Boeing 787 - Seattle to North Charleston Air Service For Durability Test

 Boeing’s fourth flight-test 787 flies past Mount Rainier early 2011 (Boeing graphics)

The Boeing 787 composite material design is very new at its size scale. Though composites have been used in Formula 1 cars, business jets, the Space Shuttle and other applications, the Boeing 787 is the first to use it at this size scale, and in barrel configuration.

The Boeing 787 is the first to composites as the de Havilland Comet was the first with aluminum, though aluminum-use in similar size aircraft was more widespread before the introduction of the de Havilland Comet, mostly in bombers. On composites, we also had the American B-2 bomber though not in a tube with wings configuration.

Being 787 Dreamliner No. 23 arrives in San Antonio for upgrades (Boeing graphics)

Most of us are quite familiar with the de Havilland Comet's history and we hope and pray that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner will not follow the same pattern. It behooves the Boeing company to extensively and intensively test the durability of the Boeing 787, not only for its commercial survival but more for the safety of millions of future Boeing 787 passengers. But this is not to say that the Boeing 787 and other future mostly composite airliners like the Airbus A-350 are not safe. It is just making it more safe with more tests.

Boeing company should go beyond the FAA certification process by using the retained flight-test Boeing 787's,  like the Boeing 737 is utilized. It can use the retained flight-test Boeing 787's as an Air Ferry Service between Seattle, North Charleston, Chicago and other Boeing locations on a multi trip per day basis. Boeing can either form an airline, or lease it to an airline that will provide the service.

First 787 for delivery to launch customer ANA takes off 19Jan2011 Paine Field (Flight Global graphics)

By doing this, Boeing can collect a lot of data that can be used to optimize further the Boeing 787 design at a no-cost even profitable basis. These tests might even prove the Boeing 787 as a Boeing 757 replacement, and as proof for the use of the design on the future Boeing 797, the Boeing 737 replacement.