Boeing has completed flight trials of the 787-8 Dreamliner, with the final round of testing occurring on a 90-minute flight last weekend from Billings, Montana, to Everett, Washington.
Boeing is now preparing to make the first delivery of a 787-8 equipped with Rolls-Royce engines to Japan’s All Nippon Airways next month. Flight testing continues for 787s carrying GE engines and for test points not related to type certification.
Boeing has taken orders for more than 800 Dreamliners from 55 airline customers. The 787-8 model will carry up to 250 passengers on routes of up to 9,400 miles.
All told, Boeing has flown the 787 more than 4,800 hours on some 1,700 test flights since the first Dreamliner took to the air in December 2009. Supplier-related issues delayed the certification program by three years.
Boeing is now building two 787s per month and plans to increase that rate to 10 by the end of 2013. The company says it will build seven Dreamliners a month in Everett and three at its new Charleston, South Carolina, factory.
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!
Get the latest FLYING stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox