Boeing official confident about Dreamliner

SEATTLE, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- The head of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner program said he's confident the U.S. aerospace company's newest passenger jet will have its first official flight this year.

The Seattle Times reported Thursday that 787 program head Scott Fancher is confident the completion of reinforcements to the first Dreamliner's wing-body joint will pave the way for a 2009 flight.

Fancher said, "the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner will occur before the end of the year."

Any potential 2009 test flights of the Dreamliner model likely would not take place until mid-December as a series of tests on the aircraft has been scheduled.

Boeing initially postponed the first flight of the Dreamliner in June after tests revealed delamination of the advanced airplane's composite carbon-fiber skin at the wing-body joint.

Fancher explained in a statement once tests confirm the reinforcements are working properly, steps will be taken to work toward an official test flight, the newspaper said.

"As soon as we confirm the loads are being handled appropriately in the joint we will complete pre-flight activities on the airplane," he said.