787 Type Rating - kind a frst hand I just completed the frst pilot training class on the 787 at United Airlines, Airlines, an airplane which is destined to replace the 767 and live l ive or many years ater I retire. ere!s what I!ve learned in 787 training so ar. "y the way, last night we passed our #$ %maneuvers validation& chec' ride, with emergency ater emergency, and the (AA o)serving. *onight was our +- %lineoriented evaluation&, again with (AA this time / (AA o)servers. It!s 0/00 and I just got )ac' to the hotel and poured a wellearned glass o wine to cele)rate. I now have a type rating in the t he 787. 1hew. I!m pretty confdent this will )e the last one or me. I!ve summari2ed some o the major dierences and uni3ue eatures o the 787 versus more traditional 4old school4 airplanes li'e the 777 %not 'idding& rom the pilot!s viewpoint. ur 45ierences4 course ta'es days to gain an (AA type rating, which is a 4common4 type rating with the 777. *he course has )een li'e drin'ing rom a fre hose, )ut has fnally come together t ogether.. ome o our pilots attended "oeing!s day dierences course, and deemed it unaccepta)le. *he (AA approved the "oeing day course, )ut our guys decided it lac'ed too much inormation. (AA is o)serving our chec'rides now, now, and ta'ing our course as well, to certiy the training. 9e!re just the guinea pigs. A computer nerd would descri)e the 787 as 7 computer servers pac'aged in a 'evlar rame. *he central )rains is the :ommon :ore ystem %::&. *wo *wo :ommon :omputing ;esources %::;s& coordinate the communications o all the t he computer systems, isolating aults and covering ailed systems with wor'ing systems. 9hen )attery power is frst applied to the airplane in the morning, it ta'es a)out 0 seconds or the + ::; to )oot up. Ater this, a ew displays light up and you can start the A1U. I there is a major loss o coc'pit displays, this may re3uire a ::; re)oot, which would ta'e a)out a minute. ere are a ew o the major eatures and dierences rom the 777. Electrics *hough a smaller plane, the 787 has < times the electric generating power o the 777 .< gigawatts. =enerators produce /> $A: or the )ig power users. ther systems use the traditional $A: and /8 $5:. *here are 7 scattered ;emote 1ower 5istri)ution Units which power a)out ?00 loads throughout the plane. *he )ig power distri)ution system is in the at )elly, )elly, along with a 1ower -lectronics :ooling ystem %1-:&. *his is a li3uid cooling system or the large motor power distri)ution system. *here!s also an Integrated :ooling ystem %I:&, which provides rerigerated air or the galley carts and ca)in air, and a #iscellaneous -3uipment :ooling ystem or In@ight -ntertainment -3uipment. I > o the < engine generators ail, the A1U starts itsel. *he A1U drives two generators, and can )e operated up to the airplane!s ma altitude o <>,000 eet. I you lose all < engine generators, the ;A* %ram air tur)ine& drops out %li'e a windmill&, powering essential )uses. %It also provides hydraulic power to @ight controls i needed&. I you lose all < engine generators and the two A1U generators %a really )ad day&, you are down to tand)y 1ower. *he ;A* will drop out and provide power, )ut even i it ails, you still have the autopilot and captain!s @ight director and instruments, (#:, / I;s, $( radios, etc. I you!re down to )atteries only, with no ;A*, you!d )etter get it on the ground, as )attery time is limited. "ra'es and antis'id are electric /8$ so you don!t lose )ra'es or antis'id even when you!re down to just stand)y power. Bormal @ight controls are hydraulic with a couple eceptions. -ngine driven and electric hydraulic pumps operate at 000 psi %versus normal >000 psi& to allow or smaller tu)ing si2es and actuators, thus saving weight. I you lose l ose all > hydraulic systems %another )ad day&, you still have two spoilerpanels on each wing which are electrically powered all the time, as is the sta)ili2er trim. Cou Cou can still @y the airplane %no @aps, though&. I you!re having an even worse day and you lose all hydraulics
and all generators, @ight control power is still coming rom separate 1ermanent #agnet =enerators %1#=s& which produce power even i )oth engines 3uit and are windmilling. I the 1#=s ail, too, your @ight controls will )e powered )y the /8 $ stand)y )us. I you lose all > pitotDstatic systems or air data computers, the airplane reverts to angle o attac' speed %converts AA to IA&, and this is displayed on the normal 1(5s %primary @ight displays& airspeed indicator tapes. =1 altitude is su)stituted or air data altitude and displayed on the 1(5 altimeter tapes. $ery convenient. I you lose )oth Attitude and eading ;eerence Units %A;Us&, it reverts to the stand)y instrument )uiltin attitude E heading gyro, )ut displays this on )oth pilot!s 1(5s or convenience. I you lose )oth Inertial ;eerence Units, it will su)stitute =1 position, and nothing is lost. I someone turns one or )oth I;s o in @ight %I hate it when they do that&, you can realign them as long as one o the =1s is wor'ingF *here is no pneumatic system. *he only engine )leed is used or that engine!s anti ice. 9ing antiice is electric. -ach o two air conditioning pac's control two :A:s, which are electric ca)in air compressors. *he our :A:s share two air inlets on the )elly. -ach pac' controller controls two :A:s, )ut i a pac' controller ails, the remaining pac' controller ta'es over control o all < :A:s. *here are no circuit )rea'ers in the coc'pit. *o chec' on them, or i you get a message that one has opened %more li'ely&, you select the :"I: %circuit )rea'er indication and control& display on one o the #(5s %multi unction displays&. *here you can reset the virtual :D" i it is an 4electronic4 circuit )rea'er. Cou can!t reset a popped 4thermal4 circuit )rea'er. I you have an A1U fre on the ground or in@ight, the fre etinguishing )ottle is automatically discharged. I there is a cargo fre, the frst two o seven )ottles will automatically discharge also. *here!s a Bitrogen =eneration ystem which provides automatic ulltime @amma)ility protection )y displacing uel vapors in the uel tan's with nitrogen %;emem)er *9A 800G&. +i'e the 767 and 777, the 787 also has ull :15+: capa)ility %controllertopilot datalin' communications&. In addition, its ull (AB capa)ility includes A5" in E out. *he controller can uplin' speed, heading, and altitude changes to the airplane. *hese show up on a second line right under the speed, heading and altitude displays on the mode control panel. I you pilot wants to use them, he can press a H(; )utton net to each window. *he controller can even uplin' a conditional clearance, li'e Ater passing point HC, clim) to (+>?0. I you accept this, it will do it automatically. Fuel system li'e the 777, the 787 has a uel dump system which automatically dumps down to your maimum landing weight, i that is what you want. In addition, it has a (uel "alance switch which automatically )alances your + E ; main tan's or you. Bo more opening crosseed valves and turning o uel pumps in @ight. Bo more orgetting to turn them )ac' on, either. Flight Controls An 4Autodrag4 unction operates when the airplane is high on approach and landing @aps have )een selected. It etends the ailerons and two most out)oard spoilers, while maintaining airspeed, to assist in glidepath capture rom a)ove, i you are high on the glideslope. *he eature removes itsel )elow 00 eet. :ruise @aps is an automated unction when level at cruise. It symmetrically moves the @aps, ailerons, @aperons, and spoilers )ased on weight, airspeed and altitude to optimi2e cruise perormance )y varying the wing cam)er, thus reducing drag. Gust suppression $ertical gust suppression enhances ride 3uality when in vertical gusts and tur)ulence. It uses symmetric de@ection o @aperons and elevators to smooth the
)umps. *his should result in ewer whitecaps in passengers! coee and coc'tails. +ateral gust suppression improves the ride when on approach )y ma'ing yaw commands in response to lateral gusts and tur)ulence. Instrument Approaches *he airplane is actually approved or autoland )ased not only on I+ )ut on =+ approaches =1 with =round )ased augmentation system, which corrects the =1 signals. =+ minimums are the same as :A* I I+s /00! and D/ mile visi)ility. ur airline is not yet approved or =+ autolandings yet, though we will )e doing =+ approaches. pecial :at I E II U5 approaches *hese allow lower than normal minimums when the eads Up 5evices are used at certain approved airports %U5s&. *he U5s include runway centerline guidance which helps you stay on the centerline on ta'eo when visi)ility is greatly reduced. It uses either I+ or =+ or this. Cain 1ressuri2ation dierential pressure maimum is ?.< psid, so the ca)in altitude is only 6000 eet when at the ma cruising altitude o <>,000 eet. *here is a coc'pit humidifer switch, and ca)in air humidifcation is ully automatic. :a)in windows are larger than other airplanes, and window shading is electronic. *he passenger can select levels o shading, rom clear to )lac'. *he @ight attendants can control the ca)in lighting temperature mood lighting to aid in dealing with changing time 2ones %evening light ater dinner, morning light to wa'e up, etc.&. #uch o the coc'pit seems li'e it was designed )y Apple. *he :ontrol 5isplay Units %:5Us& are virtual, so you can move them rom one #(5 to another. In act, you can confgure the displays in <8 dierent ways, I thin', though we have ound a ew avorites we will use to 'eep it simple. *o move the cursor rom one #(5 to another, you can either use a )utton, or you can 4@ic'4 your fnger across the trac'pad %:ursor :ontrol 5evice& to @ing the cursor rom one screen to the net much li'e an i1ad. I!m going home this morning, and will return or a 777 simulator ride )eore I go )ac' to wor'. *hey want to ma'e sure we!ve still got the oldashioned legacy airplane in our )rain )eore we @y the 777 again, even though it shares a 4common type rating4. 9e won!t get the frst 787 until cto)er, and )egin operations in Bovem)er or 5ecem)er. At that time I!ll return or at least < days reresher training )eore )eginning I- initial operating eperience in the airplane with passengers. 9hat a ride. It may )e 4uel efcient4, )ut I!m glad someone else is paying or the gas.
