In its smart livery, the Boeing 777-300ER is at Paris, taking a break from its flight test programme. We take a look at this awesome bird.
Taking a break from its flight-test programme to meet the world is Boeing's 777-300ER, one of two long-range aircraft under development in the latest chapter of the 777 success story.
The 777-300ER is on view throughout the week in the static display. Following yesterday's announcement from Emirates that the aircraft is part of its major growth plans there will be significant interest from visitors.
It is especially appropriate that the aircraft on show, number 501, should be visiting Paris. An International Lease Finance (ILFC) aircraft, it is destined ultimately for the lessor's customer, Air France.
Not counting any new orders announced during the show, the -300ER has clocked 56 firm orders from eight customers that also include All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, GE Capital, Taiwan's Eva Air and Pakistan International Airlines. Its long-range sister, the 777-200LR, was launched simultaneously in February 2000, but has to date secured just five orders from two customers, Eva and PIA.
Flight-testing of the -300ER began this year and first delivery is slated for April 2004. The 200LR, meanwhile, is on a longer lead time with a six-month flight-test programme beginning in 2005, with first delivery expected in January 2006.
The GE Aircraft Engines GE90-115B powers both aircraft. Key differences between the aircraft, which offer a cruise speed of 0.84M, centre around the 200LR's ability to fly further, up to 16,983km (9,170nm) but with a lesser payload of 301 passengers and 150m2 of pallet and container cargo, against the -300ER's greater payload of 365 passengers and 200.5m2 cargo but shorter range of 13,742km (7,420nm).
Typical city pairs for the -200ER would be Singapore-New York or Paris-Taipei, providing nonstop flights of around 18h. The -300ER will work city pairs such as Paris-Los Angeles or Frankfurt-Singapore in about 14h.
Economics
Brad Till, Boeing regional director, product marketing, describes the economics of the long-range 777s as "extremely compelling", pointing to an 18% lower fuel consumption per seat for the -300ER compared with its rival, the Airbus A340-600. The -200LR, says Till, similarly offers an 18% lower fuel consumption per seat than the A340-500. "Twinjets are fundamentally more efficient than four-engine jets," says Till. "These are the most efficient and reliable aeroplanes for the long-range market."
But Till also admits that sales, especially for the -200LR, have been slow relative to earlier 777 models, which logged 502 orders in the first 10 years. "There's been a lot of interest, but with the latest hits in Asia because of SARS it has delayed things further," says Till. "People are retrenching to hubs and reducing frequencies, so -200LR sales have been hit by matters of circumstance. Also, the aeroplane is not delivered until 2006 so people are not really thinking about it yet."
Flight-test -300ER aircraft have been "performing beautifully", Till adds. The year-long programme started on 24 February and is anticipated to include up to 1,000h of ground-tests and 1,600h of flight-testing. Aircraft 501 at the show is one of two fully instrumented aircraft in the test programme which aims for a 2003 fourth-quarter certification.
The programme has stayed on schedule, says Till, with 331h of flight-testing and 533h of ground-testing completed by 12 May. Aircraft 501 has done much of its testing at Edwards AFB in California and completed such assessments as takeoff and landing flare performance, abuse takeoffs and ground minimum control speed tests.
Shortly after Paris the -300ER will begin its extended-range twin-engine operations (ETOPS) testing. Aircraft 501 will perform 24 flights and demonstrate four legs with one engine out for 330min, the longest flight being 13.3h. The second test aircraft will perform similar demonstrations, but take the longest flight with one engine out to 19h.
Till says the amount of fire-suppressing halon that can be carried is the only limiting factor in the long-range 777s, hence the 330min ETOPS, although 330min effectively allows for almost any route. "Other than right over the South Pole, you could fly anywhere in the globe with them," he says.
Boeing's design engineers, meanwhile, have not yet stopped coming up with innovations for the newest 777. They have redesigned the overhead structure of the -200ER (the most popular 777 variant), -200LR and -300ER creating new space for crew rest areas and in-flight entertainment system hardware storage.
Source: Flight Daily News
