Boeing conducts 787 stall testing

Boeing pilots have performed stall testing with the company’s new 787 aircraft.

This morning, Boeing unveiled a new 787 flight test Web site.

The site featured an update from stall testing:

The testing went “very well and there were no surprises,” said 787 Chief Pilot Mike Carriker.

The purpose of the testing is to demonstrate that in the rare event a pilot encounters a stall during flight, the airplane reacts benignly and allows for a smooth recovery. A stall is defined as flying so slowly that the airplane is no longer generating lift.

During stall maneuvers pilots use a disciplined process to slow the airplane down at precise increments to the point where it shakes dramatically, resulting in forces of 1.5 times the force of gravity.

Boeing says it will conduct additional stall tests during the flight test program. The company has two 787s in flight testing with the third and fourth expected to make their first flights next month.