787

There were probably smiles and handshakes in the executive suites at Boeing yesterday, as the aviation giant announced that it has scheduled delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner to an airline customer for the third quarter of 2011.

But that announcement--which comes in the wake of a November halt to the 11-month-old Dreamliner test flight program after an on-board electrical fire in a control panel--belies the fact that the much-anticipated, next-generation Boeing plane, which costs between $185 million and $218 million depending on the configuration, is now guaranteed to be at least three years behind the schedule the company … Read more

Rebounding from its latest scheduling setback, Boeing now says that it expects to deliver its first 787 Dreamliner in the third quarter.

In December, the company resumed flight testing of its marquee commercial aircraft, which had been halted in early November because of an onboard fire sparked by a faulty electrical power panel.

Boeing said today that the rescheduled delivery date factors in the time that it needs to produce, install, and test updated software and new power distribution panels in both flight test and production versions of the Dreamliner.

Of the six 787 aircraft being used for flight tests, … Read more

Boeing announced today that it is resuming flight testing for its 787 Dreamliner program six weeks after an onboard fire halted the evaluation program and forced a test aircraft to land in Laredo, Texas.

Boeing said in a statement it returned test aircraft ZA004 to flight after it had installed an interim version of updated power distribution system software and completed a "rigorous set of reviews to confirm flight readiness." In the past few weeks, Boeing and supplier Hamilton Sundstrand completed initial verification of the changes with simulator and ground-based testing.

Boeing spokeswoman Lori Gunter told CNET that … Read more

commentary It's been eight years in the making so far, and has gone through any number of delays and problems, but Boeing's 787 Dreamliner is still one of the most-anticipated commercial airplanes in history. And with the plane's testing program under way for almost exactly a year, it is edging closer and closer to carrying its first passengers.

Now, fans of the innovative plane--it is made from 50 percent composite material and is expected to offer carriers up to 20 percent savings on fuel--can get a fix unlike any offered before. With Edgar Turner's new book, &… Read more

Boeing said today that the fire Monday aboard a 787 Dreamliner test aircraft started when an electronics bay power panel failed, igniting a nearby insulation blanket.

The fire forced the 787 to make an emergency landing in Laredo, Texas, and the immediate indefinite suspension of the test program. Boeing also said yesterday that because of the incident, it did not know if its plan to make the first Dreamliner deliveries to customers in the first quarter of 2011 was still viable.

According to a statement it issued late today, Boeing said that the P100 panel--one of several power panels in … Read more

Boeing today said that it has decided to halt tests of its much-anticipated but beleaguered 787 Dreamliner after an onboard fire during an evaluation flight.

The fire took place aboard ZA002, the second test 787, as it approached Laredo, Texas, Boeing said. The plane lost primary electric power but was able to land safely due to deployment of its backup systems, including its Ram Air Turbine. Boeing is investigating the electrical fire and said that early indications are that a power control panel in the plane's aft electronics bay must be replaced. Other repairs may also be required. An … Read more

Thursday, I took a virtual flight in Boeing's 787 Dreamliner simulator. In the midst of madly shooting photos--which, I must add, was difficult to do while sitting in a jump seat and juggling a notebook--I managed to capture some quick video of the takeoff with CNET's iPhone 4.

Sitting on the right in the first officer's seat is Gregg Pointon, a Boeing pilot trainer. He talked us through the takeoff roll down runway 16 Left at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the rotation--or liftoff point--as we took to the skies above the Seattle area and the Puget Sound. … Read more

SEATTLE--Just hours after it showed its 787 Dreamliner simulator and Customer Experience Center on Thursday, Boeing announced another delay for its newest airplane. According to press release issued Thursday night, delivery of the first aircraft will move from the end of this year to the first quarter of 2011.

"The delivery date revision follows an assessment of the availability of an engine needed for the final phases of flight test this fall," the statement said. "While Boeing works closely with Rolls-Royce to expedite engine availability, flight testing across the test fleet continues as planned." The company … Read more

Boeing will open its 787 Dreamliner simulator to journalists Thursday and provide an update on when the delay-plagued airplane will finally enter service. This CNET reporter will be lucky enough to take a virtual ride and visit the company's Customer Experience Center in Renton, Wash., where airline buyers can view cabin mockups, design aircraft interiors, and receive maintenance and flight training.

For the 787, which Boeing first announced six years ago, the demonstration, and the recent Federal Aviation Administration approval to begin pilot training, are more milestones in the aircraft's long development. The first major airliner to be built of carbon fiber composite materials, the Dreamliner took off and landed on its first flight last December.

Delivery to the launch customer, All Nippon Airways, was set for the end this year, but that date could move to early 2011 as Boeing completes the flight and design testing necessary for FAA certification. Only then can it begin flying airline passengers.

Cheaper and farther The 787's composite materials, along with a sharper nose and curved, upswept wings, promise greater fuel efficiency, quieter engines, and longer range. Indeed, the most powerful 787 model will be able to fly 8,500 nautical miles, which is enough to fly between Chicago and Sydney nonstop. … Read more