787 to Fly Next Week!

[Mike W]

IT'S OFFICIAL: BOEING OPENS 787 FIRST FLIGHT WINDOW ON DECEMBER 15, 10 AM

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...-december.html

787 first flight window on 15 December
By Ghim-Lay Yeo

Boeing's 787 Dreamliner's first flight window is set to open on 15 December at 10:00 local time at Paine Field in Everett, Washington.

"With high-speed taxi testing scheduled in the coming days, we're on track for first flight soon thereafter," says Boeing.

This follows the completion of static testing of the side-of-body modification, it adds.

The first flight window opening is dependent upon final internal reviews, taxi test and receipt of the final experimental ticket from the US Federal Aviation Administration, says Boeing.

Continues

This is great news. At last the 787 (well it hasn't flown yet so I'm still a little nervous) I think this aircraft will be more significant (and infinitely more numerous) than the 380 for us here in Aus with so many local operators planning to use it.

I can't wait for JQ (will they be the first to use it in and out of SYD?) to start getting theirs although I do wish it was QF first as it seems more appropriate to me that the parent and more premium brand gets first crack, but that's the way it goes.

...and then another 2 years or so for NZ to get the first -9 in the world.