Boeing was due to undertake the 787's formal flight readiness review on 20 June, which should clear the way for the Dreamliner's maiden sortie by the end of this month.
Following the readiness review, prototype ZA001 will move into final gauntlet testing, which is believed to be scheduled for two days, according to 787 programme sources.
"I feel very comfortable about the final gauntlet test," says Pat Shanahan, Boeing vice-president and general manager of airplane programmes.
Shanahan cites the "hour-by-hour" flight-test plan that dictates the 787's schedule. The gauntlet will put the first 787 through a final series of closed loop tests that will continue to validate the functionality and reliability of aircraft systems.
"Once we conclude the final gauntlet test, we'll conduct low speed and high speed taxi tests and then we'll go fly."
Source: Flight International
