787 test program nears an end

Boeing has a revised third quarter target for the delivery of the 787′s service entry now looks to be achievable given all of the delays and setbacks experienced during the testing program – although this comes at a huge financial cost in writing off the first three test airplanes, (ongoing) compensation to customers and a hugely embarassing three year delay to the program.

With just several hundred hours of flight testing yet to be completed, Boeing has, with this revised entry into service schedule, provided the first realistic target of getting the airplane delivered.

Delivering the first 787 earlier will make better headlines, but as with the 777 program, Boeing is aiming to ensure ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standard) capability out-of-the-box for 787 customers.

Delivering the first 787′s will alleviate near-term pressures, but the bigger question remains of how long it will now take Boeing to reach its former target of ten airplanes a month – 2013 is now out of the question.