PARIS — Boeing has moved its second 787, ZA002, into the open air, while another key program milestone has been accomplished with the arrival of the final structural section for the first production Dreamliner ahead of the start of formal production.
Dreamliner Two, fully painted in launch customer ANA’s colors, moved to the fuel dock on June 15th and beginning its march to first flight, expected to follow within weeks after ZA001 takes to the sky.
Boeing says fuel testing began immediately on the aircraft, registered N787EX, and will follow with the first start of the Hamilton Sundstrand auxiliary power unit in the days to come.
Tucked into the back of the final assembly line, all the structural sections for the first production 787 (ZA100) have arrived. The last piece, an integrated center fuselage barrel from Global Aeronautica, landed in Everett after its cross country flight from Charleston, SC on June 14th.
As per Boeing tradition, sources say the aircraft is adorned with a banner reading “Building with pride, the first 787 for ANA“.
The wings for the first production 787 are currently in the join position in the Everett factory, and will be soon followed by the forward, center and aft fuselage sections, officially kicking off the first production body join of a majority composite commercial jetliner.
Japan’s All Nippon Airways is expected to take delivery of this airplane, the seventh flying 787, in the February 2010.
Photo Credit Boeing
***Editor’s Note: Boeing’s Pat Shanahan will be briefing the media with a formal 787 program update midday here in Paris.
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This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.