The first flight of Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner has been delayed for technical reasons.
The test flight had been scheduled for June 30 but tests on the aircraft revealed that a section on the body’s side will need to be reinforced. It is the latest in a series of delays that has left the aircraft two years behind schedule.
Boeing is now rescheduling the first flight and delivery of the aircraft, although it will be “several weeks” until the new schedule is released.
The Dreamliner had been due to enter service early next year with All Nippon Airways of Japan as the launch customer. TUI Travel will operate the first Dreamliners in the UK and was expecting delivery from late 2011 or early 2012.
It is believed the 787 will transform long-haul travel because its lighter weight and lower fuel consumption means it can fly from regional airports.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive Scott Carson said: “Consideration was given to a temporary solution that would allow us to fly as scheduled, but we concluded the right thing was to develop, design, test and incorporate a permanent modification to the localised area requiring reinforcement.
“Structural modifications like these are not uncommon in the development of new aircraft and this is not an issue related to our choice of materials, or the assembly and installation work of our team.”