AP – Boeing Co. employees cheer as a Boeing Co.
787 airplane takes off on its first flight Tuesday, Dec. 15, …
By GEORGE TIBBITS, Associated Press Writer
George Tibbits, Associated Press Writer –
Wed Dec 16, 4:05 am ET

EVERETT, Wash. – The first flight of Boeing's new 787 jetliner brought no surprises
— exactly what pilots, engineers and company officials had anxiously sought forthe long-delayed aircraft.

"The airplane responded just as we expected," Randy Neville, one of the two pilots,
said after touchdown Tuesday at Seattle's Boeing Field. "It was a joy to fly."

Boeing has billions of dollars

and its reputation riding on the sleek, blue-and-white aircraft that lifted off
from Everett's Paine Field on a flight over western Washington,
beginning the extensive flight testing program needed to obtain Federal Aviation Administration certification

.........................

The version being tested will be able to fly up to 250 passengers about 9,000 miles.

A stretch version will be capable of carrying 290 passengers and a short-range model
up to 330.

Airbus says it had received

505 orders for the A350 from 32 customers as of November. The European company is
aiming to deliver the first plane in 2013.

"All of this is going to set the stage for all Boeing planes in the future," Hamilton

said. "It's a very important milestone in the history of the company."

___

Associated Press Writer Manuel Valdes contributed to this report from Seattle.


Boeing 787 First Flight Web
site, including link to flight Webcast:
http://787firstflight.newairplane.com


news came from http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091216/ap_on_bi_ge/us_boeing787_flight_test