With a successful flight on Friday, Boeing moved closer to proving that a revamped safety system can prevent batteries on its new 787 Dreamliner from catching fire or overheating, and getting back the plane into service.
Friday’s test flight concludes testing after little more than three weeks, and moves the Dreamliner closer to resuming passenger flights, restarting jet deliveries, and stemming millions of dollars in losses that have piled up atairlines and Boeing since the jet was grounded more than two months ago.
The end of testing also turns attention from Boeing to regulators in the U.S., Japan and Europe, who must decide whether the fix for the high-tech plane’s lithium-ion batteries is safe.
Amid gusty winds, a 787 built for LOT Polish Airlines rose from a runway near the Boeing factory just north of Seattle and soared out along the Pacific Coast, covering 755 miles in just under two hours before touching down at 12:28 p.m. Pacific.
For the complete story by Alwyn Scott and Tim Hepher of Reuters, click here.
