787 test flight fleet done

On the eve of the Paris Air Show, James Albaugh. President of Boeing Commercial aircraft, revealed that Boeing is done with 97% of the required testing on the Trent 1000 powered and that the Boeing test flight fleet ZA001- ZA006 would not be flying for certification purposes. Boeing still has to complete SROV activities in Japan early next month as well as start ETOPs/F&R testing using ZA102 (LN9) for the Trent-1000 engines.

It is unclear which GEnx powered 787 will be used to conduct the ETOPS/F&R testing for the GEnx version of the 787 though ZA177 a GE powered 787 is still in change incorporation and maybe a possible candidate to conduct those tests around August or September depending on the progress of its change incorporation. If not then the only option is for ZA005 or ZA006 to conduct those tests.

ZA102 was supposed to start F&R testing in early June but as of today it still has no started and now Boeing is saying late June for the start of testing. I have no word from sources as to the actual start date thus far.

Even though Boeing's 787 test flight fleet certification duties are over, their flight testing duties are on going with ZA004 undertaking NAMS (nautical air mile) testing with the package "B" Trent 1000 engines. ZA003 is testing the hybrid laminar flow control (HLFC) which, it is hoped, will reduce drag by delaying the transition of laminar air flow over the horizontal tail plane to turbulent air flow. If these tests are successful, then it is planned to introduce this system on the HTP for the 787-9 and possibly to the 787-8 as well. ZA001 will fly to Paris for the air show then on to Warsaw and Berlin for marketing related activities with Air Berlin and LOT. As mentioned earlier, ZA002 will be dispatched Japan for Service Ready Operational Validation Testing.

Below is the schedule for the SROV tests with ANA in Japan:

Flight 1 LV. SEA 7-3-11 5AM ARR. HND 7-4-11 6:30AM
Flight 2 LV. HND 7-5-11 6:30AM ARR. ITM 7-5-11 7:30AM
Flight 3 LV. ITM 7-5-11 11:30AM ARR. HND 7-5-11 12:30AM
Flight 4 LV. HND 7-6-11 6:30AM ARR. KIX 7-6-11 8:00AM
Flight 5 LV. KIX 7-6-11 12:00PM ARR. HND 7-6-11 1:30PM
Flight 6 LV. HND 7-7-11 6:00AM ARR. OKJ 7-7-11 7:30AM
Flight 7 LV. OKJ 7-7-11 11:00AM ARR. HND 7-7-11 12:30PM
Flight 8 LV. HND 7-7-11 3:00PM ARR. HIJ 7-7-11 5:00PM
Flight 9 LV. HIJ 7-7-11 7:00PM ARR. HND 7-7-22 8:30PM
Flight 10 LV. HND 7-9-11 1:00PM ARR. SEA 7-9-11 6:30AM