Boeing 787 Dreamliner Finishes First Test Flight Successfully

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The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) 787 Dreamliner completed its first test flight after all the flights were grounded in January due to trouble with the battery. The Dreamliner was carrying a redesigned battery system.

The root, which the plane covered in its short flight of 2 hours, was from Washington, along the pacific coast and landed at Paine Field. According to Boeing, the flight went “according to plan.”

Boeing 787 Dreamliner Finishes First Test Flight Successfully

On January 16, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) to ground the new planes following the investigation, which was carried by safety investigators. Since then, Boeing has not been able to deliver Dreamliners to its customers.

After the data is analyzed a “battery certification flight” will be launched on the same aircraft. This will be done in order to support the point that the new batteries are operating in accordance with expectations.

The Federal Aviation Administration will be the key authority to certify the findings of the second flight. Only after the certification from the U.S. aviation authority will Boeing 787 be allowed to resume its commercial flight service.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner came under the questions regarding its safety when two batteries in one of the Dreamliner’s overheated on the Japan Airlines; the flight made an emergency landing in Boston. After the incident, a total of 50 Dreamliners were grounded. The FAA gave its final approval to the Boeing’s plan of a new battery to be replaced with the old.

U.S. transportation secretary Ray LaHood said that, through this test, the authorities can arrive at the conclusion whether the proposed battery improvement by Boeing 787 will be successful. He added that the flights of Boeing 787 will not be allowed to resume their services unless the authorities make sure that the new design of the batteries is safe.

For the first time, Lithium batteries has been used by Boeing 787 in their flights. No other aircraft has used this technology so far. The Lithium batteries are said to be lighter and stronger. There was a good demand of Boeing’s Dream liner 787 in Asia and Middle East where long range flights are preferred by the airlines.

After the technical glitch occurred, the flight remained grounded for almost four months; it seems that European rival Airbus was quick to learn a lesson from Boeing’s mistake and reverted back to nickel-cadium batteries in its A350 plane, which will compete with Dreamliner.

After the second flight test, which if approved by the FAA, few weeks will be consumed in the certification process as per the expectations of The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA).

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