Boeing 787 First Test Flying Next Week
Friday, December 11, 2009, 10:48am CST
Wichita Business Journal - by Daniel McCoy

The Boeing Co. announced Thursday that its long-delayed 787 Dreamliner would make its first flight next week.

The first flight could happen as early as Tuesday, depending on weather conditions, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

Wichita-based Spirit AeroSystems Inc. makes the forward fuselage section and engine pylons for the Dreamliner.

The 787, Boeing’s next-generation commercial airplane, has been delayed more than two years. The most recent delay was in June following the discovery of a design problem where the wing meets the fuselage during testing.

Even following a successful first flight, the plane will continue to undergo testing for up to as much as a year. The company still expects deliveries to begin in the fourth quarter of 2010.
On Tuesday, Boeing received an order for 25 Dreamliners from United Airlines, which also ordered 25 Airbus A350s.