Dreamliner's Maiden Flight Delayed

(NEWSER) - International Lease Finance Corporation, the world’s #1 jet leasing company, ordered 52 787 Dreamliners, Boeing announced at the Paris Air Show. This brings total orders for Boeing's new plane to 634 -- way ahead of rival Airbus' 127 orders for its A350XWB. Both planes incorporate lightweight composites instead of metal, which will dramatically reduce operating costs. More»

Boeing 787 takes off after years of delays

(NEWSER) - Leaving behind a series of woes and delays, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner took flight on its maiden voyage today, exactly six years to the day after Boeing first offered the jet for sale in 2003. Since then, the jet has been wildly successful in terms of sales, but also the victim of a slew of mechanical problems and labor disputes. More»

Company prepares long-delayed 787 for maiden flight

(NEWSER) - Boeing's Dreamliner will make its maiden flight next week after two years of delays. The high-tech aircraft could be airborne on a test flight of about five hours Tuesday if Seattle's weather permits, reports the Post-Intelligencer . Boeing has much staked on the plane, made of 50% composite material. It's locked in a fierce fight with Airbus to deliver the fuel-saving jet of the future, notes the Wall Street Journal . It has nearly 900 planes on order but can't deliver any until the model passes muster with the FAA. More»

Troubled aircraft finally reaching last test stages

(NEWSER) - After years of delays, Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner may finally be finished. After a full on-the-ground simulation, one will leave the factory this week to take a place on the runway for a real test flight in June, the Seattle Times reports. Boeing lost 32 jet orders due to delays and the economic crisis, but still has 866. It expects more cancellations, but CEO Jim McNerney said reductions should be “modest.” More»

Machinists strike, other bugs throw more wrenches into Boeing's production

(NEWSER) - Wheels-up time for Boeing’s much-anticipated Dreamliner jet will likely be delayed at least another 6 months, leaving customers wondering if the aircraft will ever take to the skies, the Wall Street Journal reports. The fourth delay, attributed to the recent machinists strike, bugs in the plane’s computer software, and other snags, may push delivery to summer 2010—more than 2 years late. More»