Boeing resumes 787 flight tests today

Published 12:24 pm Thursday, December 23, 2010

The Boeing Co. will resume flight test activities on the 787 Dreamliner today with a different power distribution system, the company announced

Officials said they’ve installed an interim version of the power distribution software and conducted rigorous tests to confirm that the fourth 787 is ready to return to flight. The jet is the first of six test airplanes for the new Dreamliner.

“Initially, we will resume a series of Boeing tests that remain to be completed in the flight test program. That testing will be followed later by a resumption of certification testing,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program.

Today’s testing will include an intentional deployment of a small turbine that is deployed when back-up power is required.

The turbine was used successfully when a 787 experienced an electrical fire in mid-air last month while testing in Laredo, Texas.

Boeing shut down the flight test program after the fire until it could determine what caused the fire and fix the problem.

Boeing and Hamilton Sundstrand completed testing of the interim software updates earlier this week.

Verification of the system included laboratory testing of standalone components, integration testing with other systems, flight simulator testing and ground-based testing on a flight test airplane, Boeing said.

In the last several weeks, the company continued ground testing as part of the certification program.

Additional ground testing will be done by the company on the production version of the airplane to further verify performance of the changes being made, Boeing said in a statement.

“As we return to flight test and determine the pace of that activity, we remain focused on developing a new program schedule,” Fancher added. “We expect to complete our assessment of the program schedule in January.”