The Boeing Co. has reached an important milestone in the flight testing of its 787 Dreamliner jet, the company said Friday.
Boeing has completed initial airworthiness testing on the 787, which means the company will be able to include more crew members in flights and will be able to include more airplanes in the flight test program.
“This is an important step forward,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We are very pleased with the results we have achieved so far. The airplane has been performing as we expected.”
Boeing’s first 787 completed its maiden flight Dec. 15. Since then, Boeing has conducted 15 flights. Pilots have taken the airplane to an altitude of 30,000 feet and a speed of Mach 0.65. Nearly 60 hours of flying have been completed.
Initial stall tests and other dynamic maneuvers have been run, as well as an extensive check-out of the airplane’s systems. Six different pilots have been behind the controls of the 787.
Having completed initial airworthiness testing, Boeign will fly the 787 at a higher altitude, more than 40,000 feet, and at a faster speed, Mach 0.85. In later test, Boeing will push the airplane beyond conditions that the 787 is expected to see during normal operation.
“The pilots have told me the results we are seeing in flight match their expectations and the simulations we’ve run. That’s a real tribute to Boeing’s expertise and the international team that helped develop and build the airplane,” said Fancher.
Flight testing will continue in the months ahead. First delivery is planned for the fourth quarter of this year
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