Boeing 787 ZA005 completed low-speed taxi test at Paine Field (KPAE) earlier today. Still from Future of Flight Video
Today, the fifth Boeing 787 Dreamliner (ZA005) had a successful taxi test and Sandy with the Future of Flightgot some great video and the Everett Herald posted a nice photo. Tomorrow ZA005 is still on schedule to take off for the first time (wait, why does ZA005 matter, you ask?). Of course this means all the data from the taxi tests come back good and the weather will be cooperating.
I asked Boeing if they have any comments on the taxi tests and the first flight, but I was told they are not providing any details until ZA005 lands. I always like having something to look forward to!
This week I have been playing with streaming video via my iPhone and it has gone pretty well. I am going to provide a live stream of ZA005 activities and its take off.
Early tomorrow, I will be heading over to the Future of Flight with other media types to get ready for the first flight. I will post a blog where you can watch the streaming video and will do updates via Twitter. Make sure to be following #ZA005 (don’t worry if that makes no sense to you – want to learn?).
Even with the live feed, I will be taking HD video and photos. I plan to have them up by the afternoon, along with links to other video and photos taken.
Feeling the most prepared for this flight, I find it odd that my first “First Flight” experience with the Boeing 787 ZA001 and I have been learning a bit more each time. By the time the 17th Boeing 787 takes off (and not many people care) I will be a pro.
Here are six amazing photos of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 40C flying together. When I first saw these photos I thought they were too amazing to be real. However I did confirm with Boeing that they are very much real.
From the owner’s of the Boeing 40C, “The Pemberton Family wants to thank the visionaries at The Boeing Company for their support in making some history this past Saturday. Boeing test pilot Mike Carriker flew Dreamliner serial number 001, the newest Boeing commercial aircraft, for some formation flyby shots with the Pemberton’s Model 40, the oldest flying Boeing commercial aircraft. The flights were just west of Mt. Rainier, Washington.”
It is amazing to see Boeing’s oldest flying aircraft with their newest. A true enthusiast can’t help but get goosebumps seeing these photos!
This is the fourth Boeing 787 made (notated by ZA004), but only the third one to fly. The third aircraft (ZA003) is the one I was able to tour the interior previously and Boeing will be flying it shortly. Today the fourth one got to spread its wings early, taking off from Paine Field.
ZA001 Boeing 787 Dreamliner during taxi tests on 12/12/09
This morning I have the wonderful opportunity to check out the inside of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. There will be a few of us there on Twitter putting up live pictures. To follow live check out #787cabin and @AirlineReporter. I will update my blog as the day goes along. If you have been curious about Twitter, this is your excuse to dive in 🙂 — you don’t need an account to watch.
Above is video I took of the Boeing 787 going nose up on a taxi test. If you have sound you can hear those amazing thrust reversers in action. I was only there for about 30min, but I was there during the best 30 minutes. We had a great view off the Future of Flight’s Strato Deck. This aircraft looks amazing moving and she looks like she wants to take to the sky. Between each pass, “street” sweepers would come on the runway and clean it off. There were dozens of Boeing workers near the runway in bright yellow vests. It was surreal seeing a Boeing 737 doing touch and goes and watching other private planes land while the Boeing 787 wait to get onto the runway. I wanted to see more, but it was ending as a storm front was heading in, which was good. It was only about 30 degrees outside, but a gorgeous day to see a gorgeous plane!
