Boeing finishes 787 testing of GE engines

Published 3:48 pm Wednesday, March 7, 2012

The Boeing Co. has wrapped up all of the testing needed for regulatory approval of its 787-8 Dreamliner powered by General Electric engines, the company said Wednesday.

“The last phase of testing focused on extended operations onboard a production airplane,” Mike Sinnett, vice president and chief project engineer, 787 program, said in a statement. “The airplane performed beautifully during this testing, further demonstrating its reliability.”

Boeing said the final flight test took place late last month. Ground testing on the aircraft has concluded as well.

This marks the end of all certification flight testing associated with the baseline model of the 787. But Boeing said that testing for engine and airframe improvement will continue as needed, as the company does for all airplane programs.

Boeing already received U.S. Federal Aviation Administration certification on its 787-8 powered by Rolls-Royce engines last August. But each combination of airplane and engine type requires its own certification.

Sinnett called the 787-8 test program the “most robust, thorough flight test program” in Boeing’s history.