Boeing is working aft from nose-to-tail during the design refinement phase of the 7E7 programme, which is scheduled to be completed with a design freeze in mid-2005. The company says most of the work on the nose, forward fuselage and forward sections of the wing-to-body fairing is now completed, with the current focus on completing the raked tip wing.
The aft fuselage and empennage are yet to be refined, says Boeing, adding that the baseline design of these parts of the configuration are conventional. The company says the first detailed configuration of the overall 7E7 will be released officially after design freeze next year. It insists, however, that the aerodynamic refinements around the nose section will clearly differentiate it from the existing Boeing family members.
The 7E7 will be equipped with Kidde Technologies fire protection systems for the engines, auxiliary power system and cargo compartments. The software controlling Kidde's system, like most other 7E7 system software, will be hosted in the aircraft's common core system.
Source: Flight International
