Boeing begins fatigue tests on 787

Published 12:45 pm Monday, September 13, 2010

The Boeing Co. has begun a type of testing on its 787 Dreamliner that will simulate how the aircraft will respond to the rigor flight over its lifetime.

Fatigue testing looks at long-term, continued use and is part of the process that Boeing needs to complete to gain approval from federal regulators on the 787.

“Unlike static tests, where loads are applied to the airplane structure to simulate both normal operation and extreme flight conditions, fatigue testing is a much longer process that simulates up to three times the number of flight cycles an airplane is likely to experience during a lifetime of service,” said Jim Ogonowski, structures vice president, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Boeing announced last month that it is pushing back the first delivery of its 787 to the middle of the first quarter of 2011 from late 2010. The Dreamliner is more than two years behind schedule.

For more on fatigue testing, here’s Boeing’s story on it.