velocity minimum unstick, or VMU speed. VMU is something airline pilots will avoid, but must be known to determine the operation envelope of the airplane.

Boeing’s chief test pilot Mike Carriker explains the finesse required to gently drag the tail of ZA001 down the runway as well as testing the airplane’s braking system on a runway soaked with 50,000 gallons of water.

The video also features more footage from Iceland where the 787 team tested the airplane’s cross wind landing capabilities. Because the winds in Iceland didn’t last long enough, the Dreamliner will likely have to find another windy day to complete the crosswind testing.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced this week the new 787 will require longer than normal spacing between itself and other aircraft landing at airports. Because of possible wake turbulence issues, the FAA is requiring 10 miles between the 787 and the next aircraft behind it. This could be a headache for airlines as more spacing means fewer landings per hour at busy airports. Normally longer distances are required for heavier aircraft.

The FAA calls the distance conservative and it is likely the distance will be reduced to the same spacing as similarly sized aircraft once more data on the turbulence produced by the 787 is gathered. The Airbus A380 also required 10 miles spacing early on, but that number was reduced to 6-8 miles. Smaller airliners require 4-6 miles of separation based on the size of the trailing aircraft.

Video: Boeing

Authors: Jason Paur

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