Boeing: 787 test flight delayed due to strike

Boeing Co. said Tuesday the first flight of its long-delayed 787 jetliner has been postponed until next year due to an eight-week strike by union workers.

The Chicago-based airplane maker had scheduled the inaugural flight of the next-generation passenger jet for the fourth quarter of this year.

But company spokesman Jim Proulx said the strike pushed back the test flight to an unspecified time next year.

The walkout ended Saturday after the Machinists union, representing 27,000 workers, ratified a four-year contract with the company. Workers began returning to Boeing's commercial aircraft plants Sunday night.

"Given the duration of the ... work stoppage, first flight of the 787 will not be accomplished in the fourth quarter 2008," Proulx said. "The time frame for first flight has not been established and will be based on the strike recovery assessment."

Boeing officials have said the company is conducting an assessment to determine its revised production schedule. Proulx said the new schedule for the 787 program will be announced when the assessment is completed.

The hot-selling 787 jetliner is expected to provide high fuel efficiency because of its construction from lightweight carbon composite parts.

Also Tuesday, Boeing said it discovered some fasteners that had been "incorrectly installed and do not conform to specifications" on 787 airplanes at one of its commercial aircraft plants near Seattle.

Proulx declined to indicate whether the fastener problem contributed to the 787 test flight delay.