Boeing 787 Test Pilot Draws Company Logo In the ‘Sky’ — See How
- Posted on February 11, 2012 at 12:00am by
Liz Klimas
- Print »
- Email »
If you were a pilot conducting hours of test flights across the country, you’d probably have some fun with it, right? One pilot testing a Boeing 787 Dreamliner danced a crude Boeing logo across the sky in its flight pattern.
(Image: FlightAware)
Boeing's logo.
According to FlightAware, the flight took 19 hours to complete. And Jalopnik describes the handiwork as the pilot using an “Etch-A-Sketch” on the American Northwest.
The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports there is more to the design than meets the eye:
Boeing’s goal for the flight was not just to make a cool design in the sky, but to also put the GEnx-1B engines to the test. From Randy Tinseth, vice president, marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, stated this morning on his blog, “[It wasn't just a joy ride.] It was an 18 hour Maximum ETOPS (Extended Operations) Duration flight test for a 787-8 with GE engines. Our team coordinated with the many air traffic control centers, choosing the routing to avoid restricted airspace. In the end, the flight covered over 9,000 nautical miles.”
Dreamliner 787 (Photo: Boeing)
Jalopnik also points out that Boeing’s flight crew is notorious for sky writing. Last year they wrote “747” across western United States.
(Related: Finally! Take a look inside Boeing’s Giant 787 Dreamliner)
Comments (32)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
MSNBC Host Snaps in Heated Segment: ‘What in the World Is Riskier Than Being a Poor Person in America?’ 694 Comments
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 662 Comments
‘Jumah at the DNC’ Speaker: ‘Muslims Visited America Prior to Columbus’ & ‘It Was a Muslim’ Who Guided Him to the ‘New World’ 525 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 364 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 362 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 235 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 247 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order Read More- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 147 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 300 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 235 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
freelancer91
Posted on February 13, 2012 at 2:09amOne time I got bored in Microsoft flight sim so I hopped into an F-22, plotted a course, and drew a massive phallus over North Korean airspace…….Give me a break. I’m in college……
Report Post »Balpit
Posted on February 12, 2012 at 9:36pmGasp! Think of all the carbon pumped into the atmosphere from his little joyride! Oh no! Global Warming! Oops, I mean, CLIMATE CHANGE!
Report Post »teacherskj
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 11:03pmIt’s a good logo. To bad the Seattle Sonics would have had it first–they probably would have played better. Their jerseys sucked.
Report Post »crazycarl
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 8:47pmApparently some people didn’t read the article. This was an ETOPS test flight, a requirement for FAA certification. The pilot just had some fun with it. The flight was going to happen anyway. Enough with the union bashing as well. I live in South Carolina and assemble this airplane in the North Charleston facility. We’re not union, so don’t throw everyone that works for Boeing under the same bus.
At some point you have to stop being a bunch of bitter cynics and embrace something for what it is. Like GE or not, they’re the engine supplier along with Rolls Royce for the 787, and they’ve obviously put out a hell of an engine for this airplane.
Report Post »Francisco_d
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 11:11pmCarl, can’t wait to see the ones coming out of Charleston! I voted to keep the name the HUB (you’ll know what that means, but others won’t), and with all the work you guys are doing down there, I hope you give us Everett guys a run for our money!
…and for those of us that are in the union(s), ask us if we had a choice to join…
The answer is “no”.
Report Post »toddgibbs
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 7:43pm..and how many thousands of gallons of fuel did this joy ride take?
Report Post »Just sayin…
Francisco_d
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 11:03pmThe same amount of gallons it would have taken for a straight line and back. ETOPS testing is so the engines can be certified to fly over the ocean (that big blue thing on either side of the continent), and away from airports. In fact, with longer ETOPS ratings, there will be fuel saved when the aircraft carries passengers, as the pilots can make more direct flights.
Read the article, then think through your comment against the data presented.
The flight would have occurred whether or not they made the logo or not.
Report Post »noBias
Posted on February 12, 2012 at 12:47amETOPS – Engines Turn OR Passengers Swim – you’re choice Todd
Report Post »….just sayin….
ChiefGeorge
Posted on February 12, 2012 at 3:03pmIt was a test! Not a waste.
You’d criticize them for not doing it should the plane later suffer in service problems.
Some on here believe they have not been infected with the Liberal mental disorder, I would contend that many claiming conservative creds are still struggle to separate their thinking via their wanting to emote on everything that comes their way.
Report Post »Flyingfish
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 3:56pmThe sad part is not the corporate/political games. The sad part is the fact that the 787 is truly a great step in the right direction andI will never fly on one as long as the DHS & the TSA still treat passengers like criminals.
Every since I‘ve rotated back home to CONUS in 2009 I’ve not stepped one foot on a comercial airline. It’ll be a long time before that changes.
Report Post »watashbuddyfriend
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 12:45pmSo!
Report Post »jungle J
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 11:24amGE funds and motivates the enemy within.
Report Post »Wool-Free Vision
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 9:39amThere was a time when a story like this would fill me with American pride and confidence. I mean, on the surface, it’s really cool and inspiring.
But reading this piece with the (admittedly and sadly) cynical eyes of disillusionment, I find it difficult to see anything beyond a steaming pile of crony capitalistic hubris reminiscent of that Detroit Steamer they called “Halftime in America.” You know, that taxpayer-funded 2-minute propaganda piece that featured none other than Dirty Harry wiping his wrinkled and completely USED old behind with the US Constitution… yeah. Steaming pile of hubris. Just like this.
This ridiculous 9,000 mile skywriting venture was budgeted for the sole purpose of perpetuating the myth that corporate welfare, crony capitalism, and union political circle-jerking is what AMERICAN-MADE is all about. Boeing like to play the victim, but they have played along in the ruse of union labor just like Detroit did.
GE is the filthiest. GE have been financing the brainwashing of America for decades from their propaganda wing at 30 Rock.
This is just more self-congratulatory carp from those who have completely sacked the wealth of a nation, with their one hand milking the free market while the other feeds the beast of progressive socialism.
This is crony capitalism on full display, America. Soak it in while it lasts, because the bank is broke and this is the last hurrah of these hubristic self-suckers.
Report Post »jensenjim
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 9:57amRight On! I won’t buy anything with GE on it or GM as a matter of fact.
Report Post »duskerhu
Posted on February 13, 2012 at 12:33pmDude… This was a TEST FLIGHT… Required… …to certify the “type.” No matter the path they flew, they were going to fly it for 19 hours… If not the Boeing logo, they would have done laps and turned left all day; like Nascar.
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 8:59amHow sad that they can still only draw straight-line segments. today, it should be easy to program in a full 3-D projection of the entire airframe of the plane complete with true curving lines, for instance.
Report Post »TROONORTH
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 8:25am19 hours? Sure but 17 of those hours were spend in line waiting for a runway. And when the plane landed all the luggage went missing.
Report Post »FLYOVERSTATEIOWA
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 2:29pmnow thats funny!
Report Post »AJC1973
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 8:09pmThats why boeing has their own airfield in seattle
Report Post »Francisco_d
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 11:06pm…and Everett, where they are built for now. Can’t wait to see the ones take off from Charleston as well!
Technically, Boeing field in Seattle belongs to King County, and Paine Field, in Everett, belongs to Snohomish County.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 5:11amAmazing,,,,, we still build planes here ? How is it, the criminal federal government has’nt run them off yet……… Strange .
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 5:56amAnd unions!
Report Post »Let’s not forget their “contributions”
Miyegombo Bayartsogt
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 7:39amDon’t forget the top Obama thug lawyer for the National Labor Relations Board has accused Boeing of union busting and retaliated against the company by making it harder to build planes in America. We have a corrupt cabal of cry babies union stooges ruling US who, whenever they see a successful company in this country, they crush it.
Report Post »CanteenBoy
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:16ambigger!
Report Post »decendentof56
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 4:26amnow thats funny!
Report Post »smokey888x2
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:12amHouston, we have a problem here ….
Report Post »cop4hire
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 12:49amWe call it “The Bug” for a reason. RIP DAC!
Report Post »ULYSSESG
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 12:27amSuck it AIRBUS..FRENCH PILE O SHIAT……..
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 12:51amha ha ha thanks for the laugh in an otherwise dreary day!
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:59amAirbus have wing cracks…… not a good thing
Report Post »ZAP
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 12:11amOh no ! Chem-Trails !!!
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 12:10amThey need a better Logo!
Report Post »