A source close to the project says the first Dreamliner flight
is planned for December 18th, with the second flight possible just
after Christmas. However, Boeing officials said in an e-mail a date
has not been set for the maiden flight.
UPI reports that the Seattle times learned of the plans from
someone described as being "close to the program." The Dreamliner
has been beset by problems, and delivery dates have been pushed
back by more than two years. But Boeing officials have continued to
insist that the all-composite airliner would fly before the end of
2009, saying at one point last week that they have already fueled
up the airplane.
ANN reported last week that the 787 had passed static tests on
the wing and side-body reinforcements which had been the cause of
the latest delay. Boeing announced on June 23 that it was necessary
to reinforce an area of structure at the side-of-body section of
the 787. The modification entails installing new fittings at 34
stringer locations within the joint where the wing is attached to
the fuselage. The modifications were completed on the first two
flight-test airplanes and the full-scale static test airplane in
November. During the test on the 787 Dreamliner static test
airframe last week, the wing and trailing edges of the airframe
were subjected to its limit load -- the highest loads expected to
be seen in service. The load is about the same as 2.5 times the
force of gravity for the wing.
The UPI report said that test pilots had started the engines on
the flight test airplane last Tuesday, sending white smoke
billowing into the air as the oil that protects the engine during
storage burned away.
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