Speed Taxi

Boeing completes 787 Dreamliner high-speed taxi test

EVERETT, Wash., December 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) today conducted high-speed taxi testing on the first 787 Dreamliner. It is the last in a long line of function testing scheduled to prepare for the maiden voyage. "Mike Delaney, VP and CEO of the 787, said, "Our pilot said to me that the aircraft worked very well.

"We' re going through the files and analysing them to make sure we're set for our first mission. Throughout the test, the aircraft achieved a top speed of approximately 130 kn (150 mbph, 240 km/h) and the pilot raised the bow landing gear from the asphalt. Audio clips of the taxi tests will be available on www.boeing.com and www.newairplane.com. by the end of Monday.

The taxi test is the last test scheduled before the first flights.

CLOCK: The " largest airplane of the world " completes the first Low speed taxi test.

Said the firm that all the goals of this test had been reached and the plane was able to run down the airstrip at 25Kt. Seatolaunch is running on six Pratt & Whitney turbofans. Said Composites said it had been working with SSC for five years to develop, build and test the airplane.

First motor races took place in September. SSC has since said that the crew has conducted a string of powerplant testing at the new Stratolaunch Mission Control Centre (MCC), based at Mojave Air & Space Port. Finally, the centre will serve as a turntable for the plane and for take-off operation.

As soon as the slow taxi test is complete, SSC said it will begin the next stage of taxi test. These also include higher velocities.

Velocity Taxi Test

It was the first airplane to run down the airport's take-off and landing runways under its own steam, using all six Pratt & Whitney turboprop units. A number of different monitoring devices, among them steer, brakes, anti-skid and Telemetry, were supervised by our soil crew. It is our pleasure to inform you that all the goals of this test have been reached - right down to the plane that travels down the airstrip at 25 kn (28 mph).

"This was another thrilling landmark for our entire staff and our programme. We were able to show our crews how to steer the ship in the direction of the bow, and our braking system was successfully used on the runways. The first Low Speed Taxitest is a very important move towards our first flying. MCC will serve as a turntable for communication test and will ultimately be the centre of our planes and take-offs.

As soon as we have finished the slow taxi test we will start with the next stage of the taxi test which will involve higher speed.