At Long Last, Boeing's 787 Flies

As it's making extensive use of composites let's hope that it doesn't do a 'Comet' and uncover a previously inknown failure mode.
That's one pretty plane

Del

If memory serves, the deHavilland Comet, which was truly a lovely bird, had three problems. They were constructed of rather thin aluminum, the rivet holes were punched instead of drilled, and the real killer, it had large square windows which tended to focus the forces at their corners. After the first several crashes, they were redesigned with smaller oval windows, thicker skin, and drilled rivet holes, which completely solved the problem. In fact, unless I am grossly mistaken, the Nimrod, which is the military variant, is still in service with Her Majesty's air forces.

Yes, the 787 is a very nice air craft, but I don't think there has ever been another as graceful as the Comet.

Indeed, it was the problems you mentioned coupled with the pressure changes causing fatigue cracks.
It set the UK back and handed the lead back to the US.
That's the danger of being first, sometimes you are the one to make the mistakes from which everyone else learns and they leapfrog over you while you are sweeping up the pieces.
(Hmmm I mixed a few metphors there)
That's what I mean...I hope the US doesn't uncover some nasty new composite failure mode...as it looks like a fine ground breaking plane.
Del

Kinda reminds me of when the old Soviet Navy discovered that the new, titanium hulls of their deep diving and very fast Alfa class submarines were becoming work hardened with every deep dive cycle.

Your point about unknown failure modes is very well taken. It's hard to program a computer model for something you have absolutely no clue about. And I suppose it would be prohibitively expensive to take one of these brand-new 787s, cover it in piezoelectric sensors, and then start running it through decompression cycles while piling a few tons of sand bags on the wings. Though that way at least they might learn something without killing anyone.

Unfortunately, it's hard to simulate all of the forces that act on an airframe without take the thing up and flying it. I guess that's why test pilots make the big bucks.