The Boeing Co.’s 787 test plane that was damaged in an electrical fire three weeks ago will return to Seattle shortly, the company said Tuesday.
The second 787 test plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Nov. 9 in Laredo, Texas, after an electrical fire broke out in the rear of the aircraft. Boeing has determined that debris left in the power panel of the electronics bay caused the fire. And the jet maker is in the process of making minor design changes to the panel as well as completing software updates to the 787 as a result of the fire.
Boeing hasn’t said when its six 787 test airplanes will be cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration to resume test flights. During the flight back to Seattle today, the second 787 will not conduct any testing.
Boeing said that crews in Texas replaced the damaged power distribution panel, repaired damage to interior composite structure and installed new insulation material. Boeing workers in Texas also completed a series of ground test operations and inspections to validate the repairs.
The jet maker has yet to announce how much of a delay this latest issue will cause to the 787 delivery schedule. The Dreamliner program is nearly three years behind schedule.
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