Boeing

Boeing-led test successfully intercepts target missile

By Darren Quick

07:18 October 4, 2007 PDT

October 4, 2007 The Boeing Company, working with industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, has successfully completed a missile defense flight test resulting in the intercept of a target warhead to demonstrate the capability and reliability of the nation's only defense against long-range ballistic missiles. Read More

Airborne Laser project achieves development milestones

By Shaun McKeegan

01:28 September 5, 2007 PDT

September 5, 2007 Successful testing of an aircraft mounted laser weapon system has been carried out by the US missile defense agency and industry partnership team at Edwards Air Force base in California. The Airborne Laser (ABL) team has demonstrated the ability to point and focus the Lockheed Martin developed Beam control/Fire control system on an airborne target. Read More

Hypersonic civil aviation: Sydney to Brussels in four hours

By Shaun McKeegan

15:06 August 29, 2007 PDT

August 30, 2007 Imagine long-distance air-travel that could get you to the other side of the globe in less than a quarter of the time it presently takes? Researchers from Reaction Engines, a company created for design and development of advanced space transport and propulsion systems, are investigating the possibility of hypersonic civil transport in a three year study to examine the feasibility of reducing long-distance flights (e.g. from Brussels to Sydney) to less than 4 hours. Read More

Boeing wins construction bid for Ares I

By Emily Clark

23:32 August 28, 2007 PDT

August 29, 2007 Boeing has been awarded a lucrative contract worth more than $500 million to create part of a new NASA crew launch vehicle for Ares I, the rocket set to succeed the space shuttle as NASA’s primary vehicle for human exploration in the next decade. Boeing Space Exploration will manufacture a key element which will provide navigation, guidance, control and propulsion required for the ascent of the second-stage Ares I rocket into low-Earth orbit. Read More

Boeing site delivers 3,000th widebody airplane

By Emily Clark

18:40 August 27, 2007 PDT

August 28, 2007 Airplane manufacturing giant Boeing has announced the completion of its 3,000th aircraft built its Everett site in Washington. Coincidently, the factory is also celebrating 40 years in operation this year. The widebody 777-200ER (Extended Range) model was delivered to Korean Air and joins the a worldwide fleet of Boeing 747, 767 and 777 airplanes that have flown more than 34.5 million flights across 71 billion nautical miles. Read More

New Chinook unveiled at Fort Campbell

By Noel McKeegan

23:40 August 20, 2007 PDT

August 21, 2007 Aviation history was made at Fort Campbell recently as a newly designed CH-47 Chinook helicopter was officially ushered into operation. Allowing greater capability and Soldier safety, the new $30 million bird was turned over to Company B, 7th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade. Read More

Boeing's CH-47F Chinook helicopter fielded to first U.S. Army Unit

By Noel McKeegan

00:40 August 16, 2007 PDT

Aug 16, 2007 Boeing has announced that its new CH-47F Chinook helicopter has been certified combat-ready by the U.S. Army and fielded to the first operational unit. Since being first unveiled in mid 2006, the new Chinook has successfully completed 60 rigorous flight test hours including simulated mission scenarios. Read More

Aeroscraft ML866: the ultimate corporate aircraft

By Gizmag Team

05:15 August 7, 2007 PDT

The trend towards radical new aircraft designs aimed at achieving new levels of efficiency and operational capability beyond anything currently gracing our skies is on the rise. Recently Gizmag examined Boeing’s Blended-Wing Body (BWB) and now Aeros have announced the new Aeroscraft ML866 aircraft which utilizes a combination of buoyant and dynamic lift to create usage possibilities that far outstrip currently available aircraft platforms. The ML866 can be utilized as a private air yacht, corporate air vehicle, business office in the sky, or commercial commuter, providing its passengers with far more space than any existing business jet. Read More

Blended-Wing Boeing completes first test flight

By Loz Blain

July 30, 2007 The traditional airplane shape is well tried and tested, but manufacturers like Boeing are moving beyond the "tube with wings and a tail" design in the push to improve fuel economy and the environmental impact for the next generation of jets. Inspired by "flying wing" designs from earlier decades like 1988's B-2 Stealth bomber, the company has been collaborating with NASA to test the viability of a Blended Wing Body (BWB) aircraft, using a flat, wide body that tapers out to thin wing-tips and aims to strike an effective middle ground between the tube and flying wing designs. A BWB design allows the entire body of the plane to generate lift and reduces drag in comparison to a tube-shaped fuselage - both of which are key factors in reducing fuel usage. The BWB design also provides a much greater cargo and passenger capacity - making it particularly attractive to the military. After months of development, ground testing and wind-tunnel testing, Boeing flew its first BWB prototype last week with the 8.5 per cent scale, 500-pound X-48B aircraft reaching 7500 feet before a successful landing under remote control. Read More

Boeing debut 787 Dreamliner

By Noel McKeegan

July 9, 2007 After a six year development involving 70 companies Boeing has premiered its 787 Dreamliner with of one of the largest corporate TV and Internet broadcasts in history. An estimated 15,000 people attended the hour long ceremony at the company’s final assembly facility in Everett, Washington, which coincided with a webcast and live broadcast in nine different languages to more than 45 countries. The newest addition to the Boeing family will have quieter takeoffs and landings, produce fewer carbon emissions and use 20 percent less fuel per passenger than similar aircraft. Read More

Boeing demonstrates simultaneous control of multiple UAVs

By Noel McKeegan

June 28, 2007 Boeing has successfully demonstrated the simultaneous command and control of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by a single operator. The demonstration at Boeing's Boardman test range utilized advanced autonomous control software, three ScanEagle aircraft and an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) console. Already an effective and proven weapon in the field, this next-generation of UAVs this will see future battlefields transformed by large numbers of unmanned craft that can operate through a central control point as well as having the ability to self-organize and make decisions independently. Read More

Boeing Wedgetail moves into flight testing

By Loz Blain

June 14, 2007 Despite expensive project delays, Boeing have commenced flight testing of Project Wedgetail, a specially modified 737 aircraft that will provide state-of-the-art airborne battle management and surveillance capabilities to the Australian armed forces. Featuring Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar, an expanded passive surveillance system and a highly effective self-defense capability, the aircraft will form a key part of Australia's defense strategy. Read More

Fuselage sections for 787 Dreamliner delivered in Large Cargo Freighter

By Mike Hanlon

May 12, 2007 The 787 Dreamliner is the fastest-selling airplane in aviation history, with firm orders for 567 airplanes from 44 airlines. Perhaps even more intriguingly, it required a complete redesign of an existing plane to create the Large Cargo Freighter just to carry the parts in from suppliers so that its advanced construction technique could be implemented. We’ve covered the story from conception to now (here, here and here), the point where the first of the large composite fuselage sections have begun arriving at Boeing’s Everett plant for assembly.The all-composite forward section, known as section 41 and shown here wrapped in white, is manufactured by Spirit AeroSystems at its facility in Kansas. The complex structure is 21 feet in diameter and 42 feet long. Its landing gear is installed. Read More

The SUGV Early – Boeing and iRobot join forces to create the next generation Reconnaissance Robot for military, civil and commercial Use

By Mike Hanlon

April 24, 2007 The remarkable success of robots in Iraq and Afghanistan is now well documented. UAVs have proven invaluable at every level and robotic ground systems, primarily iRobot’s Packbot, have performed tens of thousands of missions and saved countless lives from the dreaded Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The PackBot is used daily in war zones to disarm IEDs and search buildings, caves and tunnels. Now, the Boeing and iRobot are to combine knowledge to build a next generation of the robotic military ground platform. The SUGV Early will be a smaller, lighter version of the PackBot, and will provide military, civil and commercial users with unprecedented reconnaissance and secure, real-time intelligence capabilities. Read More

Boeing working on Fuel Cell Airplane

By Mike Hanlon

March 28, 2007 With all the effort we are witnessing in developing environmentally progressive technologies for automotive applications, it’s great to see that Boeing researchers and industry partners throughout Europe are planning to conduct experimental flight tests this year of a manned airplane powered only by a fuel cell and lightweight batteries. The systems integration phase of the Boeing Research and Technology Europe (BR&TE) Fuel Cell Demonstrator Airplane research project was completed recently and thorough systems integration testing is now under way in preparation for upcoming ground and flight testing. The Boeing demonstrator uses a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell/lithium-ion battery hybrid system to power an electric motor, which is coupled to a conventional propeller. The fuel cell provides all power for the cruise phase of flight. During takeoff and climb, the flight segment that requires the most power, the system draws on lightweight lithium-ion batteries. Read More

Boeing Dreamlifter Delivers First Assemblies for 787 Dreamliner

By Mike Hanlon

January 17, 2007 Given that we’ve been reporting on Boeing’s swing-tail Large Cargo Freighter known as the Dreamlifter since the project began (here, here, and here), we’re pleased to announce that Boeing yesterday delivered the first major assemblies for the all-new 787 Dreamliner to its partner Global Aeronautica, completing the first-ever delivery cycle using the Dreamlifter, a specially modified 747-400. Read More

Boeing begins using Moving Assembly Line for 777 Jetliners

By Mike Hanlon

November 14, 2006 The moving production line concept was around for more than a century before Henry Ford famously used it to speed output and cut costs and hence transform the automotive industry a century ago. So do we now know all there is to know about manufacturing efficiency? Not by a long shot! The Boeing Company has just started using a moving assembly line for the first time to build its market-leading 777 jetliner. Earlier this year, Boeing began work to transform its 777 assembly line into a leaner and more efficient production system. This initial use of a moving line during final assembly represents substantial progress with that transformation effort. Assembled one-by-one, it takes 26 days to assemble the 777’s three million constituent parts, but with a moving production line, the aim is to cut that time to just eight days. For now, the moving assembly line is used only during final assembly positions for the airplane, moving it at a steady pace of 1.6 inches per minute during production. Read More

Inside the 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF)

By Mike Hanlon

September 16, 2006 Believe it or not, this is the inside of an aircraft – not just any aircaraft mind you, but the 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF), the first of three specially modified 747-400 passenger jets that will be used to transport the large composite sections and wings of the all-new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The new aircraft touched down at Seattle's Boeing Field at 8:08 a.m. PDT on September 16, ending a non-stop, 13-hour, 17-minute flight from Taiwan. Previous reports and images here. The LCF is a key element of the lean, global production system that is critical to the 787's success. Flying the large components reduces shipping time to as little as one day from as many as 30. Read More

Boeing 747 swing-tail LCF first flight

By Mike Hanlon

September 10, 2006 The Boeing 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter took to the skies for the first time yesterday, initiating the flight test program that will culminate in U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. The two-hour, four-minute flight was the first of 250 expected flight test hours for the unique freighter, a specially modified 747-400 that has been created with the sole intention of transporting major composite structures of the all-new 787 Dreamliner. The enormous 747-400 LCF has an enlarged upper fuselage that can accommodate three times the cargo by volume 65,000 cubic feet (1,845 cu m) of a standard 747-400 freighter. Moving major 787 assemblies by air to the 787s Everett, Wash. final assembly facility could save 20 to 40 percent compared to traditional shipping methods, and reduce delivery times to as little as one day from as many as 30 today. Such savings will allow Boeing to recoup its initial investment in the 747s during the first few years of 787 production. Read More

Air New Zealand to be first with Boeing 787-9

By Mike Hanlon

May 12, 2006 Air New Zealand will be the first airline in the world to fly the new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in December 2010. The 787-9 has exceptional fuel efficiency and economics, and will offer the economics of large jet transports to the middle of the market, using 20 percent less fuel than any other airplane of its size. Capable of carrying 290 passengers on routes up to 16,300 kilometres, the 787-9 is a slightly bigger version of the 787-8 and has a list price of US$183 million. The super-efficient 787-9 has an innovative new interior environment with higher humidity, wider seats and aisles, and larger windows. Read More

Boeing Phantom Works to lead research on X-48B Blended Wing Body Concept

By Mike Hanlon

May 05, 2006 In cooperation with NASA and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, the Phantom Works organization of Boeing is taking another step toward exploring and validating the structural, aerodynamic and operational advantages of a futuristic aircraft design called the blended wing body, or BWB. A more fuel-efficient blended-wing body looks different than most airplanes, as it has a modified triangular-shaped wing. Two high-fidelity, 21-foot wingspan prototypes of the BWB concept have been designed and produced for wind tunnel and flight testing this year. The Air Force has designated the vehicles as the X-48B, based on its interest in the design's potential as a flexible, long-range, high-capacity military aircraft. Read More

Boeing Apache demonstrates UAV Control

By Mike Hanlon

April 13, 2006 It hardly seems fair really. As if the AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter isn’t scarey enough on its own, it has now demonstrated the ability to control an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) weapon payload. Boeing demonstrated the capability recently at its Mesa, Arizona, facility, home of both Apache helicopter production and the company's Unmanned Little Bird (ULB) UAV technology demonstrator used in the milestone test. During the test, the Apache Longbow, the AMUST-D aircraft, took control and commanded multiple payloads on the unmanned aircraft, an A/MH-6 derivative in development by Boeing known as Unmanned Little Bird. The Apache was on the ground during this engineering phase of remote weapons control while the ULB was several miles away. Read More

Boeing delivers first JTRS Cluster 1 Radios for Future Combat Systems Program

By Mike Hanlon

February 1, 2006 Boeing and teammates BAE Systems, Rockwell Collins and Northrop Grumman have delivered the first seven Joint Tactical Radio System Cluster 1 (JTRS C1) radios, as scheduled, to the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program. Additional units will be delivered to the FCS program in increments, to bring the total number of radios to 50 by late (Northern Hemisphere) summer. The software-defined radios will now undergo integration by the FCS program at several sites across the country and ultimately bring Internet-like capabilities to the nation's warfighters while they're on the move. The Cluster 1 radios are designed to provide networking capabilities to the battlefield. They provide the warfighter with new, secure capabilities, which include the transmission/receipt of real-time information -- both voice and text, the ability to stream live video and audio, draw and share maps, conduct Net-Meetings and use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Read More

Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner to break long distance record

By Mike Hanlon

November 9, 2005 Boeing is set to make aviation history today when a Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner takes off from Hong Kong flying eastbound to London, attempting to set a world distance record. The 777-200LR (Longer Range) will take off with a full load of fuel and 35 passengers and crew, flying nonstop on a route that is likely to exceed a distance of more than halfway around the world. Apart from meaning the 777-200LR is now capable of connecting any two cities non-stop, it will fly farther than any previous commercial jetliner and will surpass two notable current distance records. For an airplane its size and class, it will break the record set by a 747-400 in 1989 that flew 9,200 nautical miles (17,039 km) non-stop from London to Sydney. Also, it is expected to exceed the distance travelled by a 777-200ER (Extended Range) that flew 10,823 nautical miles (20,044 km) from Seattle to Kuala Lumpur in 1997, setting a speed and distance record. Read More

Boeing Starts F/A-18F Aft Seat Testing of Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System

By Mike Hanlon

November 4, 2005 Boeing is conducting flight tests with a view to integrating its Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) into the aft cockpits of the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18F Super Hornet. The testing marks the first time both the pilot and weapon systems officer have used the helmet in an F/A-18F and brings the Navy closer to providing aircrews with a significant increase in situation awareness and combat effectiveness. First used in Operation Iraqi Freedom, JHMCS gives flight crewmembers the ability to rapidly acquire and designate a target simply by looking at it. By putting an aiming cross, which is projected on the helmet visor, over the desired target and pressing a button, the pilot can quickly and easily aim weapons and sensors to designate and attack airborne or ground targets. JHMCS also displays aircraft altitude, airspeed, gravitational pull and angle of attack on the visor, as well as tactical information, to increase the crew member's awareness of the state of the aircraft and the combat situation. Read More