Boeing has targeted 20 June for its formal flight readiness review on the 787 Dreamliner. The review will assess the preparations for the first flight of the 787, expected by the end of this month.

Pat Shanahan, Boeing vice-president and general manager of airplane programmes, outlined the final path to first flight, further affirming his company's commitment to flying by the close of June.

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.

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.

Shanahan says the aircraft will then move into low- and high-speed taxi tests and will "go fly" some time before the clock strikes midnight on 30 June.

Source: Flight Daily News

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