Dreamliner makes upward progress

The Dreamliner has scratched off some key checklist items on its delay-riddled path to its inaugural test flight.

The first copy of the new fuel-efficient Boeing Co. 787 passenger jet — major portions of which are made in North Charleston — has been powered up and wheeled off the primary assembly line in Everett, Wash.

The Chicago-based aerospace giant described the successful "powering on" sequence as a major milestone that keeps it on its revised schedule to launch the first 787 test flight in the fourth quarter of this year.

"The team has made great progress in bringing the bold innovation of the 787 to reality," said Pat Shanahan, vice president and general manager of the Dreamliner program. "There is plenty of work to be done between now and first flight, but with every step forward we grow more and more confident."

Boeing said the power-on process began in early June with a series of checks to verify that the jet's wiring had been installed and connected properly. Workers then plugged in an external power-generating cart and slowly began to bring the plane to full power, starting with the flight deck displays. The juice then was released into other areas of the jet while being closely monitored.

The reliability of the 787 electrical system is critical because the plane is designed to be flown more by wire than air-powered pneumatic devices.

"We are very methodical in ensuring the integrity of the airplane's systems," Shanahan said in a statement.

The launch of the twin-engine Dreamliner, which is being made mostly from lightweight composite materials instead of aluminum, has been delayed several times by glitches in Boeing's global supply chain. Some of those problems created a backlog in North Charleston, focusing scrutiny on the local suppliers, Vought Aircraft Industries Inc. and Global Aeronautica. In all, more than 60 percent of the 787 fuselage is made at two plants off International Boulevard.

The first 787 is now scheduled to be delivered in the third quarter of 2009. Roughly 1,100 workers, including independent contractors, are in North Charleston to ensure that the deadline is met.

The Dreamliner is Boeing's first new commercial airplane in more than a decade. The company has racked up orders for about 900 of the jets since April 2004, making it the fastest-selling plane in history.

An inside look at the 787 power-up process can be found online at www.newairplane.com.

Reach John McDermott at 937-5572 or jmcdermott@postandcourier.com.