Boeing conducted inspections Friday of the 787 horizontal stabilizers on ZA002 and ZA003, the only two 787s not in layup. Both returned to flying on Sunday, but with different purposes.
ZA002 used Sunday to conduct autopilot functional tests, while ZA003, which has been based at Pinal Air Park in Marana, Arizona for high intensity radio frequency (HIRF) testing, returned home to Boeing Field in Seattle.
Program sources indicate that following the aircraft’s Sunday return to Boeing Field, ZA003 was set to continue horizontal stabilizer inspections, potentially indicating discovery and further diagnosis of scope of the improperly installed shims and over-torqued fasteners.
Boeing declined to comment on ZA003’s return from Marana, citing a policy not to discuss flight test operations.
Program sources also indicate that flight tests that were previously assigned to ZA003 late last week have been reassigned to ZA002 for testing on Monday. ZA005, the GEnx-1B-powered 787, is expected to make its second flight Monday as well.
This post was originally published to the internet between 2007 and 2012. Links, images, and embedded media from that era may no longer function as intended.
This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.