it was a great success according to the developers.

In this second flight, the Phantom Eye flew to an altitude of 8,000 feet and lasted for 66 minutes, doubling the parameters of its first flight.  The longer flight allowed technicians to collect a lot more quality data to further the development process.

The other happy outcome from this flight was that the plane landed successfully.  After the first flight, the gear collapsed causing some damage to the aircraft.  In this second attempt the landing was picture perfect.  What is really interesting about this plane’s landing is that it only has two sets of gear, so once the plane comes to a stop, it leans to the side and rests on its own wingtip.

In watching the video below this thing just looks almost graceful in flight.  With most of my recent flying experience being around military planes, it is a nice change of pace to see something look so clean and smooth in flight.

I have yet to see any kind of expected release date for the Phantom Eye, but if it lives up to its goals of 65,000 altitude, and up to four days of continuous flight, it is sure to be useful in all different types of applications.

 

 

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February 26, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Aircraft  Aviation  Aviation Technology  Boeing  RPA/UAV
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Asia-Pacific Region to Lead the Way in Aircraft Marketplace Future

The Asia-Pacific region is the fastest growing region in the world when it comes to aviation.  Considering that it contains about half of the world’s population that is likely not much of a surprise to anyone.  Airbus recently released a statement outlining what their projections are for the next 20 years, and the numbers are somewhat staggering.

Airbus estimates 10,000 new aircraft including 3,800 widebodies over the next 20 years.  Those are just incredible numbers, that quite simply blow me away.  Airbus and Boeing will clearly be the major players in these markets, but with that many aircraft to be built and sold other companies will likely fill in the gaps.

The above statement talked a lot about larger aircraft, but as time progresses and the region matures I think the regional type aircraft will become increasingly important.  Much the way the regional carriers have become essential parts of air service in the US, these will become essential to really ingraining flying into the culture of these rapidly developing countries.

I recently saw a comment saying that the aviation industry was being attacked by China and India, but I completely disagree.  I think it is awesome for the industry that these countries are becoming larger players.  There is just so much potential and opportunity there that to think that it could possibly be a bad thing makes no sense to me.  We should all want the industry to grow and develop.

The US has long been the world leader in aviation, and will remain such for the foreseeable future.  That being said, we need to embrace that role, and do our part to improve aviation globally.  We need to be the leader in new ATC technology.  We need to not get so bogged down in regulations and red tape that we lose the wonder that has always made aviation so amazing.  We need to bring the wonder of flight to as many people as we possibly can.

I am curious what other people think about the aviation boom in the Asia-Pacific Region.  What do you see as the benefits of this growth?  What are some of the challenges or difficulties that it will present?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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February 25, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Airbus  Aircraft  Aviation  Boeing  Commercial Aviation
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Boeing Moves Forward with the Phantom Eye Hydrogen Powered UAV

Two of the biggest topics of discussion in the aviation industry in recent years have been Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs) and alternative fuels.  Hidden in the Boeing 787 news last week is another story from Boeing that will play a role in both of those topics.

The Boeing Phantom Eye is a liquid hydrogen-powered high altitude long endurance unmanned aircraft system that could have a tremendous impact on the future of aviation.  As you can see in the video below, it looks pretty cool too.

I have written about UAVs before, and become increasingly interested in them the more that I learn about projects like this.  The Phantom Eye is designed to fly at altitudes of up to 65,000 feet, and stay airborne for as long as four days.  You want to talk about options?  Having an airframe that could stay airborne for four days at incredibly high altitudes gives all kinds of options when it comes to military applications, or even civilians when it comes to disaster relief and other situations where having an “eye in the sky” would prove useful.

One of the biggest pieces of news in this story is the use of liquid hydrogen as fuel instead of traditional fossil fuels.  I don’t necessarily think that liquid hydrogen is the answer to our long-term fuel issues, but the fact that companies are actively pursuing other fuels gives me hope for the future.  We don’t need one fuel to replace fossil fuels, but if we can come up with new technologies to ease the burden in certain parts of the industry then we are moving in the right direction.

Last week the Phantom Eye performed taxi tests in preparation for its second flight later this year.  Improvements had been made since its first flight on June 1, 2012.  One of the most notable improvements was to the landing gear.  Learning from the landing gear on the F/A-18 Hornet they were able to make this landing gear more durable after the first attempt resulted in the gear collapsing on landing.

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February 11, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Aircraft  Aviation  Aviation Technology  Boeing  RPA/UAV
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Boeing and Airbus Working Together to Make NextGen ATC a Reality

If you browse through this blog at all it will become apparent rather quickly that I am a huge proponent of NextGen ATC technology.  Call me crazy, but when it has been proven that there is a system that exists to replace decades old technology to make something more efficient, effective, and safe, I think we should act quickly to implement it.

While it is not happening as quickly as some people would like to see, it is happening.  Just last week Qatar Airways flew a RNP-AR approach into Nepal.  This week Frontier Airlines received certification from the FAA to fly the same types of approaches in the US.

I find it interesting that both of these events share a common trait.  They are both heavily impacted by high terrain.  Nepal is one of the most mountainous countries in the world, and Frontier does a huge amount of business through Denver which is nestled high in the mountains of Colorado.

These applications are where the safety impact of NextGen becomes so apparent.  Navigational aids are all based on line of sight, which makes it incredibly difficult for ground-based navigational aids to be effective in mountainous regions.  While GPS still requires line of sight with satellites, it is much easier to achieve that with the satellites positioned overhead as opposed to the being on the ground where they can easily be blocked by mountains.

While both of these press releases come from Airbus, it is important to note that both Airbus and Boeing are actually working together to make this new system a reality.  On Airbus’s ProSky website, which is essentially their ATC arm, they have a long description of how the two airlines are cooperating to improve the whole system.

Boeing and Airbus are two of the biggest corporate competitors in the world, so to see them work together on something says a lot about its importance.

For those who may not really understand what exactly NextGen is, Boeing has an article that does a great job of explaining some of the most important technology, namely the ADS-B and how it works to improve air travel for everyone involved.

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February 5, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Air Traffic Control  Airbus  Aviation  Aviation Technology  Boeing  Commercial Aviation
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Boeing Grows Composite Manufacturing Capability in Utah

bslc_medWEST JORDAN, Utah, Jan. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing (NYSE: BA) today announced the purchase of a new building in Salt Lake County, Utah. Employees at the new site, located in West Jordan, will focus on fabrication of composite horizontal stabilizer components for the 787-9.

“The site we’ve chosen is an ideal location to add composite manufacturing capability focused on Boeing’s key business strategies,” said Ross R. Bogue, vice president and general manager of Boeing Fabrication. “This new facility will provide a real competitive advantage in our supply chain by expanding our internal composite capabilities.”

The new site, located 20 miles from Boeing’s fabrication and assembly site in Salt Lake City, was purchased from Masco (NYSE: MAS). Terms of the sale were not disclosed. The close proximity of the two facilities will help improve the efficiency from component fabrication to assembly of the 787-9 horizontal stabilizer.

The composite component fabrication facility is expected to create approximately 100 new jobs. “Hiring will begin immediately,” said Craig Trewet, director of Boeing Salt Lake. “We’ll begin by hiring project managers and engineers and will then be filling production positions over the next several quarters.”

Boeing expects to refurbish the 850,000 square foot building to complement the company’s current operations in Salt Lake County. Sitts & Hill will design the space inside the building’s factory area. Design and construction are expected to take two years.

When finalized, the facility will provide the Boeing Salt Lake team with the flexibility to meet the demands of the highly competitive markets that Boeing serves. This further demonstrates Boeing’s commitment to the state of Utah and to the company’s current and future workforce.

“Boeing appreciates its continued relationship with the state of Utah and we are looking forward to creating a new partnership with the city of West Jordan,” Trewet said.

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in 150 countries. Boeing products and tailored services include commercial and military aircraft, satellites, weapons, electronic and defense systems, launch systems, advanced information and communication systems, and performance-based logistics and training.

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January 14, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Aircraft  Aviation  Boeing  Boeing 787 Dreamliner  Press Release
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