The Boeing Co. has delayed the first flight of its 787 Dreamliner to October from late September, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported online late Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Boeing had to push back the first flight because of the complexity of installing and integrating various systems on the 787, the Seattle, Washington state-based newspaper said.
"That delay will make it even more challenging and problematic to complete an aggressive flight-test program and get the new jet certified by regulators and delivered on time," it said.
People familiar with the matter highlighted that it would take more time than expected to get the critical flight-control systems and software operational on the plane and "talking" with the other systems.
Boeing chairman and chief executive Jim McNerney had conceded last month that it was possible that the first flight could slip into October. But he also made it clear then that Boeing's goal was to get the Dreamliner flying by the end of September -- about a month later than originally planned, the newspaper said.
It is not clear when the 787 will be ready to fly in October. "We are talking about more than a few days," a source was quoted as saying Thursday.
Boeing would not confirm that the first flight is now scheduled for October, the newspaper said. But the company did say it will meet its customer commitments.
"We remain on schedule for entry into service in 2008," Boeing said in a statement Thursday when asked to comment, the newspaper said. "The pockets of behind-schedule condition vary. Since recovery plans are in place, our overall assessment is that we are on schedule."
The 787, unveiled on July 8 at Boeing's plant in Everett, Washington, is the company's first new airliner in 13 years. It is scheduled to enter commercial service with All Nippon Airways (ANA) in May 2008 after the Japanese company placed its first order four years ago.
To date, Boeing has about 680 orders for the new fuel-efficient aircraft from more than 45 airline companies, representing more than 110 billion dollars according to catalog prices.
