Boeing 787 Dreamliner to take flight... finally!

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

After two and a half years of delays and billions of additional costs, Boeing's 787 Dreamliner is set to finally make its first test flight.

The long-delayed Dreamliner has been hit with a number of technical issues over the past year including design problems, strikes and even a shortage of bolts. It has not been good for Boeing, which has had a hard time during the recession.

The plane was originally set to fly this year, after first being unveiled in July 2007, however delays forced the company to push the flight back. At the time, Boeing chairman Jim McNerney said the extra time would enable the remaining work to be completed, with the first plane being delivered for service in the last quarter of 2010.

McNerney also added that, "The design details and implementation plan (were) nearly complete, and the team is preparing airplanes for modification and testing."

Lost orders

Originally, the company had orders for 850 planes, with the aim of making ten a month by the end of 2013. However this year, Boeing has suffered lower than average orders due to the global recession. Carrier airlines have been cancelling plane orders in an effort to save money which has drastically hurt Boeing, as the company only receives payment for planes upon delivery. Boeing has also revealed that certain airline firms have been forced to cancelled 41 orders for the Dreamliner.

The Dreamliner was an attraction for many airlines due to its lightweight design that combines carbon and titanium, in order to reduce fuel costs. It would also make the plane lighter and able to fly longer distances without refuelling.

The test flight will take place on Tuesday (15 December), where it will then go on to take part in nine months of continuous testing, with six planes flying around the clock. Once tests are complete, Boeing has said it hopes to deliver the first plane by the end of 2010 to Japan's All Nippon Airlines.

Speaking to the BBC, Richard Aboulafia, aerospace analyst at research firm Teal Group, said, "It [the first flight] will provide a badly needed perception that the programme is on some kind of schedule again, but it's still a long way from the ultimate result."

Competition?

Whilst it may appear that Boeing is finally back on track, they will face competition in the skies. Arch rival Airbus is also developing a lightweight craft. The A350 plane, like the Dreamliner, will also be made primarily from carbon-composite materials however, it will be able to carry far larger numbers of passengers. This though will hamper the airports it will be capable of flying to, due to its double-decker design.

Founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing, the company is the largest global aircraft manufacturer by revenue, orders and deliveries, and the largest aerospace and defence contractor in the world.

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