12th_Man_08
The imaginative folk at Boeing Test and Evaluation (they do the flight testing) plotted out this track over Eastern Washington. The flight in the 12th Man 747 freighter started and ended at Paine Field (Everett, Washington) in the upper left hand of the screen dump. The bottoms of the numbers is the Washington / Oregon border.
From Boeing News...........
For the airplane's functional check flight, the Boeing Test & Evaluation team worked to create a flight path that would "draw” the number 12, visible to anyone following the flight of the high-profile jet. (Flightaware image)
How did they do it?
Boeing Test & Evaluation Flight Operations Dispatcher Erick Hall took the distinct block-lettered "12," that is associated with the Seahawks team and fans, and created an overlay on a map of Washington state. Hall had his work cut out to create clear numerals while maintaining a logical path for the crew to fly to the primary flight test goals.
"Each length of the block-type numeral requires a way-point for the pilots to plot and fly," said Hall. After he dove into regional aviation sectional maps, the end result was close to 3 dozen waypoints that marked each segment of flight.
Test Director Alicja Cacan helped coordinate the activity with the Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center and teamed with Hall and Len Quiat. They conferred with 747 chief pilot Mark Feuerstein to identify what it would take to draw the complex path in the sky.
"We wanted it to look good," said Feuerstein, "and in order to do that, we needed to fly at lower altitude and slower airspeed so we could make precise turns from one waypoint to another."
The team came back with the primary test conditions met and an added bonus for Seahawks and aviation fans everywhere.
Hall and Quiat both have roots in Denver -- home of the Broncos, the Seahawks' Super Bowl opponent -- but said they were proud to take part in an effort that puts smiles on the faces of their co-workers, friends and neighbors.
“I’ll be happy either way with the results of the Super Bowl," Quiat said. "However, I am really delighted to be involved in a project that so many of my co-workers and in the community will truly enjoy.”
By Adam Tischler
12th_Man_08
The imaginative folk at Boeing Test and Evaluation (they do the flight testing) plotted out this track over Eastern Washington. The flight in the 12th Man 747 freighter started and ended at Paine Field (Everett, Washington) in the upper left hand of the screen dump. The bottoms of the numbers is the Washington / Oregon border.
From Boeing News...........
For the airplane's functional check flight, the Boeing Test & Evaluation team worked to create a flight path that would "draw” the number 12, visible to anyone following the flight of the high-profile jet. (Flightaware image)
How did they do it?
Boeing Test & Evaluation Flight Operations Dispatcher Erick Hall took the distinct block-lettered "12," that is associated with the Seahawks team and fans, and created an overlay on a map of Washington state. Hall had his work cut out to create clear numerals while maintaining a logical path for the crew to fly to the primary flight test goals.
"Each length of the block-type numeral requires a way-point for the pilots to plot and fly," said Hall. After he dove into regional aviation sectional maps, the end result was close to 3 dozen waypoints that marked each segment of flight.
Test Director Alicja Cacan helped coordinate the activity with the Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center and teamed with Hall and Len Quiat. They conferred with 747 chief pilot Mark Feuerstein to identify what it would take to draw the complex path in the sky.
"We wanted it to look good," said Feuerstein, "and in order to do that, we needed to fly at lower altitude and slower airspeed so we could make precise turns from one waypoint to another."
The team came back with the primary test conditions met and an added bonus for Seahawks and aviation fans everywhere.
Hall and Quiat both have roots in Denver -- home of the Broncos, the Seahawks' Super Bowl opponent -- but said they were proud to take part in an effort that puts smiles on the faces of their co-workers, friends and neighbors.
“I’ll be happy either way with the results of the Super Bowl," Quiat said. "However, I am really delighted to be involved in a project that so many of my co-workers and in the community will truly enjoy.”
By Adam Tischler