Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES
Boeing plans to speed up the timescale for flightdeck and interior changes to the increased gross weight 747-400X as a result of feedback gained from over 100 delegates attending its first "future developments symposium" on the 747X family held in Seattle last week.
"We need to proceed with vigour to get these defined" says product strategy and development vice president, John Roundhill who briefed representatives from more than 30 airlines at the event. Key findings from the meeting reveal that "they really like the idea it was a family, and there was general agreement that taking gradual steps towards the 747X with the new interior and flightdeck on the -400X [the 910,000lb/413,000kg maximum take-off weight version] is a good idea".
They also confirmed agreement with Boeing's proposed use of the upper aft fuselage space for galley stowage, crew rest or passenger sleeping accommodation on the 747X.
Boeing is offering the -400X for entry into service in the third quarter of 2002, and sees the development of the heavyweight variant as a vital stepping stone towards the 747X family. This will initially consist of the 747X stretch, now being offered with up to 522 seats in three-class configuration - 18 more seats than before thanks to the upper fuselage option. Range for the three versions has also been established initially at 14,240km (6,600nm) for the -400X, 16,620km for the 747X and 14,450km for the -400X Stretch.
Boeing has also completed high speed windtunnel work on the four wingtip contenders for the 747X family, which included two types of winglets and two types of raked tip.
Roundhill says "we have one more round of high speed windtunnel tests to do later this year, but right now it looks like a swept tip may be optimum". He also reveals that full-scale flight tests of swept tips and a large winglet will be conducted on a 747-200 testbed in the next three months.
Roundhill adds that airlines particularly needed convincing that the latest wing aerodynamics for the 747X are within 1% of the performance of an all-new wing. "We showed them lots of detailed data on that" he adds.
Source: Flight International
