Following a two hour 787 test flight on Monday, Boeing announced: “We have a high degree of confidence in the technical solution we are testing right now with the Federal Aviation Administration. They expect that the plane’s return to the skies “will be sooner than later.” t
The test flight was staffed by six crew members: two pilots, two instrumentation engineers, a systems operator and a flight analyst. The crew were cycled the landing gear, operated all backup systems and performed electrical system checks from the flight profile.
Seeing the first fire was after a long flight from Tokyo to Boston, is a single two hour flight enough to convince the FAA and the safety authorities in the other jurisdictions to give approval? Is it enough to get the airlines convinced and is it enough to get the public on board? I am still nervous.
I don’t see what a two hour test flight can really prove, but if a 787 was swapped in on my EWR-DEN flight tomorrow, I would board without a moment’s hesitation and nothing but excitement.
I will stay away from that one, at least for 5 years!