| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2010 12:06 pm |
ADVERTISEMENT |
|||||||||
 |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
Local News 
|
|||||||||||||||||||
New jet has long way to go Millions of viewers, a media frenzy, a debut fit for a rock star: The Boeing Co.'s 787 finally has shown its face to the world.Now what? A new airplane's rollout draws plenty of attention. It's the first time jet customers, suppliers and the public get to look at the new aircraft. But there's still much to be done before Boeing delivers the first Dreamliner to Japan's All Nippon Airways next May - an event that will be the true test of how well Boeing's global production line works. During the next 10 months, the Dreamliner has several hurdles to clear: its first flight, FAA certification and first delivery. When Boeing showed off its 787 on Sunday, the plane wasn't capable of flying. Months ago, Boeing officials acknowledged that many major pieces of the Dreamliner arrived without wiring or without the plane's systems installed. Boeing's Scott Carson, president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, told reporters at the Paris Air Show that he believes the Dreamliner will make its first flight in mid-September, slightly later than the August timeframe Boeing officials had originally planned. "The airplane will fly when it's ready to fly," Bair has said. Paul Nisbet, analyst with JSA Research, suggests the first flight is the event to watch. "That will be much more meaningful," Nisbet said. Still, Boeing's rival Airbus flew its first A380 before the planemaker announced significant setbacks with the superjumbo jet's wiring. As a result of miscommunications among its factories, Airbus has pushed back deliveries on the A380 by an average of two years. The delay cost its parent company, European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., more than $6 billion in profits. The reason Airbus was able to fly its A380 before realizing extensive production problems is because plane manufacturers tend to build the first few jets differently than they will once the production line is up and going, Nisbet said. Typically, the first new jet is "almost like a prototype," he said. Both Boeing and Airbus typically rework the first several planes produced as they work through first flight and certification. Boeing has condensed its certification timeframe for the 787 compared with previous plane programs. The company plans to meet its deadlines by having more planes ready for test flight than it did with the 777 and 767. Bair estimates having all six of the Dreamliners it will use for the Federal Aviation Administration certification in flight testing by the end of this year. Additionally, Boeing says the similarities between the 787 and 777 will speed up the process with the FAA. With those major goals still to achieve, perhaps Boeing chief executive Jim McNerney best put the company's position in perspective while speaking at Boeing's investors conference. "What we're single-mindedly focused on is executing the 787," he said. Reporter Michelle Dunlop: 425-339-3454 or mdunlop@heraldnet.com. |
- The Kid (Griffey) strikes again!
- Teams from Snohomish County join in search for Colton Harris-Moore on Orcas
- State changes mind on how to handle Darrington graves in highway right-of-way
- Woman gets 17 months for lies, bribery
- Car thief eludes Everett police
- Frontier: Things aren’t that bad
- Everett plans big upgrades for city parks
- Suspects sought in Snohomish shooting
- Riders take to Community Transit's Swift buses
- Once again, Colton Harris-Moore eludes capture
- Monroe girl guilty of murder in Sultan gang slaying
(23) - State changes mind on how to handle Darrington graves in highway right-of-way (14)
- Police step up hunt for Colton Harris-Moore on Orcas Island (11)
- Teams from Snohomish County join in search for Colton Harris-Moore on Orcas (10)
- Riders take to Community Transit's Swift buses (10)
- Everett plans big upgrades for city parks (8)
- Senate eyeing smaller sales tax hike (6)
- Census distrust misplaced (4)
- Woman gets 17 months for lies, bribery (4)
- 15 arrested for drunken driving on St. Patrick's Day (4)
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
| TODAY'S TOP JOBS |
| View All Top Jobs |
| Top Cars |
|
| Top Homes |
|
|
ADVERTISEMENT |
|
|
|Contact Us
|Advertiser Services
|Home Delivery
|Newsstand Locations
|Classifieds
|Feedback
|About the Company
|Work@the Herald
|Site Map |
|