The folks at Boeing Test & Evaluation have really outdone themselves this time. After coming up with a creative flight plan that basically painted a huge 747 over the U.S. last August, the team decided the Dreamliner should get its own “etch a sketch”.
During a flight that started Thursday afternoon and ended this morning at 8:45am Seattle time, they not only drew a 787 on the map— they also added a Boeing logo!
Image from Flight Aware.
This wasn’t a joy ride. It was an 18 hour Maximum ETOPS (Extended Operations) Duration flight test for a 787-8 with GE engines. Our team coordinated with the many air traffic control centers, choosing the routing to avoid restricted airspace. In the end, the flight covered over 9,000 nautical miles— all of it captured by our friends at Flight Aware.
Congratulations to the team on a successful flight test, and for giving all of us aviation geeks something to smile about.
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Comments (30)
Awesome job Boeing 787-8 for 18 hours and 9000 nm of fun :-)
Posted on February 10, 2012 09:11
Incredibly cool Boeing. It is amazing that something like that can be coordinated. Bravo!!!
Posted on February 10, 2012 09:31
What was the loading configuration?
What was the fuel weight fraction at takeoff?
Nicely done!
Posted on February 10, 2012 10:03
It may not be me but I'm hoping my almost-7-yr-old son will be a captain of this amazing aircraft sometime in the future. I took him to Seattle when he was 3yrs old to the future of flight tour and bought him the future pilot 787 Dreamliner tshirt. Great job on making this a reality.
Posted on February 10, 2012 11:27
How about the next a creative flight plan.
"If it aint Boeing, I'm not going" :)
Posted on February 10, 2012 11:48
After creating marks in aviation, now B787 created map mark. Awesome job. Wan't to fly this bird soon... :)
Posted on February 10, 2012 11:50
the success of the test means that the plane is ready for business or let say ready for delivery for commercial flights. It only means that the assembly line did their job well without any problem arises during the 18hr flight. So good job and keep it up.
Posted on February 10, 2012 11:59
When the co-pilot took the clearence from ATC do you think they gave him "cleared as filed"?
Posted on February 10, 2012 13:48
super fun! can't wait to spend my B-Day (7.12) at museum of Flight before husband's nephew's wedding. Go Boeing and Washington State!
Posted on February 10, 2012 16:15
This is simply amazing. Boeing is becoming more than just a reliable, dependable, but stodgy and serious sort of company. You guys are learning to deliver -- and with a sense of fun!
I cannot imagine how your guys pulled this piece of artwork off. But this is something "aviation geeks" will remember and talk about for a long long time to come. Congrats Randy, you run an amaaaazing ship! And congrats to the team that achieved this feat. You make us Seattle folks proud!
Posted on February 10, 2012 19:40
Great going everyone at the 787 project, i am sure this innovative idea will take Boeing miles ahead in the minds of people as far as reliability and coordination is concerned. Keep up the good work , looking forward to seeing the 78 in India soon...
Posted on February 10, 2012 22:49
This is very cool. Congratulations.
Posted on February 10, 2012 23:58
Awesome. Great coordination, great effort. Congrats to the team 787. Look forward to flying on one.
Posted on February 11, 2012 01:04
Great job Boeing team.. made what would have been an ordinary, boring, test-flight (or at least a long one) into something fun and extraordinary. This is exactly what the 787 Dreamliner has done to the world of commercial aviation! :)
Eagerly waiting to fly on one.
Posted on February 11, 2012 01:43
Amazing !!!
I am the very proud mother of the captain on this testflight.
Incredible - 35 years ago I taught him how to use a bicycle in Denmark, where he is born . and now this.
Congratulations to the smart and very clever team.
Posted on February 11, 2012 10:13
I'm visiting Seattle and my sister just showed this spectacular event on the net. What I understand is that the event was not for public consumption but an in-house flight test operation. Some bloggers and flight trackers noticed the strange route this plane was taking and it was they who showed the world's biggest logo to us. That makes it even more spectacular. This is the kind of thing that warms our hearts and makes us love the Dreamliner (and Boeing) all the more. My compliments to Boeing. We love to see the human side of one of America's most precious companies.
Posted on February 11, 2012 12:16
That's incredible! Non-stop?
Posted on February 12, 2012 13:20
Awesome. True gift - this one I will cherish ever so much. Thank You everyone from the 787 Team.
Posted on February 13, 2012 07:57
Kudos to the Boeing Team!
In 1958, when I worked in flight test on the CAB certification of the first Boeing 707-120, things like that would have been severely frowned upon.
However, not that goofy things did not happen. During the hydroplane races on Lake Washington in Seattle, the Boeing chief test pilot Tex Johnson, rolled that first 707! The company's CEO almost had a heart attack. Except what most of the spectators did not realize that it was 'only' a barrel roll and not a slow roll, so Tex got away with only a severe chewing...
Posted on February 13, 2012 10:06
Nicely Done, especially the logo! The airplane nose points the way to Chicago as the seven begins at Boeing Field.
Posted on February 14, 2012 00:29
Awesome, Boing is the best, can't wait for a ner plane to be built I really loved the 787...
Posted on February 14, 2012 16:00
As a Boeing retiree, I want to say that here is a company of "Made in the USA" and I am proud to have been part of this great achievement as all Americans should be. Buy American!
Posted on February 15, 2012 09:49
Boeing has always been my favorite aircraft. Specially the 727, 737 and the greatest airplane ever made " THE BOEING 777".
Posted on February 15, 2012 10:24
Now that is COOL! Job well done Boeing!
Posted on February 15, 2012 10:45
The dreamliner itself is a masterpiece. Randy and the team you've pulled a genius work with this masterpiece to label Boeing as a company to watch. Congratulations!
Implementation of the route to draw the Boeing Logo seems to have been the most challenging.
But it was so perfectly done that it sets the bar high to the competitors.
The Long hour successful testing of this equipment, displays Boeing dedication in delivering reliable and error free equipments.
Vema Sana (excellent) Boeing!
Posted on February 16, 2012 00:09
Did they use two crews in all
Posted on February 19, 2012 08:41
way to go Boeing ; a job well done by an aircraft that was well built; Made in the USA.
Posted on February 19, 2012 20:56
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THAT'S the ULTIMATE WAY to leave Your Mark!!!!!!!!!!
Good Luck Always!!!!!!!!!!
Posted on February 20, 2012 12:52
My wife and I are proud parents of a WBJ Lead for 787. Both, he and his wife are 787 mechs. Nick began flying at age 11 and loved planes ever since. When I flew as a civilian for the Air Force on board NKC-135 jets, he often got to hang out on the many Boeing jets over the years. Now that the 787 is coming to Boston on March 4th, how could I get on board for the tour. I was fortunate to attend the unvailing on July 8, 2007 and now it's time to see the inside.
Posted on February 22, 2012 12:55
787 is a gift for all travelers and the handling agencies. well done Boeing.
Posted on October 28, 2012 02:36
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