Boeing 787 Dreamliner Safety Review

JAL B787 JA829J at Logan Airport, Boston

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has in the past week suffered an electrical fire that resulted in major mass media hoopla. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is now under the microscope that magnifies even minor events such as a brake sensor computer glitch.

Smoke from cargo compartment

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner's high electrical power consumption system that uses Lithium ion batteries is something that is new on an airliner. Couple this to a computerized control system based on million lines of code makes the Boeing 787 Dreamliner pushing way outside the current airliner design envelope.

Electrical System Bay

Charred Battery

NTSB Pictures

Factors:

1. Long layover and unuse due to production problems - we know that electrical devices loss quality more to unuse than regular use

2. Aircraft teething problems

3. Discontinuous assembly - some procedures might have been missed or misapplied

4. Net connected world that even minor events such as minor windshield cracks get mass media exposure

Solutions:

1. Externalize engine start-up batteries to airport support, or redesign it as a jettisonable pack

2. More strict battery manufacture quality assurance - materials, assembly, quality control, maintenance
3. Review algorithms using the B787 Iron Bird
4. Heavier monitoring of the first 50 B787 built, specially those that were laid up for a long time and underwent repeated modifications
5. Fly the flight test Dreamliners as airliners to monitor aging process

777-X Overhead Cockpit for More High Revenue Seats

B-777-X concept   (Kaktusdigital)

The planned Boeing 777-X series airliner can be made more competitive to the all new Airbus A350-1000 by relocating the cockpit to an overhead position, similar to the old B-47 Stratojet. This will result in at least 12 additional higher revenue First Class seats, in an excellent undisturbed position as in the B747-8.

B-47 Stratojet   (from Wikipedia)

Of course it will not be as open and narrow as in the old B-47 Stratojet. Such a new configuration will have a higher vantage point as in the B-747. Blind spots can easily be alleviated by closed circuit TV cameras. that can be integrated on the HUD, the cockpit panel screens, or its own dedicated LCD screens.

B-777-X wingspan comparison (Flightglobal)

This configuration may take advantage of the Boeing 747 hump aerodynamic effect that may lower drag and thus fuel burn.

Another configuration is to retain the upper fuselage lines and embed the cockpit where the front pilot and crew rest area is now located. This will take advantage of the B-777 large fuselage diameter and leverage the B-747-8 Skyloft technology to provide more revenue space.

The long wingspan of the planned B-777-X series will put it in the airport fees class with the A-380 and B-747-8. A folding wingtip is being studied specially on mechanical complexity and aerodynamic drag of components. It can be implemented electrically to reduce mechanical complexity and may have other aerodynamic functions.

B-777-X folding wing concept (Seattle Times)

The big disadvantage in relocating the cockpit is the engineering resources that will be needed to implement this. Incremental material costs will be minimal. Design tradition in cockpit location is also a mental barrier.

B-777-X concept (Raydon Designs)

Gavilan 358 Prototype and Type Certificate bought by Cub Crafters

John Bryerton of GATS recently sold the Gavilan 358 prototype and Type Certificate to Cub Crafters of Yakima, Washington. Its another step for the Gavilan’s long journey towards regular production.

Gavilan 358 over meadows (Copyright of unknown owner)

The Gavilan 358 is very suited to countries like the Philippines for its tough and easy construction, economy of operation, and simple maintenance. The Leaver family of Colombia was the main driving force in the development of the Gavilan starting in 1986, with the first flight on 27 April 1990. It was certified first in Colombia and deliveries started in 1998 to the Fuerza Aerea Colombiana.

In order to be able to sell to the U.S. and other markets, the Leaver family and partners proceeded to get U.S. FAA certification. The Gavilán received its U.S. FAR23  Type Certificate in May 1998, using the prototype that GATS  sold as the test aircraft. We hope that ultimately, the Leaver brothers Eric and Jimmy, will soon again be involved with their Gavilan creation, so with the former Piper engineers of GATS led by John Bryerton.

AirPino of the Philippines is working towards the introduction of the Gavilan 358 to the Philippines.