EVERETT — It all comes down to today’s weather.
It’s been seven years since the Boeing Co. first expressed interest in developing a fuel-efficient jet. The last two of those years have been riddled with delays.
But the only obstacle standing in the way of Boeing and the 787’s first flight today is weather.
If Mother Nature cooperates, the 787 will take flight at 10 a.m. today from Everett’s Paine Field, a major milestone for Boeing’s first new aircraft in roughly 15 years.
To do so, the company says it needs good visibility, little to no wind and no standing water on the runway. The forecast calls for temperatures in the low 40s with showers likely and winds of 10 mph out of the southeast.
The first flight of the 787 could last up to five hours as pilots put the 250-passenger jet through its paces and test things like engine performance and flight controls.
The 787 is a new type of aircraft, one with sophisticated electronics and the first to have a majority of composite parts that help reduce its weight and fuel consumption. Company officials estimate that maintenance costs for airlines will be 20 percent less with the 787 than with a comparable jet like the 767-300.
If the plane does fly today, enthusiasts will get a chance either to watch it take off in Everett or to see it land at Seattle’s Boeing Field after 2 p.m.
Public viewing areas near Paine Field are expected to fill early as eager plane-spotters converge on the Everett-Mukilteo area.
The Future of Flight Aviation Center opens its parking lot at 6:30 a.m., but spots are limited. The center’s viewing deck and gallery are closed to the general public until the 787 takes flight. The main lobby, cafe and gift shops, however, will be open.
At Paine Field, an area that can accommodate about 3,000 viewers is located off the main terminal. However, parking again will be the main problem for the public. Visitors are asked not to park in spaces leased to airport businesses.
Boeing will webcast the 787’s first flight live at www.boeing.com. Several local television stations will broadcast from the event. And at Heraldnet.com, The Herald will have live video from KIRO TV.
The 787’s first flight kicks off an aggressive flight test program during which Boeing will prove to the Federal Aviation Administration that its Dreamliner is set to fly commercially. If all goes smoothly, Boeing could deliver the first of 840 Dreamliner jets to Japan’s All Nippon Airways in late 2010, more than two years behind schedule.
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