"The progress of the world, the development of nations...and the peace of all who dwell on earth are among the principles and ordinances of God."
- Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets 130
Boeing's 787 jetliner makes first test flight
The much delayed Boeing 787 Dreamliner jet takes off on its first flight in Everett, Washington. (Stephen Brashear / Getty Images)
SEATTLE -- The crowd of workers and dignitaries lining Paine Field today held their breath as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner roared down the runway, lifted its nose into the air and then flew north with two chase planes trailing along the horizon and then into a bank of clouds.
For the first time, a passenger jetliner with a body and wings made of super-hardened plastics took wing, a milestone that promises to usher in a new era in aviation. ...
The airplane's maiden voyage, like all first flights, was the moment of truth for Boeing's executives and engineers who conceived the aircraft and then guided it through the... production problems that delayed it by more than two years. ...
"It is a milestone..." said John Strickland, a London-based air transport consultant.
The large use of composites employed by... Boeing Co. in the 787 and by Airbus in the A350-XWB, due to hit the market four years from now, could provide the largest leap in the experience of flying since jets replaced propeller-driven aircraft on long flights during the 1960s and 1970s.
The new planes are designed to be roomier, with oversized windows. Replacing metal with stronger and more flexible composites will enable the oxygen piped through the planes to be a richer mix, more humid and closer to the air at sea level. ...
