Second 787 flight set for today from Paine Field
Published 11:02 am Tuesday, December 22, 2009
EVERETT — The Boeing Co. is wasting no time in putting its second 787 Dreamliner in the air, scheduling that jet’s first flight for this morning.
Weather permitting, the second Dreamliner will take off one week after the maiden flight of Boeing’s first 787 jet. The company has scheduled the second 787’s initial flight for 8:45 this morning from Everett’s Paine Field.
Last Tuesday, after more than two years of delays, Boeing put its lightweight composite 787 jet in the air for the first time. That flight was cut short by weather but lasted three hours. Boeing had hoped to fly the Dreamliner for up to five hours.
In total, Boeing will put six test 787s in the air as the company strives to obtain Federal Aviation Admnistration approval for its new jet. The company will run its 787 flight test program from Seattle’s Boeing Field. The grueling flight test program calls for round-the-clock operations, both on the ground and in the air.
The second 787 is painted in the livery of Dreamliner launch customer All Nippon Airways, although as one the first three 787s off the line, it will not be delivered to All Nippon because of the modifications that were necessary.
On Monday, the Japanese carrier announced it had placed a firm order for five 777s and five 767s as the airline looks to expand flights from Tokyo. The order is valued at $2 billion at list prices, though jet makers tend to discount heavily.
“ANA is a great partner, flying all classes of Boeing airplanes to meet its fleet needs, achieve financial objectives and provide passengers superior comfort,” said Marlin Dailey, Boeing’s vice president of sales, in a statement. “With this order ANA has reaffirmed its confidence in Boeing products.”
The Japanese carrier has stuck by Boeing, despite numerous setbacks on the 787 program. Earlier this year, ANA exercised an option for an additional five 787s. The airline has more Dreamliner jets on order, 55, than any other carrier. Boeing has 840 orders for its 787 and hopes to deliver the first Dreamliner to ANA late next year.
ANA’s order also provides a boost to Boeing’s 767 program. The company had received only a request for two 767s, from an unnamed customer, all year. And Boeing logged in five cancellations for its Everett-built 767. Boeing could offer the U.S. Air Force a tanker version of the 767 for a lucrative contract next year.
