777 Freighter

First Flight Preparation and Conduct

Van Chaney, Boeing 777 Deputy Chief PilotPaul Bolds-Moorehead, Boeing 777 Stability & Control Senior Lead Engineer

Flight Test Safety Workshop – EuropeVienna, Austria

12 November, 2009

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…… following Capt. Cashman

14 years later, much is the same

6th generation of 777 Confidence built on past success Not a new airplane Pressure to do less (time, conditions,

money) “Keep it simple”

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Agenda

777F Airplane Description/Background Preparation Activities First Flight Day First Flight Part 2 Subsequent Events Lessons Learned Summary

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Agenda

777F Airplane Description/Background Preparation Activities First Flight Day First Flight Part 2 Subsequent Events Lessons Learned Summary

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777 Freighter First Flight

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777 IntroductionFamily Evolution

535,000-lb TOW74k-84k Thrust

777-2001995

777-200LR2006

766,000-lb TOW110k & 115k Thrust

777-300ER2004

775,000-lb TOW115k Thrust

777-200IGW1997

632,500-lb TOW84k-90k Thrust

777-200ER1998

648,000-lb TOW≤ 90k Thrust

777-200ER2000

656,000-lb TOW≤ 94k Thrust

777-3001998

660,000-lb TOW84k-98k Thrust

777F2009

766,000-lb TOW110k & 115k Thrust

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MTOW 766,800 lb (with revised c.g. envelope)MLW 575,000 lb (a 17% increase)

Addition of Maneuver Load Alleviation (MLA) function in Primary Flight Computers

Summary of Changes: 777-200LR to 777F

No aerodynamic changes

-Same wing

-Same fuselage

-Same empennage

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777F Airplane DescriptionFlight Envelope

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777F Airplane DescriptionGW/CG Envelope

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Maneuver Load Alleviation (MLA)

Purpose: Reduce wing bending loads due to positive maneuver conditions

Function: Symmetrically deflects some lateral control surfaces as a function of normal load factor

Benefit: Forward CG expansion without additional structure Application:

777F unique to-date.

777F Airplane DescriptionManeuver Load Alleviation

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777F Airplane DescriptionMLA Details

Design Intent:a) Handling Qualities unchanged during normal maneuversb) Handling Quality changes during elevated “g” maneuvers to be imperceptible

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Agenda

777F Airplane Description/Background Preparation Activities First Flight Day First Flight Part 2 Subsequent Events Lessons Learned Summary

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777F First Flight Preparation

Predicted Flight Characteristics document Very thorough, rigorous evaluation of many different maneuvers

and characteristics Mapped across entire flight envelope Less breadth than for a new airplane

Pilot training in engineering simulator Procedure review/modification Flight condition reasonableness/attainability Familiarization with handling Crew Resource Management development Establish or refine abort/safety criteria

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777F First Flight Preparation (cont’d)

Control law issues MLA/HOSP interaction

(HOSP = Hardened Overspeed Protection)

First flight dry run Simulator used with most test participants Treated as actual flight

Ground testing System specific component tests “Gauntlet”

Flight test tools in use at BCA Engineering CAB / Fixed Based Simulator Flight Emulation Test System (FETS) LabVIEW Airplane Display System (LADS) Airborne Data Acquisition & Monitoring System (ADAMS)

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777F First Flight Preparation (cont’d)

Developed Contingency Plans Plan A:

Full first flight profile with a landing at Boeing Field test center Plan B:

In case of telemetry failure or other mechanical problems only do low and med risk test conditions (no high risk) return landing at origination base (Paine Field

manufacturing center) Added a temporary limitation to prevent activation of MLA

function turned out to be very wise as we essentially chose the time

and place to do battle with any “discoveries”

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Agenda

777F Airplane Description/Background Preparation Activities First Flight Day First Flight Part 2 Subsequent Events Lessons Learned Summary

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777F First Flight Day

14 July, 2008 At the airplane

Final prep activities Taxi testing

Telemetry (control) room activities Anticipating reception of telemetry data

Successes Airplane flew exactly as predicted (simulator) and the same

as the parent model (777-200LR pax airplane) Failures or “Opportunities”

Telemetry failure – followed “Plan B”, e.g. aborted and returned to origination field (PAE)

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Agenda

777F Airplane Description/Background Preparation Activities First Flight Day First Flight Part 2 Subsequent Events Lessons Learned Summary

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777F First Flight – Part Two

16 July, 2008

Completed what had been planned for first flight profile

Telemetry repeater van local for this test attempt

Arrived at primary Boeing test facility (Boeing Field, Seattle)

(originally planned for completion of first flight)

Planned layup and inspections followed

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Agenda

777F Airplane Description/Background Preparation Activities First Flight Day First Flight Part 2 Subsequent Events Lessons Learned Summary

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777F Aileron Vibration

Major discovery on third flight:

Significant aileron vibration present with MLA function active

Occurs at 1.8-2.0 g with a specific aileron deflection

Could have encountered on first flight without TM had the limitation not been present

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Aileron vibration discovery flights

Flutter-type testing 2 altitudes and increasing Mach numbers

Manual controller “kicks” Elevator frequency sweeps Roller Coasters and “kicks” in turns (elevated g)

Aileron vibration occurred with trailing edge up deflections of ailerons. Ailerons had never been used previously at these speeds due to aileron

lock-out function. With additional MLA g bias applied (e.g.- PFC thinks it’s under a 1.8 G

load): column kicks, shallow bank turns exhibited vibration Without MLA g bias: 60 deg bank turns and roller coaster maneuvers

to higher g levels showed vibration

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Aileron Vibration Details

Pilot comments on Aileron Vibration: “Alarming.” “Feels like driving over a washboard road.” “Feels like something is going to come off.” “Distracting and you naturally want to unload and slow down”

Causal factor unknown. Potential contributing factors include:

1. Aileron deflection angle for vibration corresponds to approximately zero hinge moment

2. A “scoop” is created between the mass balance tower and the lower surface of the wing when the aileron is deflected

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Aileron Vibration Video

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Aileron Vibration Data

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Aileron Vibration Mapping

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777 Outboard Aileron Balance Tower

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Aileron Vibe - Potential remedies

Aerodynamic modifications External wing treatments Aerodynamic sealing Internal flow diversion

Flight control software modifications Change to basic MLA aileron travel schedule Addition of aileron “No-Dwell zone” function

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Re-test flights : MLA Aileron “No Dwell” Zone

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Agenda

777F Airplane Description/Background Preparation Activities First Flight Day First Flight Part 2 Lessons Learned Summary

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777F Lessons Learned

Thorough checkout of ALL systems for the test program is crucial Although telemetry is not a flight critical system, it is necessary for test success

Past success doesn’t guarantee future success

Fly-By-Wire airplane control laws present opportunities to remedy issues such as this

Team approach to problem solving is required Especially when pilot opinion and engineering data differ

The “right thing” will still prevail once thorough communication occurs

Important to capture lessons learned on specific technical “discoveries” to share between programs

Pilot distraction needs to be considered as certification issue

Contingency planning (“Plan B”) is a necessary step

Envelope expansion for new functionality (MLA limitation) is required

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Agenda

777F Airplane Description/Background Preparation Activities First Flight Day First Flight Part 2 Subsequent Events Lessons Learned Summary

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Summary

Never assume that a test program will escape problems, no matter how seemingly “minor” the effort is !

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Questions?

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