Boeing new 787 jetliner takes to the skies on long-delayed first test flight
ABC-TV News
December 15, 2009
By GEORGE TIBBITS Associated Press Writer
Boeing’s new 787 jetliner finally got airborne Tuesday, the long-delayed inaugural flight of the world’s first commercial plane constructed with half its components made from lightweight composite materials.
The sleek jet lifted off from Everett’s Paine Field on a flight over Washington state, beginning an extensive testing program needed to obtain Federal Aviation Administration certification.
“It’s very historical. I can’t think of a thing about it that I’m not impressed with,” said Joe Bierce, a flight instructor for Delta Connection in Jacksonville, Fla., who was among the 25,000 people who gathered to watch the takeoff.
The two-member crew performed a variety of basic system checks, including testing the landing gear and the flaps, before landing at Seattle’s Boeing Field about three hours later. Deteriorating weather brought the plane back to earth about an hour earlier than planned. more ….
