Boeing cuts short first flight of sixth 787

The Boeing Co.’s sixth flight test 787 took its first flight today but landed after only an hour in the air due to a maintenance issue.

The sixth Dreamliner left Everett’s Paine Field at 11:41 a.m., said Yvonne Leach, spokeswoman for the program. The plane was scheduled to make a stop at Moses Lake, Wash., before heading down to Boeing Field, where the 787 flight test program is based.

But shortly into the flight, the pilot discovered what Leach described as a maintenance issue typical of a flight test program.

“At that point, they decided to head over to Boeing Field just as a precautionary move,” she said.

Still, Boeing considers the hour-long flight a success.

This is the second 787 test aircraft equipped with General Electric engines. The first flight of the sixth 787 has been pushed back several times.

Boeing is working towards gaining certification from the Federal Aviation Administration on its new Dreamliner. The company announced last month that it has pushed back the first delivery of the 787 to mid-first quarter next year. The 787 is more than two years behind schedule.

The jet maker said in September that it is adding two 787s on a limited basis for specific flight and ground tests.

The first four 787s featured Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. Boeing and Rolls’ officials were to meet last week after the Rolls engines encountered troubles earlier this year.