Video: Boeing Presentation On 787 Battery Problem And Fix (+ CoolPix)

(click pic to enlarge)  'Boeing' on the very reflective side of the prototype 787 at OSH11

Click here to see the full Boeing webpage on the technical briefing with additional info

 I've been pretty quiet about the Boeing 787 battery issue that grounded the fleet on January 17, 2013, but mostly because situations like this are really hard to comment on when you simply don't have access to the facts. Of course, lack of facts rarely stops the media from making all kinds of comments... while they profit all the way along regardless if what they are saying makes any sense or is even rooted in the truth. That's why I found this long, slow-paced, and potentially boring 1 hour and 34 minute video so fascinating, it's all about the facts.

See my recent post: Poll: Would You Ride The 787 On Its First Return-To-Service Flight?

 From understanding what the battery in question does on the 787 to a detailed explanation of the two incidents that led to the grounding, this technical briefing answers every question I can imagine about the issue. More important, it makes extremely clear what steps have been taken to retrofit the battery installation to prevent any such incidents from occurring again. The briefing took place last Friday in Japan (actually on Thursday evening EDT time) and was presented predominately by Ray Conner (executive vice president of The Boeing Company and president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes) and Mike Sinnet (Vice President and 787 Chief Project Engineer) - and in my opinion, these two men have done a fantastic job of presenting the details of the problem and the Boeing response as the company has worked with the FAA to resolve the issue. 

 I feel this briefing presents Boeing as neither shaken nor cocky about the 787 program, but instead I see a company that has been diligent in designing and building the most advanced civilian aircraft the world has ever seen, and one that has handled an unforeseen complication with honesty and integrity.

 Boeing is currently well into the certification testing of the revised battery installation and the hope is that the 787 will back in service within weeks.

 I admit that you have to be a pretty hardcore geek for the inner workings of how technologically advanced aircraft are designed and built to enjoy this video, but given the importance of the subject matter to both Boeing and the flying public, I think this hour-and-a-half video is well worth the time invested in it.

(click pic for hi-res)  CoolPix of the Boeing 787 prototype departing Oshkosh 2011

CoolPix: Looking Back At Shuttle Endeavour (Looking Over Earth)

(click pic for hi-res)  Shuttle Endeavour during one of her 25 missions: 1992-2012

 I could say a lot about the decline of the United States of America since the 1960's... the decline in our accomplishments in the space program, along with the dramatic weakening of our wealth and super-power status. I could also say a lot about the diminished prospects for our future as we continue turn our back (under the influence and manipulation of the government and the mainstream media) on nearly all of the qualities and characteristics that made us stand apart from (and above) the other countries of the world. I could, but I won't. With the game nearly over, what's the point of it now?

 So instead, I'm just taking time to point out something beautiful. While the Space Shuttle Program seems a rather simple achievement compared to Apollo's moon mission, it was still a remarkable human accomplishment. This hi-res NASA image of Shuttle Endeavour during one of her 25 missions (1992-2012) definitely speaks to the wonder and beauty of putting the shuttle into orbit. And, now that I've seen Shuttle Discovery up close and personal at the NASM Udvar-Hazy facility during the recent AirPigz Museum MeetUp, seeing this image of Endeavour has a far greater impact on me.

 I miss the days when the United States of America was sending shuttles into space.

 I, miss America.

CoolPix: Pitts Special As Art! Betty Skelton's 'Little Stinker' At Udvar-Hazy

(click pic for hi-res)  Betty Skelton's Pitts Special on display at the NASM/Udvar-Hazy

 I'm trying to find the time and energy to get a boatload of pix from the recent AirPigz National Air and Space Museum MeetUp posted, but my day job as a ceramic tile installer is more-than-full-time these days... plus I'm trying to develop an all new biz to produce a wildly successful packaged food item so my life as an underpaid ceramic tile installer can come to an abrupt end. That abrupt end is also where my career as a smiling-ear-to-ear aircraft owner is supposed to begin! But the bottom line right now is that there just aren't enough hours in the day.

 Anyway, I have found the time today (early before work and then over my lunch break) to post a CoolPix of a fabulous little airplane that was flown spectacularly by an amazing woman back in the late 40's. Betty Skelton won first place in three consecutive International Feminine Aerobatic Championships in '48, '49 and '50. The airplane in her first championship year was her 1929 Great Lakes, and the last two years were in this exact airplane, the Pitts Special that she had named 'Little Stinker'. However, that winning streak might not be too surprising when you realize that she actually made her first solo flight at age 12 in a 40hp Taylorcraft! Of course that wasn't legal, but it does appear to have been well within her capabilities. This woman was meant to fly, and nothing was going to stop her. When she met Curtiss Pitts and his little Pitts Special in 1948, the airplane had met the woman who would make it famous.

 It's especially interesting to note that this is the second Pitts Special ever built! The airplane is hanging upside down in the entrance to the Udvar-Hazy facility of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly Virginia. It's easy to not take much notice of the airplane as you enter in, but I hope when you get to the Udvar-Hazy (the next time or on your very first time), you'll take some time and really contemplate what that little red and white airplane represents. There's so much amazing history wrapped up in that little package... and it also makes for an awesome piece of classic art!

Betty in N22E, the second Pitts Special ever built by Curtiss Pitts  (photo: NASM)
 

 Betty had a massive amount of experience and opportunity to fly, to race cars, and to do all kinds of amazing things thru the 50's and 60's. Just as impressive as the fact that she had mad skills operating machines that move, Betty also had an incredible ability to remain a classy woman all along the way. She wasn't out to prove anything specific for the woman's movement, she just wanted to fly and to go fast. Rather than use her femininity to force her way or manipulate opportunities, Betty used her excellent skills to open the doors for her. She had a peaceful patience believing that the opportunities for women in flying would come in due time, and of course she was right. Betty Skelton was one amazing human being. She also spent many years in the advertising business working closely with GM, especially on the Corvette. 

 The amazing Betty Skelton passed away at age 85 on August 31, 2011.

 Back in 1999, Betty sat down for almost a 90 minute interview at the time when Eileen Collins was about to become the first female pilot (and first female commander) of the Space Shuttle on STS-93. This interview covers Betty's amazing life and it puts her graceful attitude on beautiful display. Click the video screenshot of Betty below to go to the video interview in the C-SPAN video library.

Click the screenshot to go to the 1999 84 minute C-SPAN interview with Betty Skelton
 

 You can expect more Betty Skelton history to come as I find the time to dig much deeper into the unique life of this very special woman.

CoolPix: 1970's Reno Biplane Racer Sorceress At The Udvar-Hazy Center

(click pic for hi-res)  Over 40 years later, the biplane racer Sorceress still looks hot!

 I returned from the AirPigz NASM MeetUp about noon today after driving back from the Washington DC area... what a fabulous adventure it was meeting up with 15 other avgeeks at the National Air and Space Museum facilities! I hope to post many more photos before long, including the bacon salute at breakfast on Sunday, but for now I'm sharing a hi-res CoolPix of the 1970's era biplane racer known as Sorceress. The aircraft is on display at the Udvar-Hazy NASM facility in Chantilly Virginia. 

 Since I'm tired and preparing for a full week of regular work yet to do, I figure the easiest way to fill you in on this unusual and very interesting aircraft is to point you over to my post; Sorceress: Radical Sport Biplane Racer At Reno 1970 that I put up just over a year ago. I've got three pix in that post that show you how the airplane looked at Reno in !970 along with some history on the design. Be sure to click the pic above to see it hi-res and enjoy!

CoolPix: Space Shuttle Discovery Up Close At The Udvar-Hazy Center

(click pic for hi-res)  The unique textures of the skin on Space Shuttle Discovery 

 The first day of the AirPigz National Air and Space Museum MeetUp was agreat success! 13 people in all gathered today at the Udvar-Hazy Center to enjoy a fabulous collection of great aircraft. It was a great start to three days of avgeekery and friendship that should see several more people join the event as we move into Washington DC to tour the legacy NASM facility on the National Mall tomorrow. It's sure to be another fantastic day!

 I had hoped to have the energy to post several pix from today, but I'm just a bit too tired for that... but I have selected what I think is a very interesting look at one of the star exhibits at the Udvar-Hazy, Space Shuttle Discovery. This CoolPix gives you the opportunity to see the unique textures of the some of the shuttle's outer skin. I was surprised to see that there's A LOT of texture on the surface of the shuttle. Much of the white-colored areas of the orbiter are actually somewhat quilted fibrous silica batting material. I think it's fascinating to see these textures and other details up so close when you click the pic to open it up big.

 It was an incredible experience walking around Discovery and seeing her in such detail up close. Despite her well-used appearance, she is a stunning beauty! The 10 hour drive over here from Indiana was worth it just to be able to stand in the presence of this significant space traveler. I'll be posting more detailed pix later of Discovery, but now it's off to sleep with dreams of seeing the Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St Louis, the Bell X-1 and so much more at the National Mall building tomorrow!

CoolPix: Hughes H-1 Racer (AirPigz NASM MeetUp Starts Tomorrow!)

(click pic for hi-res) 1935 Hughes H-1 racer at the Air and Space Museum (photo:NASM)
 

 The third AirPigz MeetUp starts tomorrow, Friday January 25, and this year we’re meeting up at the National Air and Space Museum! The first two MeetUp’s took place in late January (2011 and 2012) at the Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio, but I’m currently en route via car to the Washington DC area so I can gather with 15 or more avgeeks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the two NASM facilities.

 The legacy NASM facility is located at the National Mall in Washington DC where they have a large collection of some of the world’s most important historic aircraft, including the Hughes H-1 racer shown here in an image from the NASM website that I’ve tweaked a bit and posted as a CoolPix. I saw this airplane nearly 40 years ago when I was a young teen, and while it was impressive to me, my appreciation for what it represents is greater now than ever before. I will stand and stare at this stunning piece of high-performance aviation art for quite some time this Saturday! Btw, here's the post from back in December that gives the overview of the AirPigz NASM MeetUp.

 The more recently opened NASM facility known as the Udvar-Hazy is located about 25 miles west of DC on the edge of Dulles airport in Chantilly Virginia. There is a very large collection of aircraft there also, including the recently positioned Space Shuttle Discovery. There’s no question that this is gonna be one hardcore avgeek meetup!

 Keep watch the next few days as I try to post some great pix that show why you should get to the NASM sometime soon... and why you should consider making the trip to the next AirPigz MeetUp : )

CoolPix: Summer Dreamin' - Rutan Boomerang At Oshkosh 2012

(click pic for hi-res) Unique view of a most unique aircraft: the Rutan Boomerang at OSH12

 The combination of some bitter-cold winter air in my part of the world, along with not-enough-hours-in-the-day (too much day-job work to get done) led me to this unique view of Burt Rutan's Boomerang that I captured at Oshkosh 2012. I needed something quick to post and I wanted it to remind me of warm summer days... wow, this Boomerang pic hits the spot perfectly!

 Burt put this incredibly unique mid 1990's airplane in the hands of Scaled Composites employee Tres Clements who headed up a crew that restored the one-of-a-kind aircraft to airworthy condition in 2011. It was a fabulous treat to see the airplane at OSH11, and it felt like an old friend was back again at OSH12. It does my heart good to see people sitting in the grass using the Boomerang for shade on sunny summer day in Wisconsin. That's just one of the thousands of reasons why Oshkosh is the greatest place on Earth to me.

 You can learn more about the airplane at RutanBoomerang.com - and of course I recommend you click the pic to open up this CoolPix so it fills your screen. A closer look means you'll likely notice the airstair door, the windshield-plug-door for cockpit access (along with the retractable foot step forward of the wing), and the off-center nosewheel... which is not only off-center of the main fuselage but probably isn't really on the airplane's centerline. At least I don't think it is. Truthfully, I'm not sure Burt even knows where the true centerline of the Boomerang is! 

 Anyway, a great pic of an incredible airplane at the world's greatest aviation event : )

CoolPix: Piper Cub Perfection At Oshkosh 2012 (With Desktop Sizes)

(click pic for hi-res)  A J-3P (Lenappe radial engine) and a J-3C at Oshkosh 2012

 I propose a challenge: take any two Cessna 150's and position them however you like and then take your best picture of the two of them together... then put a hi-res version on the internet for the world to see. Will heartbeats quicken? How many people will say 'wow' in their head. How many will say 'wow' out loud? I suspect not very many. I say this not because I dislike the Cessna 150, it's a wildly acceptable little airplane. I say this because airplanes from the past had a passion and a love for flight engineered into them, and it's rare to find that today.

 I think this CoolPix image of the somewhat rare Lenappe radial powered Cub painted black and yellow with the iconic all-yellow Continental A-65 powered Cub in the fuzzy background makes my point. That image borders on art. But it's not almost art because I captured a phenomenal image but because those airplanes are just beautiful to look at. As wildly acceptable as Cessna 150's are, they are not very often described as beautiful to look at.

 I figured a nice avgeek reminder of the warmth of summer, the awesomeness of Oshkosh, and the beauty of the Piper Cub might be a really nice little pick-me-up for anyone experiencing some winter-like weather right now. As we look ahead to 2013 and set our sights on Spring getting back here so we can have more chances to get in the air, I hope this picture will help some of you realize that old-school airplanes like the Cub do more for the heart and soul (and stick and rudder skills) than our modern airplanes do. To push that idea even harder, I've made this image available in four of the most common desktop sizes so you can put it on your computer to help you get thru the winter. Enjoy : )

Two Piper Cubs at Oshkosh 2012 desktop pix:

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For more Cub love, check out airpigz.com/blog/category/cub

CoolPix: Gee Bee R-1 After Winning 1932 Thompson Trophy (+ Desktop Pix & Delmar Video)

(click pic for hi-res) Gee Bee R-1 after Jimmy Doolittle won the 1932 Thompson Trophy

 I'm convinced I should have been born in 1909... that would have made me 23 in 1932, a perfect age to be wowed by Jimmy Doolittle winning the Thompson Trophy race (closed course, 10 laps) in the National Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio. You might not agree, but I think there is something incredibly magical about airplanes made of steel tube and fabric, and powered by loud awesome-sounding radial engines that bleed a lot of oil. Wow, this is real air racing!

 And air racing was a huge spectator sport back in these days. Why would it not be? These airplanes and the people who flew them were like the rocket ships and astronauts of the 60's. Just imagine that by 1932, less then 30 years since the Wright brothers had lifted off the rail at Kitty Hawk, we had aviation pioneers building and racing airplanes that were able to fly at speeds of 300 mph. An interesting side note here is that seaplanes that raced in the Schneider Trophy races passed thru the 300 mph mark somewhat earlier in 1928. It would seem that having a runway of water that is both essentially endless and allows for wind-always-on-the-nose takeoffs and landings allowed these airplanes to be designed for maximum speed in ways that weren't as practical for aircraft operating off the land. As aircraft design progressed and piloting skills increased, the land planes finally took over the speed records again by 1939.

 My quest for more knowledge and accurate history about Golden Age of Air Racing aircraft is just getting started. Fortunately I have several books printed many years ago that chronicle much of what went on back in the 30's, and as I have more time to soak it up, I'll share some interesting details here. But for now you get a really sweet CoolPix of the Gee Bee R-1 being shown off like a race horse after its win with Jimmy Doolittle at the controls with a speed of 252 mpg in the Thompson Trophy race of 1932.

 I've also sized this image for desktop use on your computer in several of the common sizes, and then at the bottom of the page is a really great video of Delmar Benjamin flying his Gee Bee R-2 replica at the 1996 Cleveland National Airshow. (I'm working to gather MUCH more info on Delmar's incredible accomplishments doing low-level aerobatics with his R-2 replica... stay tuned!) Click here to see a pic of the retired replica at the fantasy of Flight museum in Polk City , Florida. 

Gee Bee R-1 1932 Thompson Trophy desktop pix:

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 You might also like these other AirPigz categories:
Reno Air Races
more desktop images

CoolPix: Airbus A350 XWB Roll Out... Well, Sorta

(click pic for hi-res) First flyable Airbus A350 airframe on 12-4-12  (photo: Airbus)

 Well, it wasn't an official roll out, but it was the first time a flight-capable Airbus A350 XWB airframe was structurally all there and looking mostly like an airplane. The airframe labeled 'MSN1' is shown riding on its wheels for the first time on a short trip from the main assembly hall (Station 40) to the indoor ground test station (Station 30) at the recently inaugurated 'Roger Béteille' A350 XWB Final Assembly Line in Toulouse, France.

 The A350 XWB (Extra Wide Body) has had an interesting journey from the point of original concept to what you see here sitting on wheels. Of course every airliner has a rather incredible journey from idea to completed machine, but the early A350 concept was ignored or even put down by potential customers a little more than usual. In the end, Airbus finally agreed that they really needed a full clean-sheet airplane (rather than a hybrid of a mostly A330 fuselage with new wings, tail and engines) to compete with what Boeing had turned into a reality with the 787. I think competition is good... and this time around it sure seems that Boeing's courage to pioneer a composite airframe really set the course for the direction of the industry.

 As an American, I'll freely admit that I'm very pro-Boeing. That doesn't mean I'm anti Airbus, but I do struggle at times to find a warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart for some of the Airbus DNA. So you can imagine I am a bit pleased to see that 2012 looks to be on track to be the first year since 2003 that Boeing will deliver more new airliners to the market than Airbus will. The numbers thru November were: Boeing with 537 and Airbus with 516. And with 787 deliveries ramping up and the the rather amazing increase in 777 production from 7 aircraft per month up to 8.3, 2013 might also see Boeing come out on top.

Illustration of the mostly-composite Airbus A350 XWB in flight  (source: Airbus)

 As an avgeek with a pretty extensive childhood history around the airline industry there's no doubt that seeing the A350 on its gear for the first time is quite exciting. The amount of thought, engineering, and labor required to get a project this far along is simply staggering. You'd have to be crazy not to respect it. And with over 550 orders on the books, the A350 is well on its way to being a successful program. I hope it is successful... I just hope the 787 is even more of a success : )

 With that in mind I thought I'd share a few observations about the A350, as compared to the 787, including some that are rather superficial. The A350 comes in with 53% of its airframe being constructed from composite materials while the Boeing 787 is right at 50%. The number for the 787 might actually go up a little as they are working aggressively to trim the overweight problems of the early production aircraft, and increased use of composite materials might be the key to getting the Dreamliner to hit its original weight targets.

 The A350 has a fuselage designed and built more like an aluminum aircraft with panels of composite material attached to a composite frame. The 787 has the fuselage sections built barrel style (wound around a form) which Boeing suggests reduces fasteners significantly and overall weight. Interestingly, the center fuselage section for the A350 is built by Spirit Aerosystems in Kinston, North Carolina. Spirit also produces the forward fuselage section on the 787 at their Wichita facility.

 The 787 pioneered the shift away from using engine bleed-air to run a number of subsystems and instead has turned to using electrical power, but the A350 is continuing the use of bleed-air. It'll sure be interesting to see how these two methods impact efficiency... as will the overall performance figures for the two aircraft with their significantly different approaches to creating a very efficient airliner. But that comparison is still a way off as the A350 isn't expected to be ready for first flight any earlier than mid year 2013. I think we all know how these first-flight targets go, so I wouldn't hold your breath on that one!

 One other major difference is that the A350 continues with the Airbus side-stick controller while the 787 has a floor mounted center control column. I know there are loads of Airbussers out there that love the side stick, but I have a pretty long list of reasons why I feel the the center control column is vastly superior in the cockpit of an airliner. According to this poll I put up a while back, I'm not the only one: Poll: Airliners, Side Stick Controller Or Center Control Column?

 Lastly, my superficial comparo definitely gives the nod to the 787. There's a grace and beauty in the lines of the Dreamliner that I'm just not seeing in the A350. Maybe that'll change when we see a fully completed airframe (with paint) flying formation with an A380, but somehow I don't think it will. The 787's smooth contour from the nose up thru the windshield, with no deviation in the shape, is truly beautiful. You might be tempted to think the A350 has a similar nose shape but it appears there really is a shape interruption at the windshield. And then those 787 wings, wow - they are truly magnificent, especially with the lack of winglets. Once the A350 is done I'll put a poll up to see which one YOU think looks better : )

 Oh, one more thing: click the pic below to check out an official Airbus 360 panoramic view of the A350 cockpit, including those pesky side-stick controllers : /

Click the pic to check out an Airbus A350 cockpit 360 panoramic view!