UPDATE 7:35 AM ET: Last night’s Braxton Hicks engine “start” had all the ingredients of the real thing. Though the last step, engine ignition, is being held for early this morning in Everett. ZA001’s engines were spun up for the first time with fuel flowing to the engine, several sources tell FlightBlogger. The test bore a strong resemblance to engine start, minus the tell-tale cloud of white smoke that would be seen when the storage oil is burnt off.
UPDATE 11:12 AM ET: A bit more clarity now on last night’s test. The engine spins are referred to as a ‘wet motor’ test. Essentially, the engine is spin to make sure all the hardware is running smoothly while pumping fuel through the line ensuring that there are no leaks.
Several sources have indicated that the engine start test window opens in Everett beginning at 8:30 AM PT (11:30 AM ET).
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This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.