Today, the Boeing 747-8 is completing it taxi tests. I was able to get a few videos of the airplane in action. The video above is the Boeing 747-8 doing 60kt tests with no problems. Below are other videos I shot today:
Boeing 747-8 #1 out on the taxi way at Paine Field at 1:15pm today
Very shortly I am off to the Future of Flight to watch the Boeing 747-8 complete its taxi testing. This test is a great sign that the 747-8 is on her way to make her first flight on Monday. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner completed similar taxi testing just days before her first flight.
I will be updating this post with pictures and video as I collect them this morning. Also be sure to follow #7478TT on Twitter since there will be quite a few Twitter followers covering this event.
UPDATE 10:10am: Boeing 747-8 is still sitting still, no strobes, no engine start up yet.
UPDATE 10:45am: Strobes came on for a few minutes, then back off. Been entertained with two Boeing 777’s land, and now a Boeing 757 taking off. Updated my photos.
Boeing 747-8 engine smoke from the start up, partly blocked by a new Boeing 777
UPDATE 11:30am: Still nothing new. Strobes are still off, stairs are still at the doors. No word on what is causing the delay yet.
UPDATE 11:45am: Word is estimating engine start at around noon for the Boeing 747-8
UPDATE 12:30pm: Reports that the door is closed and stairs pulled away. Still no strobes or engine start yet.
UPDATE 1:00pm: The Boeing 747-8 has been pulled back and engines 3 & 4 have been started.
UPDATE 1:15pm: She is out on the taxi way now. Uploaded a bunch more pics of her coming out to the taxi way on my flickr (I haven’t edited or checked them, just putting them up for now)
UPDATE 4:00pm: During the last high speed test, it appeared the plane pulled to the right. Possible brake lock-up? After that it taxied back to its parking spot. Working on getting video up.
Turbine Beaver ready to fly on Lake Union just north of Downtown Seattle
Those of you who live in the Seattle area got quite the treat on Tuesday. Almost to 60 degrees and sunny (not your typical February 2nd kind of weather). It was a perfect day to take a scenic seaplane ride over Seattle in a Turbine Beaver with Kenmore Air.
Mary Kirby, who writes the awesome Runway Girl blog, was in town for the Boeing 787 interior tour and we both got the opportunity to tour the city from above and it was an awesome trip. We were both excited about being able to fly on a seaplane, “There is something about a seaplane that makes me giddy,” Kirby told me after the trip.
About half way through we noticed a familiar looking plane in the sky, one with unique wings. It was ZA002, the second Boeing 787 above Seattle. Luckily the pilot is an aviation fan as well (how could a pilot not be?) and he turned the plane so we could all get a better look. Unfortunately my camera wouldn’t focus on the Boeing 787, but I did get a few blurry shots. “Seeing the Dreamliner from a seaplane might be one of the very best vantage points in the world. In short, I was in heaven,” Kirby told me when asked how she felt about seeing the Dreamliner flying for the first time.
Seeing the Space Needle from the air is always amazing
It is amazing to see Seattle from the sky. The town is really beautiful and seeing her from the air gives a unique perspective. Sure I see Seattle flying in and out of the airport quite a bit, but it is a different experience being in a smaller plane.
Manchester Airport: A great place to live for a year!
Meet Anthropologist Dr Damian O’Doherty. He wants to live in an airport for a year. This isn’t some publicity stunt nor is he in love with the Tom Hank’s movie The Terminal. Dr. O’Doherty is doing this in the name of science!
He will be spending up to 18hrs per day, for 12 months living in the airport, observing how fliers use the airport. The government-funded research will take place at Manchester Airport. The goal is to make airports a better place for people to spend their time when they are forced to be in one.
Dr. O’Doherty said, “Some people live in airports and 30,000 feet in the air. They commute from place to place, have business meetings in an airport hotel and then fly off somewhere else. I call them the ‘kinetic elite’ – always on the go.”
He has been researching airports for five years and feels living in one for a year is the best way to really see how airport life works. Even though he spends all day and part of the night at the airport, he still makes it home to his family every night.
There has been so much excitement about seeing the first Boeing 787 take off and even the second. Now it is time for the third Dreamliner to get some attention. This morning I was invited to see the third Boeing 787 Dreamliner up close and personal. Besides Boeing staff and a few guest airlines, this was the first time outsiders have been allowed to see what’s so special on the inside. Boeing has never invited media on a test plane like this before and they made it clear that this was a still a testbed and wasn’t the final product.
Passengers are able to tint the windows using the button below them. This is a middle level tint.
It was exciting walking up the stairs of the third Dreamliner. The first thing I noticed when walking in was space. Yes, many of the seats were missing, but it seemed tall and roomy. I was quick to move over to the windows and try the electronic dimmers. Instead of shades, you are able to push a button and dim the window from clear to very dark. This is something that will likely entertain children (and aviation nerds) for a few hours on a flight. Getting up to see the flight deck was awesome. The display screens were much larger than I thought and the heads up display was an exciting addition. They even had a 787 Dreamliner emblem on the ceiling, which was a nice touch.
Notice how little room the overhead bins take. The white lighting can be programmed with different color options.
This Boeing 787 test plane only had a few economy seats for us to preview, no Business or First class ones. Boeing will provide a catalog of seats for airlines to choose from. Airlines must choose out of the Boeing catalog for economy seats, but do not for Business Class.
Most of the plane was lit in white, although the front had a nice blue glow to it. Boeing will suggest to airlines that they have the lights on blue when passengers load, since studies show it gives the feeling of space . They also suggest airlines go brighter for meal services, since food looks better when well lit (not sure if peanuts do though).
In the front and rear of the aircraft are crew bunk areas. The bunk areas are located above in the ceiling and have some narrow stairs to get access. They make me think of summer camp, but they at least provide an area away from the passengers where the crew can rest.
It was amazing being able to get so close to this Dreamliner. She looked great in her Boeing "light" livery.
One surprisingly neat part of the Boeing 787 was the lavatories. If you wave your hand in front of the sensor, they will flush and the seat will close. They also have a very spacious feel with the ability to customize the lighting.
The Dreamliner is an amazing aircraft. Even non-aviation nerds should feel a stark difference flying on this aircraft versus others. I think most people were impressed even with this pre-production model. I can’t wait to see her fully decked out.
