Boeing says its first South
Carolina-built 787-8 performed "exactly as we expected" during its 5h
initial flight on 23 May, nearly four weeks after the aircraft was
rolled out of the new final assembly line in North Charleston on 27
April. Airplane 46 is one of four 787s to be completed at the factory
this year, all destined for Air India.
Pilots
of the GEnx-1B-powered widebody, slated to be delivered to Air India as
early as June, performed most of the production flight test along a
north-south path over the Atlantic Ocean to the east of Charleston,
between North Carolina and Florida. Total distance covered during the
flight was 1,764nm (3,267km), according to tracking site
FlightAware.com.
"Today's
production flight test profile tested the airplane's controls and
systems in a series of scenarios designed to verify the airplane
operates as designed," says Boeing. "The tests occurred in all stages
of flight beginning prior to taxi, through final landing and taxi."
Included in the tests were cabin pressurisation checks, avionics,
navigation and communications checks and shut-down and restart of each
of the two GEnx-1B engines.
As seen on live video coverage of the event, Airplane 46 first performed a high-speed rejected takeoff before lining up for a normal takeoff at 12:01. Tracking data on the FlightAware website shows that the pilots then performed roughly 3h of high altitude air work up to 41,000ft (12,497m), slightly below the 787-8's maximum operating altitude of 43,100ft.
The aircraft then descended to 15,000ft for roughly 1h of testing that appeared to include slow flight and possibly an aerodynamic stall, based on FlightAware tracking data. The pilots then returned to the Charleston International airport for approximately 1h of touch-and-go circuits.
It is unclear whether additional flights will be required before the aircraft is flown to Leading Edge Aviation Services in Fort Worth, Texas for painting in Air India livery.
Once airline acceptance flights are complete, Boeing expects to deliver the Charleston-build aircraft to Air India in June or July. The carrier's first 787, built at Boeing's Everett, Washington facility, will arrive by the end of May. Air India has orders for 27 787-8s.
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As seen on live video coverage of the event, Airplane 46 first performed a high-speed rejected takeoff before lining up for a normal takeoff at 12:01. Tracking data on the FlightAware website shows that the pilots then performed roughly 3h of high altitude air work up to 41,000ft (12,497m), slightly below the 787-8's maximum operating altitude of 43,100ft.
The aircraft then descended to 15,000ft for roughly 1h of testing that appeared to include slow flight and possibly an aerodynamic stall, based on FlightAware tracking data. The pilots then returned to the Charleston International airport for approximately 1h of touch-and-go circuits.
It is unclear whether additional flights will be required before the aircraft is flown to Leading Edge Aviation Services in Fort Worth, Texas for painting in Air India livery.
Once airline acceptance flights are complete, Boeing expects to deliver the Charleston-build aircraft to Air India in June or July. The carrier's first 787, built at Boeing's Everett, Washington facility, will arrive by the end of May. Air India has orders for 27 787-8s.
source: flightglobal.com
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