Boeing’s Dreamlifter, a heavily modified 747-400, touched down Monday evening and drew great attention during its 24-hour visit to Oshkosh.
Dubbed the ‘Large Cargo Freighter’ by Boeing, the 747 once flew as a passenger aircraft with China Airlines and spent the last year being modified in Taiwan to ferry structural sections of the new 787 Dreamliner.
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The Dreamlifter visiting Oshkosh is one of three responsible for the heavy lifting operations and is the third to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. The LCFs make routine visits to Japan and Italy, as well as Charleston, South Carolina and Wichita, Kansas, to carry structural sections to Everett, Washington.
The 65,000 cubic foot cargo hold is built to carry the fuselage, wings and horizontal stabilizer of each 787 to final assembly in the Pacific Northwest.
The unpressurized cargo hold, which loads and unloads through the swinging aft tail, makes the Dreamlifter about three feet longer than a 747-400.
Missing on the Dreamlifter are the winglets traditionally seen on a 747-400. Boeing removed them due to unexpected vibrations encountered during the flight test program in 2006 and 2007.
Eventually, Boeing will operate a fleet of four Dreamlifters to support full-rate production of its new composite airliner.
Source: Flight International
