RoseFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 8755 posts, RR: 52 Reply 1, posted (3 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 hours ago) and read 1470 times:
If you are ever curious what a flight test is like, here is a trip report I wrote when I was on a 737 test flight as an engineer at Boeing:
As far as how many people are on board, It depends on what flight you are doing and what is being tested. First flights only ever have the pilots. After that, the minimum is three people usually. You have the two pilots and a flight test director. For safety reasons the number is kept as low as possible on a plane that is not certified (including factory fresh models of existing airplane types before they have been delivered to the customer).
On more complex flights where atypical work is being done, more engineers, technicians and sometimes mechanics are on board. I have been on test flights where there were about 15 people on board. Some were at specially designed monitoring stations with real live data on board which is where I sat. Others might be in passenger seats.
If you have never designed an airplane part before, let the real designers do the work!
Mattcawby From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 199 posts, RR: 13 Reply 6, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 1241 times:
Quoting RoseFlyer (Reply 1): As far as how many people are on board, It depends on what flight you are doing and what is being tested. First flights only ever have the pilots.
I just saw an Emirates 777 leave Everett on a B1 and there were seven on board.
RoseFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 8755 posts, RR: 52 Reply 7, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 1205 times:
Quoting Mattcawby (Reply 6):
I just saw an Emirates 777 leave Everett on a B1 and there were seven on board.
First flight for a design has minimal crew. First flight of the 787 had only 2 pilots. 1st flights of subsequent planes that are certified can have more crews since they are not experimental aircraft.
If you have never designed an airplane part before, let the real designers do the work!
474218 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 6340 posts, RR: 10 Reply 8, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 1204 times:
Quoting RoseFlyer (Reply 7): First flight for a design has minimal crew. First flight of the 787 had only 2 pilots. 1st flights of subsequent planes that are certified can have more crews since they are not experimental aircraft.
All the 787's flown before type certification is granted must carry the word "experimental" over the entry doors.
RoseFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 8755 posts, RR: 52 Reply 9, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 1190 times:
Quoting 474218 (Reply 8):
All the 787's flown before type certification is granted must carry the word "experimental" over the entry doors.
I believe first flight of all experimental aircraft carry the minimum crew and then after that the FAA is not as strict.
If you have never designed an airplane part before, let the real designers do the work!
474218 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 6340 posts, RR: 10 Reply 10, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 1186 times:
Quoting RoseFlyer (Reply 9): I believe first flight of all experimental aircraft carry the minimum crew and then after that the FAA is not as strict.
If there is such a rule it was not in place in 1970. The first flight of the L-1011 had a crew four; (4) pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and flight test engineer, one (1) more than the required crew.
RoseFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 8755 posts, RR: 52 Reply 11, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 1177 times:
Quoting 474218 (Reply 10):
If there is such a rule it was not in place in 1970. The first flight of the L-1011 had a crew four; (4) pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and flight test engineer, one (1) more than the required crew.
I believe it is FAR Part 23, but I don't know them well enough to be sure. Maybe someone else can answer it.
The FARs are a lot different now than they were in 1970. The first flights of the 787 and 777 only had the two pilots on board.
If you have never designed an airplane part before, let the real designers do the work!
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