Work Far From Done After First Flight

EVERETT -- It's an event years in the making, but the 787's first flight is also an occasion that Boeing Co. leaders can't wait to put in the rearview mirror.

"First flight will just be another business day," said Mike Delaney, 787 chief project engineer, at a media briefing in April.

Between the business of first flight and the celebration of the first delivery lie many potential pitfalls and problems. Namely, Boeing has scheduled an ambitious, aggressive flight test program. As Boeing works its six test planes around the clock, the company simultaneously needs to trim weight from aircraft in the pipeline and slowly ramp up production to meet an eventual goal of building one 787 every three days.

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