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A Day of Spotting at Paine Field: Support Equipment

To close out my almost six-week vacation (it may sound nice to some of you, but honestly it is terrible) I have been able to spend some time in the Seattle area which is just about the best place any Avgeek can be.  It was awesome to see the SeaFair Airshow over the weekend that I will share more about later, as well as seeing all of the planes on final to SeaTac during my time downtown.

However, today was the best location of all as I got to spend most of the day at Paine Field, which is essentially Disneyland for us Avgeeks.  If you are into planes at all then you really need to get there and take in all of the aviation amazingness.  Ideally you should attend Aviation Geek Fest next spring, but really any time can be absolutely amazing.

All of these pictures were taken from the StratoDeck at Future of Flight, which is one of the best spotting locations ever.  I will share pictures of some of the amazing planes I saw later on, but in honor of my Twitter friend Jennifer, this post is all about support equipment.

It is amazing how many people and equipment it takes to run an airport, and Paine Field actually has a few things unique to their special operations.

I don't know if there is an airport fire department that stays busier than these guys.

I don’t know if there is an airport fire department that stays busier than these guys.

Every airport has a fire department on the field or close by, but few departments probably get as much work as these guys.  They are actually operated by Boeing, which makes sense with the demands they put on this group.  They come out for what seems like every single engine run, takeoff, and landing.  It is actually a good indication that engines are about to turn on a plane when you see the fire trucks roll at Paine Field.  Fortunately, the vast majority of their work is strictly precautionary, but they are incredibly important to overall safe operations.

I never once saw this guy stop working in the five hours I was at the field.

I never once saw this guy stop working in the five hours I was at the field.

Not the sexiest piece of equipment on the ramp, but still very important for safe operations.  This street sweeper was working constantly for the five hours I was there ensuring that taxiways and ramps were clean and free of debris, or FOD as it is referred to at airports.

These lifts were specifically designed to work with the Dreamlifters.

These lifts were specifically designed to work with the Dreamlifters.

As one might expect at a factory for manufacturing aircraft, there is a need for some special equipment, and these lifts are not just unique to the Boeing Factory, but to the building of a specific aircraft.  Much has been written about the production of the 787 Dreamliner, and specifically how much of it is assembled in other locations and thought brought to Everett for final assembly.

So how do you take aircraft fuselages and get them from one side of the world to the other?  You take a 747 and “put it in the microwave” so it blows up like a marshmallow so those fuselages will fit inside.  That is why Boeing uses the Dreamlifter to bring all of these pieces together.  Fun Fact: The 787-10s will all be built in Charleston where the main body sections are manufactured because they are too long to fit inside the Dreamlifter.

However, you can’t just unload sections like that with a forklift so Boeing had to build these lifts specifically for unloading the Dreamlifters.  As you can see they have quite a few of them to handle the rapid pace of production that they are currently experiencing.

You can see at least 11 sets of air stairs if you look closely.

You can see at least 11 sets of air stairs if you look closely.

No post for Jennifer would be complete without a mention of her absolute favorite piece of equipment, the air stairs.  While once again, not the sexiest piece of equipment, they do serve a valuable purpose in operations.  My apologies that I couldn’t get a more up close picture, but I made up for it in quantity.  There are probably more stairs on the ramp at Paine Field than probably most ramps in the world.  Heaven help us if she ever gets loose on that ramp.

If you are looking for a fresh and entertaining view of the aviation world, make sure that you take a look at Jennifer’s Blog, Tales From the Terminal.

August 5, 2015 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.

Twelve Days of Avgeek Christmas: Day 1 Aviation Toys

Christmas is such a fun time of year.  All of the good food, friends, family, and beautiful weather.  Okay, so having your travel plans ruined because of the weather sucks, but once you get home and you can enjoy it from inside your warm house it is one of the most beautiful times of the year.

One of my favorite parts of the year is shopping.  I actually hate shopping, but there is just something awesome about coming up with gifts for people that you know they will love.  Some people are easier than others, and my wife will tell you that I am one of those difficult people.

I don’t really know why she feels that way.  As you will see over the next twelve wonderful days of Avgeek Christmas, there are plenty of gifts big/small, cheap/expensive, practical/fun that would bring joy to just about any avgeek.  I will do my best to provide gifts at various cost levels, as well as various levels of practicality because, let’s be honest, sometimes it is just fun to dream about that really expensive stuff.

On the first day of Avgeek Christmas my true love gave to me: Aviation Toys.  Tons of fun for all the girls and boys.  Sorry, I promise I won’t try to keep rhyming.

Man the options for aviation toys are almost limitless.  There are models that can be built, die-cast models that look nice, and RC aircraft that can provide hours of fun.  The last two are where I would focus for most of the avgeeks out there.

There are tons of different models out there for just about every type of aircraft and every airline that exists, or has existed.  If your avgeek has a favorite that you know of then a simple search of Google or Amazon may find you what you are looking for.  If you aren’t sure may I make a few suggestions of my favorites.

While I have grown to like airliners more in my recent years, I have always been a sucker for military planes new and old, but especially old.  As far as military planes go, I would argue that there is no plane more iconic than the P-51 Mustang.  It was the premier fighter of WWII and is often the first aircraft from that era to come to mind.  It was also the aircraft flown by the Tuskegee Airmen in their historic actions.  For a fighter that is a little more modern you can’t go wrong with the F/A-18 Hornet, F-35 Lightning II, or F-15E Strike Eagle.

P-51 Mustang flown by the Tuskegee Airmen

P-51 Mustang like those flown by the Tuskegee Airmen

F/A-18 Hornet Flown by The Blue Angels

F/A-18 Hornet Flown by The Blue Angels

F-35 Lightning II

F-35 Lightning II

F-15E Strike Eagle

F-15E Strike Eagle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe fighters aren’t your thing, and you prefer the big heavy military aircraft.  Once again going with military aircraft the most iconic bomber would have to be the B-17 Flying Fortress of Memphis Belle fame.  Though equally impressive is the B-25 Mitchell Bombers used by Jimmy Doolittle on his famous raid of Japan.  For more modern military heavies and bombers I of course am biased towards the C-130H model, but I am also always in awe of the B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit bombers.

B-17 Super Fortress

B-17 Super Fortress

B-25 Mitchell flown by the Doolittle Raiders

B-25 Mitchell flown by the Doolittle Raiders

C-130H Hercules

C-130H Hercules

B-1B Lancer

B-1B Lancer

B-2 Spirit

B-2 Spirit

 

As I mentioned before, there are countless different models of commercial aircraft for just about every airline, but here are my two favorites.  The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is simply a beautiful piece of American engineering.  It looks and sounds incredible.  I look forward to the day I actually get to fly on one.  The Boeing 747 is arguably the most iconic airliner of the modern era.  Even an inexperienced avgeek can pick out a 747, and they are simply wonderful.  They are also the favorite of the AvQueen herself Benet Wilson.  For the older airliners my favorite is the DC-3 because of how it embodies aviation of that era.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Boeing 747 w/ cutaway

Boeing 747 w/ cutaway

DC-3 in Delta Livery

DC-3 in Delta Livery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now having some nice models for the display case or mantle is great, but if your avgeek is more of a hands-on type of guy or gal than you may be better served by something that actually flies.  I will admit that there is a dramatic range of prices in this area so make sure you pick something that they will actually use, and if you aren’t sure, then stick with something cheaper.

One of the most prevalent aviation toys that has become extremely commonplace in recent years are remote-controlled helicopters.  As I mentioned, these can range in price from $20 all the way up to hundreds, and probably even thousands of dollars if you are looking to go all-in.  They even have some that shoot water and others that shoot little missiles.  For a little extra challenge you can buy a set that comes with a helo and anti-aircraft missiles that can be controlled by itself or by another player.  Or go for the ultimate challenge with these helos that have lasers that render your opponents aircraft inoperable.  Like I said, hours of fun and entertainment.

Remote Control helos like this go for as little as $20

Helos like this go for as little as $20

This helo has a little water cannon.

This helo has a water cannon.

This AH-1 Cobra shoots two missiles.

This AH-1 Cobra shoots two missiles.

Control the helo or Anti-aircraft missiles.

Control the helo or Anti-aircraft missiles.

Dogfight with a laser.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When it comes to RC airplanes there are really too many options to list, and all levels of quality and ability.  I would once again suggest either a Google search, or browsing around Amazon’s RC Airplane section.  Just don’t go too crazy without really knowing what your avgeek can handle.

No matter how old or young your avgeek is, there is bound to be a toy that they would enjoy.  It is amazing how much enjoyment you can get from some of these simple toys.  If you have trouble finding a particular model or livery, let me know and I will do my best to help.

In the coming days I will take you through some of the more serious Avgeek Christmas gifts so please come back every day between now and Christmas and see what else there is out there to make this Christmas the merriest one yet for your avgeek.

12 Days of Avgeek Christmas:

Day 1: Aircraft Models and RC Toys
Day 2: Aviation Books and Guides
Day 3: Aviation Apps and Flight Simulators
Day 4: Flight Lessons
Day 5: Headsets
Day 6: Bags and Kneeboards
Day 7: Sunglasses and Watches
Day 8: Handheld GPS
Day 9: Handheld Radio
Day 10: Cameras and Video Recorders
Day 11: Random Aviation Accessories
Day 12: Airplane

December 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.

Jetairfly Takes Delivery of Their First 787 Dreamliner

The Jetairfly 787 during a test flight in Washington.

The Jetairfly 787 during a test flight in Washington.

Despite the problems that continue to arise with the 787 Dreamliner, Boeing continues to deliver the technologically advanced aircraft.  Jetairfly took delivery of its first 787 today which brings the number of operators up to 17 by my count.

Jetairfly is part of the TUI Travel group which includes another 787 customer, Thomson Airlines.  Jetairfly is the first airline in the Benelux region to take delivery of the Dreamliner.  According to the press release below Jetairfly will start revenue flights early this month on short and medium haul routes, with long haul routes starting closer to Christmas and New Years.

Personally, I don’t understand all of the bad press the 787 is getting.  Every aircraft ever developed has gone through growing pains, and the Dreamliner is no different.  In a lot of ways it was even more to be expected because of the massive leap in technology that Boeing is taking.

The biggest problem is the advent of social media and instant news coverage that instantly blows everything out of proportion.  I am sure that in a matter of years we will be looking back at all of this as just small stumbling blocks during the early days of an extremely successful airliner.

Press Release
Jetairfly becomes first airline in Benelux to operate Dreamliner

EVERETT, Wash., Dec. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Jetairfly today celebrated the delivery of the airline’s first 787. The airplane departed Paine Field in Everett on Tuesday on its delivery flight to Brussels.

“We are very excited about the Jetairfly Dreamliner entering service as the first and only 787 operated by a Belgian airline,” said Elie Bruyninckx, CEO TUI Belgium. “This aircraft isn’t only a perfect match with our innovative and sustainable philosophy. It is also a great asset in our strategy of offering unique holiday experiences to our passengers, especially when they fly between Europe and the Caribbean.”

The 787 is scheduled to begin flying short and medium haul Jetairfly routes in early December and long haul routes between Christmas and the New Year.

“We are very excited that Jetairfly will be flying the 787 Dreamliner,” said, Todd Nelp, vice president of European Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The 787 will replace the airline’s 767 and offer the best possible flying and cabin experience.”

Passengers traveling on Jetairfly’s 787 will experience the passenger-pleasing features of the Dreamliner such as larger, electronically-dimmable windows and larger overhead luggage bins. During flight the 787 is pressurized to a lower cabin altitude, has higher humidity levels, advanced air filtration and smoother ride technology to make the flying experience more comfortable and allow passengers to arrive at their destination more refreshed.

The 787 is the most technologically advanced airplane in the sky with composite materials making up 50 percent of the primary structure, including the fuselage and wing. This allows the Dreamliner to use 20 percent less fuel and emit 20 percent fewer CO2 emissions than similarly sized airplanes.

Jetairfly is part of the TUI Travel PLC, the largest tourism group in the world.

December 4, 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.

All Boeing 787 Airlines Have Aircraft Back in Service

LN86 owned by LOT Polish Airlines performed many of the flight tests while the 787 was grounded around the world.

LN86 owned by LOT Polish Airlines performed many of the flight tests while the 787 was grounded around the world.

On January 16th of this year all 50 of the delivered Boeing 787 Dreamliners was grounded by the FAA and other regulators due to a couple of battery fires that occurred within days of each other.  After much drama, and a ridiculous amount of work by engineers from Boeing and their partners, all of the Dreamliners have been retrofitted with the necessary repairs, and all of the airlines have officially put them back in service.

Just to give you an idea of what’s going on, below you will find a list of the airlines currently operating the 787 and when they went back into service.

Ethiopian Airlines

Number of 787s delivered: 4 (6 more on order)

Returned to service: April 27

Ethiopian was the first airline to put the 787 back into service after a little more than three months.

 

Qatar Airways provides the only 787 service to England currently.

Qatar Airways provides the only 787 service to England currently.

Qatar Airways

Number of 787s delivered: 5 (25 more on order)

Returned to service: May 16

Qatar Airways was the first, and currently the only, carrier to offer service on the 787 to England, but with Thomson Air receiving their first 787 over the weekend, and British Airways having their first three come off the line recently, it will have some competition soon in England.

Air India

Number of 787s delivered: 6 (21 more on order)

Returned to service: May 15

Air India resumed domestic service May 15 and followed that up with international service on May 22.

United Airlines

Number of 787s delivered: 6 ( 44 more on order)

Returned to service: May 20

United is the first US based carrier to take delivery of the 787.  Airchive.com wrote a great piece about the United return to service including lots of good background information and tons of pictures.

All Nippon Airways (ANA)

Number of 787s delivered: 19 (47 more on order)

Returned to service: June 1

ANA was the launch customer for the 787, currently has the most delivered, and also has the most on order.  They obviously have a lot on the line with the 787 and are probably more happy than anyone to have them back in the air.  You can find the full description of where and when they will be back in service on their website.

LAN Airlines

Number of 787s delivered: 3 (23 more on order)

Returned to service: June 1

LAN was the only airline that I couldn’t find a specific release saying they had returned to service, but they did finish certification on May 15, and announced they would resume on June 1 so I see no reason why it would not have happened.

 

The first JAL 787 to resume service from San Diego departs to the waves of its ground crew.  Photo by Howard Lipin / U-T San Diego

The first JAL 787 to resume service from San Diego departs to the waves of its ground crew. Photo by Howard Lipin / U-T San Diego

Japan Airlines (JAL)

Number of 787s delivered: 8 (37 more on order)

Returned to service: June 1

JAL was one of four airlines to resume service June 1.  However, they experienced some sort of issue with an air pressure sensor in the battery area the very next day.  It appears to be a minor problem that will be easily fixed.  Let’s hope for Boeing’s sake that it is just a small issue with no real repercussions.

LOT Polish Airlines

Number of 787s delivered: 3 (5 more on order)

Returned to service: June 1

LOT resumed service with their flight between Warsaw and JFK.  They also just took delivery of their third 787, LN 86 which was one of the aircraft that did a ton of work getting the 787 fix certified as well as numerous other tests while the 787 was grounded.

It is great to see all of these airlines back in service, as well as two new airlines that received their first 787s this last week.  Thomson Airlines actually took delivery of their first two 787s which are set to start service July 8, and China Southern Airlines received their first 787 that they plan to put into service June 6.

June 2, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Boeing Statement on FAA Joint Review on 787

EVERETT, Wash., Jan. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE:BA] is confident in the design and performance of the 787. It is a safe and efficient airplane that brings tremendous value to our customers and an improved flying experience to their passengers.

The airplane has logged 50,000 hours of flight and there are more than 150 flights occurring daily. Its in-service performance is on par with the industry’s best-ever introduction into service – the Boeing 777. Like the 777, at 15 months of service, we are seeing the 787’s fleet wide dispatch reliability well above 90 percent.

More than a year ago, the 787 completed the most robust and rigorous certification process in the history of the FAA. We remain fully confident in the airplane’s design and production system.

Regular reviews of program and technical progress are an important part of the validation and oversight process that has created today’s safe and efficient air transportation system. While the 787’s reliability is on par with the best in class, we have experienced in-service issues in recent months and we are never satisfied while there is room for improvement. For that reason, today we jointly announced with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the start of a review of the 787’s recent issues and critical systems.

We welcome the opportunity to conduct this joint review. Our standard practice calls on us to apply rigorous and ongoing validation of our tools, processes and systems so that we can always be ensured that our products bring the highest levels of safety and reliability to our customers.

Just as we are confident in the airplane, we are equally confident in the regulatory process that has been applied to the 787 since its design inception. With this airplane, the FAA conducted its most robust certification process ever. We expect that this review will complement that effort.

January 13, 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.